WARNING: This article might make your mouth water!
Chocolate is a beloved treat famous in all areas of the world, particularly for its richness and captivating taste. The ancient and well-studied history of chocolate is fascinating and holds so much more than what meets the eye. So, come along, here’s a quick lesson on How our beloved Chocolate came to be.
Chocolate Beaker belonging to the Mayans
Picture this- You’re in Latin America, 1900 BC, and you are given a sacred frothy drink by the Mayans who first discovered the cocoa tree. The drink contains cocoa beans, water, and spices, and it tastes bitter. (the word “xocoatl”, meaning “bitter water” is how chocolate got its name.) This is where Chocolate first came into existence. Not only did the Mayans enjoy it as a drink but it was also used as medicine. And the coolest thing? They had a festival annually to celebrate the Cocoa God!
Exit Mayans and Enter Aztecs – When the Aztecs took over the Mayans, they adopted Chocolate as a luxury item. One that their king drank in a golden goblet and one that Aztecs believed would increase wisdom, energy, and power. And when the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés arrived in the Aztec empire, he just knew he had to take some back with him to Spain. (Good choice!)
Cocoa Harvesting Spanish Colonies
The Earlier Taste of Chocolate – When Cortes took the beans back with him, it made little impact. And Only when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs did they realise the beans’ potential. However, it wasn’t in its taste but in its economic potential. (They’re missing out..) So a colony was set up and very soon, Spanish people found themselves enjoying a hot chocolate drink with a hint of chilli. (Yay Spain!) And it didn’t stop there- people started mixing honey and sugar to create the rich and delightful taste of Chocolate.
Magic takes place – Before the Industrial Revolution, chocolate was only enjoyed by the rich as grinding cocoa beans was a painful, long task. This meant that the prices were quite high. But after new technology and processes were invented, chocolates were allowed to be made faster with the same high quality and everyone could enjoy it!
That might be the end for history books, but not the end for us.
Chocolate is continually changing as people are no longer confined to the regular standard bars. And that’s amazing news for you and me! Because that means that the world will never get tired of the brilliance and wonder of Chocolate !!
