A Brief History of Chocolate
Chocolate as we now know it has historic and magical ancestory. Although today, it is available in supermarkets and convenience stores, during its history, it has been a prized and sought after commodity, known as “Food of the Gods”, at times been a closely guarded secret and the cocoa bean has even been used as a currency.
A Concise Account of Chocolate
Chocolate as we know it today has ancient and mystical ancestory. Although today, it is on hand in supermarkets and convenience stores, during its past, it has been a cherished and sought after thing, known as “Food of the Gods”, at times been a carefully guarded secret and the cocoa bean has even been used as a currency.
Ancient civilisations including the Aztec and Maya harvested the cocoa tree. The tree was located in jungles and rainforests in Central and Southern America. The cocoa tree creates pods which contain the cocoa beans. These beans were then made into a beverage by the Mayans who added water, spices, and vanilla to the ground beans. This drink was called “xocolatl” meaning “bitter water”.
The beans were used by merchants and traded for products including horses, cloth and traditional feathers.
Cocoa is linked in Mexican Indian mythology to the god Quetzalcoatl who is rumoured to have left behind the cocao tree when he left the country.
Christopher Columbus brought the cocoa bean to Spain between 1502 & 1504. Hernan Cortes, the conquistador realised the worth of the beans and introduced them to Spain in 1528. Sugar, milk and spices were mixed to the beverage to blend the taste. “Chocolate” became highly popular amongst the Spanish elite but it was still in short supply and they kept quiet about it for morethan 100 years.
But chocolate was not going to stay a secret. By 1606 it was in Italy after an Italian traveller had seen it in Central America and in 1615 it was introduced in France. The French court adored chocolate, approving it and thinking it had exceptional properties including being good for the health.
Chocolate made its way to different countries of Europe and in the 1650s it arrived in England. The then expensive drink was popular with the rich and elite and in 1657 a Frenchman started a hot chocolate outlet in London. “Chocolate Houses” migrated and the drink became much more widely available.
The popularity of chocolate was growing and so new cocoa plantations were built in Africa, The Far East and The West Indies. As supply increased, the price fell which meant much more of the population could now afford it. Grocers, apothecaries and chemists manufactured the drink.
In the Victorian times a method was found to produce a chocolate “bar” using cocoa powder, sugar and cocoa butter.
By the early 20th century, the chocolate bar was being manufactured on an industrial scale, with further developments to improve taste and add other ingredients.
So the chocolate bars we enjoy today have emerged through history with a rich, varied and adventurous story. The cocoa tree is known as “Theobroma Cacao”, translated as “Food of The Gods” & and chocolate is now a little “luxury” that can be widely enjoyed.
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