The Yummy History of Chocolate
The rich, delicious, smooth, delectable taste of chocolate is loved by many. What people may not know is that chocolate was actually a New World discovery, making it an American treasure. Once discovered, chocolate became one of the most hunted treasures that was then brought back on ships to Europe as a prize from the uncharted territory located across the open waters of the Atlantic.
Chocolate is created from Cacao, which is thought to have originated approximately four thousand years ago in the Amazon. It is said that the Aztecs were so fascinated with Cacao that they credited their god Quetzalcoatl with its creation. The story asserts that Quetzalcoatl came down from the heavens, on a morning star, carrying the Cacao tree that had been stolen from a paradise. While this story obviously cannot be verified, what is known is that the Aztecs placed such a high value on the Cacao bean that it was commonly used as a form of currency.
The Aztecs also produced a cold, thick, unsweetened drink from the Cacao beans known as Chocolatl. This drink was considered to be so special that it was served in goblets made of gold, which were thrown away after just a single use. In 1502, Christopher Columbus became the first European to discover the beans during his fourth voyage to the New World.
Later, a man with his sights set on money, Hernando Cortez, became enthralled with the Aztec people, their spicy, yet bitter beverage, and perhaps most importantly, the fact that the Aztecs were using Cacao beans as a form of currency. In 1519, in the name of Spain, Cortez established a plantation for Cacao where he believed “money” could be grown on trees. Upon his return to Spain in 1528, he brought the king of Spain, Charles V, some of these magnificent beans. It was also at this time that Cortez suspected that if sugar was added to the bitter beverage, it would not only be more palatable for the tastes of the Europeans, but that it could become a delicious treat.
His suspicion was dead on, and Spaniards began mixing the bitter beans with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, allspice, and nutmeg. The drink that resulted quickly became the drink of choice for the rich. Believe it or not, Spain managed to keep this tasty secret from the rest of the world for nearly a century. Luckily for all of the chocolate lovers in the world, this secret is now well known, and well loved by thousands all over the globe.