Read The Rich History of Chocolate
The delicious origins of the sweet chocolate we know are linked to a bitter drink first created by early Mesoamerican residents. They used it in their religious and social lives as far back as 250-900 AD - known as the Classic Period. Beans grew in the rainforests around the Mayan cities. The cocoa tree was called “Cacahuaquchtl” and the chocolate was called “xocoatl”, which means “bitter water” when translated. In order to prepare their drinks, they first fermented and then roasted the beans to form a paste. Along with the paste, water, chili peppers, cornmeal and other substances were added to get the all important spicy beverage.
Additionally, the Aztecs adopted the cocoa when they began their domination of Mesoamerica, and they used beans as a type of currency. In short order, chocolate became an absolutely important part of the Aztec lifestyle. Mayans only allowed the drink to be consumed by their rulers, while the Aztecs extended that drinking privilege to rulers, priests, honored merchants, and the most decorated of soldiers.
Fruit and beans were items that that the Aztecs believed would give you wisdom and power. Originally, many people believed that cocoa beans had a high variety of aphrodisiac qualities, too. When Christopher Columbus came back to Europe from his trip to the Americas, he came with cocoa beans, but it was a discovery that was met with little fanfare at first. After several returning trips to the Americas, the Europeans began to realize that the beans could indeed be used as a type of currency.
By this stage, the Aztecs had changed the old Maya name “xocoatl”, into their name “chocolatl”, translated “warm liquid”. By 1519, however, Hernando Cortex Begin had a cocoa tree plantation, the very first. Spicy chocolate found it’s way to Spain - for whom the plantation was created - and to Charles V, the king, in 1928. The new food gained a delicacy status that was further encouraged once Hernando began adding sugar to the beans through experimentation. It was not long before Hernando and others began combining the bean with items such as nutmeg, vanilla, cloves, and cinnamon.
During this time period, the drink continued to be reserved especially for the Spanish nobility, with the working class and other countries being excluded from its greatness. It eventually gained access to the rest of the world through Spanish monks who were cultivating the beans. Whether as a currency or a delicacy, chocolate spread quickly over Europe.
Undoubtedly, the great love for chocolate continued to spread over the world through the centuries, making it a quite popular dessert today. The item - which is far from being a treat only enjoyed by royalty, nobility, or the clergy - is now enjoyed by many and has greatly improved in the taste department. It is still debatable whether chocolate is an aphrodisiac - however recent research does prove that the dark cocoa does have beneficial qualities which are healthy for the body.
