- The short, sweet history of
chocolate
Chocolate. We love it, you love it and every day, millions of
people enjoy it in all its delicious forms. But where does it come
from and how did it get to be so popular? In this short history of
chocolate, we’ll look at how a simple, rather bitter-tasting
little bean was transformed into one of the best loved foods in the
world.
Now, if you’re sitting comfortably, preferably with a big bag
of your favourite Thorntons, we’ll begin...
The amazing Aztecs…
Our journey starts around 4,000 years ago in the Americas. Ancient
tribes like the Aztecs and Mayans revered cacao (or cocoa) beans,
eating them before going into battle because they were thought to
give strength. The Aztecs also believed that cacao actually came
from paradise itself and whoever ate the beans would be blessed
with wisdom, energy and, ahem, enhanced sexual powers.
Hang on, we’ve got an idea!
The Aztecs are thought to have been the first people to turn the
cacao beans into a more edible form. They roasted the beans, ground
them into a paste and dissolved the paste in water with a few
spices and chillies. It might not sound particularly yummy, but
there it was, the very first drinking chocolate. They called it
chocolate, which means bitter drink, and it was lapped up in sacred
rituals and quaffed by elite tribesmen for the next few hundred
years, until...
Invasion!
In the 1500s the Europeans decided to go exploring and stick their
noses in. We’re all familiar with Chris Columbus, the Spanish
conquistadors’ ‘discovery’ of America and just
how badly that turned out for the native people. But at first the
Spanish didn’t realise the potential for cacao, preferring
other wonders like gold.
Welcome to Spain
In 1519, the Spanish conqueror Hernando Cortez visited the court of
Emperor Montezuma in Mexico, where he was presented with a golden
goblet of chocolate. Realising he’d stumbled across something
pretty amazing, Cortez took some cacao beans back to Spain, where
monks perfected a technique for roasting and grinding them. They
also had the brilliant idea of replacing the chilli with cane sugar
to improve the taste.
Just for posh people?
With the Aztecs conquered, the Spanish were able to establish their
own huge plantations and export large amounts of cacao back to
Europe. By the 17th century, chocolate had become something of a
luxury item among Europe’s aristocracy.
In the 17th century, diarist Samuel Pepys swore by
chocolate’s energising properties and Napoleon carried it
with him into battle to give him a quick boost. Parisians were
using it to treat problems like indigestion and nervous
conditions.
But with the advent of the industrial revolution and mass
production in the late 18th and early 19th century, delicious
chocolate, now in a solid form, began to take off in a big
way.
We love chocolate!
Today, chocolate has become one of the most versatile and beloved
foods in the world. And yet it’s become so much more –
we have an emotional, sensual connection with chocolate that we
have with few other foods. It comforts us, delights us, draws us in
and gives us a taste experience unlike any other. Simply put, we
love it. And the humble beans it comes from have had a heck of a
journey over the past 4,000 years.
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