History of Chocolate

Chocolate was not always eaten in the form of a candy bar or a small chocolate kiss. The first chocolate started as a powder made from ground up cocoa seeds and different spices that was diluted with water with the end result being a bitter liquid that was pleasant to drink. The first chocolate making techniques were performed by people in Central America, and it has been discovered that the Mayan and Aztec cultures practiced this ritual as well.

When the Central Americans discovered the joys of chocolate, they began to grow trees on their land by transplanting them from the Central American rainforests. It is said that the first people to truly discover the benefit of coffee were the Mayan peoples of Central America. The Mayans discovered that if the seeds are kept over a period of time and fermented and then roasted, the beans could be ground into a pasty substance that could be mixed with spices, the meal made from corn or Chile peppers, and then adding water, to then turn it into a bitter yet delicious drink. Cocoa was even used as a form of money in later development of Central American commerce, as the Aztecs demanded a kind of tax from peoples they had conquered to be paid in the form of cocoa seeds. The custom of drinking chocolate was not indulged by everyone Central American. The upper class of the culture, meaning the wealthy businessmen, royalty and spiritual leaders drank chocolate. Chocolate was also used in ritual practices and cocoa seeds were offered to the Aztec gods.

Chocolate made its way to Europe by traveling with the Spanish on their return to Spain after their invasion of Central America. From there the love for chocolate drink spread across the European continent and establishments specific to the affluent practice of drinking chocolate were created. During the course of those earlier years, businessmen undertook development processes to turn chocolate into a successful entrepreneurial endeavor through making chocolate easily accessible to everyone. The creation of solid chocolate would be a delicacy that could be enjoyed, not just from a cup or as a main ingredient in confectionary cakes, but as a solid piece of chocolate candy a person could sink their teeth into.