What is the history of chocolate?

· In 600 A.D., the Mayans migrated into the northern regions of South America, establishing the earliest known cocoa plantations in the Yucatan. It has been argued that the Mayans had been familiar with cocoa several centuries prior to this date. They considered it a valuable commodity, used both as a means of payment and as units of calculation. · Mayans and Aztecs took beans from the "cacao" tree and made a drink they called "xocolatl." Aztec Indian legend held that cacao seeds had been brought from Paradise and that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the cacao tree...  more

(Excerpted with permission from the Godiva WWW site) * In 600 A.D. the Mayans migrated into the northern regions of South America, establishing the earliest known cocoa plantations in the Yucatan. It has been argued that the Mayans had been familiar with cocoa several centuries prior to this date. They considered it a valuable commodity, used both as a means of payment and as units of calculation. * Mayans and Aztecs took beans from the "cacao" tree and made a drink they called "xocolatl." Aztec Indian legend held that cacao seeds had been brought from Paradise and that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the cacao tree.. * The word "chocolate" is said to derive from the Mayan "xocolatl"; cacao from the Aztec "cacahuatl". The Mexican Indian word "chocolate" comes from a combination of the terms choco ("foam") and atl ("water"); early chocolate was only consumed in beverage form. * Christopher Columbus is said to have brought back cacao beans to King Ferdinand from his ...  more

The sweetest mystery revealed by mankind in history is probably that of chocolate. Nearly everyone loves chocolate, but do you know the history of chocolate? How it is made? What are its types? What are its benefits? The name chocolate is somewhat a corrupted form of the original word Xocolatl, which literally means 'food of Gods'. Chocolate was found by Mayans and the Aztecs got it from the Mayans. It was Cortz who brought it in Europe. The process used by Aztecs to prepare chocolate was considerably changed by the Spaniards. They guarded this sweet secret for nearly 100 years until when a Frenchman revealed this secret of chocolate making. Then onwards the industry of chocolate making grew by leaps and bounds and the chocolate making nearly attained the status of an art. Chocolate is made from the beans of Cocoa. From the cocoa bean pods the beans are separated after fermentation. These beans are cleansed and then blown in a process to remove foreign particles and the husk. Then ...  more

The history of one of the world's most favorite foods is filled with intrigue, political maneuvering, and innovation. The path from a fermented alcoholic drink to a candy bar at the corner store has been marked by numerous twists and turns, and even today, the world of chocolate is filled with secrets, ethical controversy, and constant new developments. Chocolate is a multibillion dollar industry, and it should come as no surprise to learn that the history of chocolate is closely intertwined with the history of colonial expansion, the Industrial Revolution, and even wars. Most people are aware that the history of chocolate begins in South and Central America, where Native Americans have been using the beans of the Theobroma cacao, or cacao plant, for centuries. The first evidence of the use of chocolate for culinary purposes dates to around 1400 BCE, when the Mayans apparently fermented the pulp which surrounds cacao beans to create an alcoholic beverage. By the first century CE, the ...  more

This article is from the Chocolate FAQ, by Monee Kidd faq@choco.com with numerous contributions by others.  more

A few new ingredients helped chocolate on its way, too. In 1815, Van Houten added some alkaline salts which helped the mixing and coloring processes. In 1875, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé introduced milk to chocolate and created the world famous 'Milk chocolate'.  more