History of Chocolate
History of Chocolate
Raimundo Madrazo's Hot Chocolate
Mesoamerica history 2000 BC, Amazon: Cocoa, from which chocolate is created, is said to have originated in the Amazon at least 4,000 years ago. Cultivation, use, and cultural elaboration of cacao were early and extensive in Mesoamerica. Ceramic vessel with residues from the preparation of cacao beverages have been found at archaeological sites dating back to the Early Formative (1900-900 BC) period. For example, one such vessel found at an Olmec archaeological site on the Gulf Coast of Veracruz, Mexico dates cacao's preparation by pre-Olmec peoples as early as 1750 BC.[1] On the Pacific coast of Chiapas, Mexico, a Mokaya archaeological site provides evidence of cacao beverages dating even earlier, to 1900 BC.[1]
Some anonymous manuscripts describe another way the Aztecs prepared cacao as a beverage. The description of the cocoa drink's preparation process states that, initially, the cocoa beans were ground to powder. During grinding other ingredients (such as seeds or corn) were added. The resulting powder was mixed with cold water and stirred with a spoon until the foam rose by airing the mixture. Sometimes cocoa was prepared not as a beverage, but as a porridge, to which was added cereals such as nixtamalized maize or other ingredients like chili peppers.[11] The Aztecs knew the drink by abbreviations such as cacahoaquahuitl ('tree cacao'), mecacaohatl or tlalcacaoahoatl.[12]
Some anonymous manuscripts describe another way the Aztecs prepared cacao as a beverage. The description of the cocoa drink's preparation process states that, initially, the cocoa beans were ground to powder. During grinding other ingredients (such as seeds or corn) were added. The resulting powder was mixed with cold water and stirred with a spoon until the foam rose by airing the mixture. Sometimes cocoa was prepared not as a beverage, but as a porridge, to which was added cereals such as nixtamalized maize or other ingredients like chili peppers.[11] The Aztecs knew the drink by abbreviations such as cacahoaquahuitl ('tree cacao'), mecacaohatl or tlalcacaoahoatl.[12]
- 6th century: Chocolate, derived from the seed of the cocoa tree, was used by the Maya Culture, as early as the Sixth Century AD.
- 300, Maya culture: To the Mayas, cocoa pods symbolized life and fertility. Stones from their palaces and temples revealed many carved pictures of cocoa pods.
- 600, Maya Culture: Moving from Central America to the northern portions of South America, the Mayan territory stretched from the Yucatán Peninsula to the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. In the Yucatán, the Mayas cultivated the earliest known cocoa plantations. The cocoa pod was often represented in religious rituals, and the texts their literature refer to cocoa as the god’s food
- 1200, Aztec culture: The Aztecs attributed the creation of the cocoa plant to their god Quetzalcoatl who, descended from heaven on a beam of a morning star carrying a cocoa tree stolen from paradise. In both the Mayan and Aztec cultures cocoa was the basis for a thick, cold, unsweetened drink called xocoatl… believed to be a health elixir. Since sugar was unknown to the Aztecs, different spices were used to add flavour, even hot chili peppers and corn meal were used.
- 15th century, the Aztec empire took over a sizable part of Mesoamerica. The Aztecs traded with Mayans and other people for cacao and often required that citizens and conquered people pay their tribute in cacao seeds — a form of Aztec money. Pueblo people, who lived in an area that is now the U.S. Southwest, imported cacao from Mesoamerican cultures in southern Mexico or Central America between 900 to 1400. This was used in a common beverage consumed by everyone in their society.[13]
- Father José de Acosta mentions how he made it in New Spain and Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo refers to techniques applied in the Gulf of Nicoya and Chira Island (both in Costa Rica). In them, the "almond toast" was ground and allowed to cook in water until a layer of oil floated (the cocoa butter), which was distributed among the guests. This 'oil' golden yellow, was dyed during milling with a food colouring added to provide a reddish colour to the final beverage. The greasy, dark and bitter drink was an acquired taste in pre-Columbian societies.
- 1502, Columbus landed in Nicaragua: He was the first European to discover cocoa beans being used as currency, and to make a drink, as in the Aztec culture. Christopher Columbus brought some cocoa beans to show Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, but it was Spanish friars who introduced it to Europe more broadly.
- 1513, A slave is bought for beans: Hernando de Oviedo y Valdez, who went to America in 1513 as a member of Pedrarias Avila's expedition, reports that he bought a slave for 100 cocoa beans. According to Hernando de Oviedo y Valdez 10 cocoa beans bought the services of a prostitute, and 4 cocoa beans got you a rabbit for dinner. At this time, the name of the drink changed to Chocolatl from the Mayan word xocoatl [chocolate] and the Aztec word for water, or warm liquid.
- 1519, Hernando Cortez begins a plantation: Hernando Cortez, who conquered part of Mexico in 1519, had a vision of converting these beans to golden doubloons. While he was fascinated with Aztec's bitter, spicy beverage, he was much intrigued by the beans’ value as currency. Later, Cortez established a cocoa plantation in the name of Spain, henceforth, "money" will be cultivated. It was the birth of what was to be a very profitable business.
Introduction to the outside world See also: History of chocolate in Spain Silver chocolate pot with hinged finial to insert a molinet or swizzle stick. London 1714-15 (Victoria and Albert Museum) Chocolate cup, Chantilly porcelain, 18th century Chocolate Girl by Jean-Étienne Liotard, circa 1743-45 Raimundo Madrazo's Hot Chocolate
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