The History of Chocolate
Many people believe that chocolate was originated by the Aztecs, but it has been
found to date back to the time of the ancient Mayan civilization, and some argue
even farther back to the Olmec civilization which preceded the Maya. The word
"cacao" is a Mayan word dating back to as early as 500 A.D. Chocolate was
thought of by these people as a cure for several ailments including diarrhea and
fatigue and was consumed in the form of a hot, bitter, frothy drink made of
ground cacao beans and a variety of local ingredients, including vanilla, wine,
and chili pepper.
Christopher Columbus was the first known European to come in contact with cacao
around 1500 A.D. but did not bring any of it back to Spain. However 20 years
later Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez brought chests full of cacao beans
back with him from his voyage. The beans were treasure stolen from the Aztecs.
The first official shipment of cacao was made in 1585 from Veracruz to Seville.
At this time the chocolate was still served as a bitter beverage, but
experimentation began and sugar was soon added.
In 1828, Dutch chocolate maker Conrad van Houten patented a hydraulic press to
remove cocoa butter from the bean. What was left was a cake that could be
pulverized into cocoa powder.
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