A Brief History of Chocolate Reading Answers

A Brief (and Tasty) History of Chocolate

The first records that chronicle the manufacture and consumption of chocolate originate from about 200-950 A.D., during the Classic Period of Mayan culture, Glyphs and ancient vessels provide the first evidence that the Theobroma cacao a tree that grows in the tropical rainforest – was harvested for its cacao seeds. The Mayan culture was spread over a vast Mesoamerican territory, covering what is now southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and part of El Salvador.

Not only were cacao trees harvested in the wild, but Mayans also grew the trees near their homes, in their own backyard gardens. After the cacao pods were picked, the seeds found inside were fermented and dried. The seeds would then be roasted over a fire, followed by grinding between two large stones. The resulting paste was mixed with water, chili peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients. This final concoction made the cacao paste into a spicy, frothy, and rather bitter drink. With sugar unknown to the Mayans, if chocolate were sweetened at all, the sweetener would have been honey or flower nectar.

The Mayan culture reached its zenith during the Classic period, followed by centuries of decline. By 1400, the Aztec empire dominated much of the Mesoamerican landscape. The Aztecs not only adopted the cacao seeds as a dietary staple but also as a form of currency. Cacao seeds were used to pay for items, and also given as tribute by conquered peoples. While in the Mayan culture many people could drink chocolate, at least occasionally, in Aztec culture the chocolate was reserved mostly for royalty, priests, and upper echelons of society.

The priests would also present cacao seeds as offerings to the gods, serving chocolate drinks during sacred ceremonies, one reason for our calling chocolate the ‘elixir of the gods. During the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards in 1521, Europe became aware of chocolate for the first time. Spaniards had observed the Aztec royalty and priesthood making and drinking the dark concoction, and quickly came to like it as well.

Cacao seeds were shipped to Spain in bulk, where the paste was mixed with spices like cinnamon and sugar, thus taking the edge off their bitterness. An expensive import, only the Spanish elite could afford to purchase chocolate, and for the next 300 years, chocolate was treated as a status symbol. Spain continued to import and manufacture its chocolate in secret for at least a hundred years before the rest of Europe caught wind of the delicious brew. Once out, chocolate became one of the greatest fads to hit the continent. Production of both cacao beans and sugar was a labor-intensive and time-consuming process.

To keep up with the demand for both items, many European countries set up plantations in the New World for the cultivation of these two crops. Wage laborers and slaves were used to grow the crops, then process them for export to and sale in Europe. It was not until the 1800s that mechanization speeded up the process of chocolate-making, making chocolate cheaper, more plentiful, and thus available to the public at large.

With the advent of the steam engine, cacao beans could be ground automatically. Bakers and chefs seized the opportunity to work with this suddenly available medium, establishing shops for the exclusive manufacture of chocolate, especially in countries like Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and France. Lindt & Sprungli, of Switzerland, showed up in 1845, and Neuhaus Master Chocolate Makers, of Belgium, in 1857.