Throughout history, chocolate has captured the hearts of men and women the world over. Chocolate is produced from the seed of cacao, a tropical tree that is native to South America. Cocoa seed has an intensely bitter taste, and thus needs to be fermented first for its flavor to mature. After fermentation, the seeds are dried, then cleaned, and finally roasted. The shells of the seeds are removed, producing what is called cacao nibs, which are then ground and made into liquid. The result is chocolate in liquid form, also called chocolate liquor. The liquor can then be processed further into either cocoa butter or cocoa solids.
Chocolate in Ancient Times
The earliest documented form of chocolate was a beverage known as xocoltl, a Nahuatl (Aztecan dialect) word which means "bitter water," often flavored with pepper, chile, vanilla, and achiote (or annatto). Xocoltl or xocoatl, was believed to have anti-fatigue properties, probably because of its theobromine content, an alkaloid with mood-elevating effects. In as early as 400 AD, the Mesoamerican peoples including the Aztecs and Maya made chocolate beverages from the seeds of the cacao tree. For the Maya peoples, chocolate was also used in performing ceremonies. The earliest evidence of cacao cultivation dates back to prehistoric times, around 1100 to 1400 BC, in a site somewhere in Puerto Escondido, Honduras. A vessel dating to that era was found by archeologists sometime in November 2007 containing traces of white pulp around the beans of cacao, which was likely fermented for making an alcoholic beverage.
Chocolate as Luxury
Chocolate has also been considered a luxury good and was once used for trading goods. The Aztecs, for instance, used to trade one hundred cacao beans for one turkey and three cacao beans for one piece of fresh avocado. In Europe and South America, cocoa has been used for treating diarrhea. When the Spanish conquered the Aztecs sometime in the late 15th century, it became a favorite of the Spanish Kings and Queens, and soon the demand for chocolate rose. Spanish armies enslaved the Mesoamericans to produce high volumes of cacao. Because of its high cost of importation, only those of royalty and those who were highly connected could afford to buy the expensive chocolate drink. The Spanish soon expanded production and used African workforce. In England during that period, anyone with money could buy chocolate. In 1657, the first chocolate house was opened in London. In 1657 a milk chocolate drink was developed in Jamaica by the physician Hans Sloane and was later sold to the Cadbury brothers.
Chocolate as we Know Today
The chocolate making process remained pretty much the same for hundreds of years from the time it was discovered. During the 1700s, mechanical mills were invented and were used to create hard form chocolates. By the time of the Industrial Revolution, chocolate candy bars today as we know today, were developed. Today, most of the chocolates sold and distributed worldwide combine chocolate with sugar. The three most common types of chocolate candy bars include dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. Still, there are also unsweetened chocolates available in the market, called diabetic chocolate, equally enjoyable and more importantly, healthier.
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