History
of Chocolate -
The tasty secret of the cacao (kah KOW) tree was discovered
2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas.
The pods of this tree contain seeds that can be processed
into chocolate. The story of how chocolate grew from a local
Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet encompasses many
cultures and continents.
The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient
cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including
the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various
seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.
Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home
to Spain, where new recipes were created. Eventually, and
the drink’s popularity spread throughout Europe. Since
then, new technologies and innovations have changed the texture
and taste of chocolate, but it still remains one of the world’s
favorite flavors.