Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate history goes back at least 3000 years. What began as a bitter drink in the pre-historic tropics of South America has become one of the world's most popular treats. For most of this time, dark chocolate was the only form. So chocolate history is really the history of dark chocolate.
Native American Drink
Throughout the tropical areas of Central and South America, a room-temperature drink made from cacao seeds has been enjoyed for several thousand years, with the earliest documented usage between 1400 to 1100 BC. Pre-columbian societies, through the Maya and Aztec, used the drink for ceremonial and medicinal purposes, and also as a luxury for the elite.
Mayan glyph for cocoa
This drink was very bitter, and was laced with various additions such as vanilla, chili pepper, sometimes alcohol, other spices, and corn meal. It was served warm, with no sugar or other sweetener, and would not be particularly recognizable today.
Spanish Discovery
Columbus was exposed to the native chocolate drink, but was unimpressed. It was not until Hernando Cortez arrived that the value and possibilities in Spain were recognized.
Meeting of Cortez and Montezuma
The Spanish added cane sugar, or sometimes honey, to the formula, and also started serving the drink hot. For almost 100 years the secrets of chocolate belonged exclusively to the Spanish, but then spread throughout Europe. At first, chocolate was available only to royalty and the nobility, but was later made available in coffee and chocolate houses to any who could afford the expensive luxury.
London chocolate house, ca 1708
Until this point, all chocolate was dark chocolate, so the history of chocolate was dark chocolate history. It wasn't until 1689 that milk was added to the chocolate drink by Hans Sloan in Jamaica.
19th Century Change and Innovation
During the 19th century, chocolate changed from a dark chocolate drink available only to the rich to the inexpensive,
Native American Drink
Throughout the tropical areas of Central and South America, a room-temperature drink made from cacao seeds has been enjoyed for several thousand years, with the earliest documented usage between 1400 to 1100 BC. Pre-columbian societies, through the Maya and Aztec, used the drink for ceremonial and medicinal purposes, and also as a luxury for the elite.
Mayan glyph for cocoa
This drink was very bitter, and was laced with various additions such as vanilla, chili pepper, sometimes alcohol, other spices, and corn meal. It was served warm, with no sugar or other sweetener, and would not be particularly recognizable today.
Spanish Discovery
Columbus was exposed to the native chocolate drink, but was unimpressed. It was not until Hernando Cortez arrived that the value and possibilities in Spain were recognized.
Meeting of Cortez and Montezuma
The Spanish added cane sugar, or sometimes honey, to the formula, and also started serving the drink hot. For almost 100 years the secrets of chocolate belonged exclusively to the Spanish, but then spread throughout Europe. At first, chocolate was available only to royalty and the nobility, but was later made available in coffee and chocolate houses to any who could afford the expensive luxury.
London chocolate house, ca 1708
Until this point, all chocolate was dark chocolate, so the history of chocolate was dark chocolate history. It wasn't until 1689 that milk was added to the chocolate drink by Hans Sloan in Jamaica.
19th Century Change and Innovation
During the 19th century, chocolate changed from a dark chocolate drink available only to the rich to the inexpensive,