What is the history of chocolate?
The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico. The word chocolate may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the chocolate of today is little like the chocolate of the past.
Why is the history of chocolate Important?
The history of chocolate began in Mesoamerica. Fermented beverages made from chocolate date back to 450 BC. The Mexica believed that cacao seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, and the seeds once had so much value that they were used as a form of currency.
How is chocolate made summary?
In making chocolate, the kernels of fermented and roasted cacao beans are ground into a paste called chocolate liquor, which may be hardened in molds to form baking (bitter) chocolate, pressed to reduce the cocoa butter (vegetable fat) content and then pulverized to make cocoa powder, or mixed with sugar and additional …
Why was chocolate called?
Etymologists trace the origin of the word “chocolate” to the Aztec word “xocoatl,” which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.”
What is the real meaning of chocolate?
Chocolate is a food product made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels, that is available as a liquid, solid or paste, on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods.
How did chocolate change the world?
Chocolate was a fashionable drink for rich Europeans throughout the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution allowed chocolate to be mass-produced and brought the treat to the masses. The popularity led to the development of cacao tree plantations. Enslaved people farmed most of the plantations.
What was chocolate originally called?
How do you describe chocolate?
So how to describe chocolate? For white chocolate it’s 7 descriptors: Taste: sweetness. Aroma: dairy; milky/buttery, vanilla, caramel….For dark chocolates – 9 descriptors:
- Taste: sweetness, sourness, bitterness.
- Aroma: cocoa, roasted, fruity.
- Mouthfeel: creamy, melting, astringent.
Who made the first chocolate?
Who invented chocolate? Chocolate’s 4,000-year history began in ancient Mesoamerica, present day Mexico. It’s here that the first cacao plants were found. The Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate.
Where was chocolate first discovered?
What Is the Birthplace of Chocolate? Archaeologists have discovered the earliest traces of cacao in pottery used by the ancient Mayo-Chinchipe culture 5,300 years ago in the upper Amazon region of Ecuador.
Who invented the chocolate?
When Was Chocolate Invented? The first-ever record or traces of chocolate can be found in the Mesoamerica region some 4000 years ago. This region encompassed central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica – all before the Spanish colonisation in the 15th Century.
What are good words to describe chocolate?
Taste: sweetness, sourness, bitterness. Aroma: cocoa, roasted, fruity. Mouthfeel: creamy, melting, astringent.
Which country discovered chocolate?
Chocolate’s 4,000-year history began in ancient Mesoamerica, present day Mexico. It’s here that the first cacao plants were found. The Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate. They drank their chocolate during rituals and used it as medicine.
Who started chocolate?
What’s unique about chocolate?
Fun Facts About Chocolate
- It takes 400 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate.
- Each cacao tree produces approximately 2,500 beans.
- Research to date supports that chocolate can be enjoyed as part of a balanced, heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.
According to Susan J. Terrio, the author of Crafting the Culture and History of French Chocolate, 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.
How has the chocolate industry changed over the years?
The discovery of cocoa press in 1828 by CJ Van Houten did much to improve the quality of the drink by pressing out part of the cocoa butter, the fat that occurs naturally in cocoa beans. In the mid-19th century, two significant developments revolutionized the chocolate industry.
What is chocolate made of?
Throughout much of history, chocolate was a revered but bitter beverage, not a sweet, edible treat. Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees, which are native to Central and South America. The fruits are called pods and each pod contains around 40 cacao beans. The beans are dried and roasted to create cocoa beans.
When was the first chocolate factory established in Massachusetts?
In the year 1765 chocolate factory was established in Massachusetts, United States. A Brief History of Chocolate from …. History of Chocolate … Christopher Columbus is believed the first European to discover chocolate.