By Table of Contents
Where Did Chocolate Came From
The origins of chocolate date back to the pre-Columbian Olmec civilization, which thrived in present-day Mexico. The Olmecs ground cacao beans into a paste, flavored it with other ingredients, and ate the resulting product. The Mayans, another early Mesoamerican civilization, also consumed a chocolate drink. The chocolate drink was a bitter mix of ground cacao seeds, spices, and honey. By the time of the Spanish colonization of the Americas, the Aztecs had a long history of consuming chocolate. They associated chocolate with Quetzalcoatl, the *** of wisdom and light. At the time of the Spanish conquest, chocolate was consumed as a bitter, spicy drink. Full-scale use of chocolate as a sweet did not develop until the industrialization of chocolate in the nineteenth century..
Who invented chocolate?
In some countries, the cacao tree is considered as a sacred tree as it is considered as a gift from gods to mankind. There are so many great benefits from the cacao tree aside from its use as a food. Its seeds have been used for centuries as a form of currency, its leaves as a detergent and insecticide, and its bark as a fever-reducing anti-inflammatory agent..
Where does chocolate come from answer?
Chocolate comes from cacao seeds found in the tropical cacao tree. The tree grows best in hot, humid conditions, requiring shade, regular rainfall, and warm temperatures. It is an evergreen tree that grows to heights of 8 to 15 meters, with trunk diameters of 40 cm. The tree can live for up to 200 years..
When and where was chocolate first discovered?
Chocolate originated in the New World, in the Americas, where the tropical plant “Theobroma cacao” was cultivated, harvested, and roasted by ancient civilizations. According to the ancient Mayan legend, the cacao plant’s seeds were once reserved for nobility and priests. The common people were allowed to use the cocoa beans only to make a bitter brew. Chocolate was first discovered in Mesoamerica. The Maya used chocolate as money, and their civilization enriched this “food of the gods” with peppers, corn, honey, and spices. The Aztecs were the first to add sugar and vanilla to the recipe; the conquistadors brought the idea of chocolate making to Europe..
When was chocolate first created?
It’s been a long time since someone from the New World has been credited with the discovery of chocolate. The history of the early Mayans is a little bit sketchy, and limited to vague legends passed from generation to generation. What we do know, however, is that chocolate has been a part of the Mayans life for centuries. The Mayan people lived in the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and Central America, and were known to have cocoa pods growing in their backyards. They used the pods to create a drink by grinding the beans and mixing them with water and a little bit of vanilla. The drink was a delicacy among the Mayan people, who enjoyed it in much the same way we enjoy a hot cup of cocoa today. The drink was further enhanced when the Mayans learned to add chili peppers to the mix. Mayans would add the peppers to add a slightly spicy taste to the beverage. Today, we add sugar to add that same flavor..
Which European country first had chocolate?
The first European country to have chocolate was Spanish. Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez learned about the cocoa beans from natives in Mexico. He brought the beans back to Spain in 1528..
Where does chocolate come from Africa?
The ____ continent is ____ where most ____ chocolate is ____. The ____ region is ____ where most ____ chocolate is ____..
What fruit does chocolate come from?
Chocolate comes from the cacao tree, which is an evergreen. The fruit of the cacao tree is called the “cacao pod”, which you might know better as the cocoa bean. Cacao, which is the ground form of the cocoa bean, is made into chocolate. The chocolate tree originated in the Amazon rain forest in South America. It only grows about 10 degrees north and south of the equator. As you can see, chocolate is very “tropical”..
Did Aztecs invent chocolate?
They did not invent chocolate, but they were the first to use cocoa beans in a drink, and to make a drink from cocoa beans. They did not drink it every day, only on special occasions. The Aztecs also made a drink from cocoa beans, which they used to give to the kings and princes. They called it, the “bitter drink,” but the Spanish changed the name to chocolate..
When did chocolate come to England?
Chocolate came to England in the early 17th century. It started when the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. There was a man called Sir Walter Raleigh who went to America during that time. On his return to England, he brought back bananas, pineapple, coconuts, tobacco, and chocolates to the Queen, Elizabeth 1. But because of strong religious beliefs, the majority of the population didn’t like chocolate. They believed that it was a sin to drink chocolate because it was associated with drinking alcohol. But the King of England, King Charles I liked drinking chocolate. He liked it so much that it became popular in the royal court. Later in the 17th century, chocolate reached the rest of the population. It was used to make cakes, desserts, and other desserts..
When did chocolate come to India?
The first Europeans to reach India were the Portuguese, who landed in Goa in search of the fabled treasures of the East, which they hoped to sell in Europe. One of their most profitable discoveries was made on an expedition led by Admiral Afanez Hurtado de Mendonca, who came to India in 1505. Mendonca noticed that Indians were using an unfamiliar drink, which had a bitter taste, but was very popular. He found out that it was made from cacao beans, which grew inside pods on a tree, and brought some back to Portugal..
