By Table of Contents
Why Did They Make Chocolate?
It was a long time ago in the tropical forests of Central and South America. The chocolate tree was used for shade for other trees. The Mayans and Aztecs started using the tree for shade too from the sun. Then they started eating the fruit that fell from the tree. The Aztecs used it as a drink that was combined with hot peppers before the Spanish came. It was then discovered that the seeds in the fruit could be used in drinks and desserts in the 1500’s in Europe..
How did chocolate come about?
The Maya and Aztecs, who lived in the jungles of Central and South America in the Pre-Columbian era, considered a cup of thick, bitter chocolate a very healthy drink. They used cocoa beans to make a thick, hot drink that was consumed for health benefits. When Spanish explorers brought cocoa beans back to Spain in the 15th century, they were used to make a thick, bitter drink. It was 300 years later, early in the 19th century, that someone combined cocoa beans and sugar to make a sweet, creamy drink. At this time, Swiss chocolate makers created milk chocolate by mixing cocoa powder and milk. It was not until 1875 that cocoa beans were finally mixed with milk and sugar and formed into bars..
Why did chocolate become so popular?
One of the world’s most popular and beloved treats, chocolate originates from the beans of the tropical cacao tree, which grows in many equatorial regions. Evidence of chocolate use can be traced back to Mayan and Aztec civilizations; however, its popularity only really took off after the Spanish introduced it to European palates in the 16th century. As chocolate spread across the globe, it was originally consumed as a bitter beverage. Europeans sweetened it with sugar and milk, and later cocoa powder, and it wasn’t until this time that the chocolate bar was created..
Who first ate chocolate?
People in the Americas and Mesoamerica did. The earliest evidence of cacao and chocolate comes from the Olmecs and Maya of present-day Mexico and Guatemala. Some of the earliest evidence of cocoa use comes from the mounds of refuse created by the inhabitants of the more than two dozen sites of the Izapa culture that inhabited the Pacific coast of Chiapas during the Early and Middle Preclassic period. Chocolate was a luxury good that the elite of the Maya civilization could afford, but it was also used in religious ceremonies. Outside of Mesoamerica, the Maya elite were the only ones that could afford chocolate..
When was chocolate first used?
The first use of chocolate dates back to 1900 B.C. when cocoa seeds were used as currency in the Mayan culture. The Maya regarded cocoa seeds as sacred offering and would sometimes be used as a substitute for human sacrifice..
Where was Nutella invented?
No one really knows where the Nutella recipe was born, but everyone agrees that it was perfected in the 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, an Italian candy maker. According to the company, Pietro’s son, Michele, was responsible for adding the hazelnut to Nutella in 1946..
Why was chocolate so important?
Chocolate became popular in Europe because of its religious ceremonies. The Catholic Church in that era considered chocolate as a drink of the gods. They believed that the chocolate that came from the New World was also created by the gods. At that time, chocolate was expensive, so it was only used by the rich. It was only in the 17th century when the new techniques were introduced to bring down the production cost. This led to increasing demands of this chocolate drink..
Why do I like chocolate?
There are two broad theories to the question “why do I like chocolate?” One theory is that you like chocolate because your brain associates eating chocolate with positive experiences like eating something sweet, eating something with your friends, eating something at the movies, eating something warm, eating something with your family, etc., etc. Another theory is that you like chocolate because chocolate itself just tastes good. The first theory suggests that you like chocolate because you associate eating chocolate with good experiences. A lot of neuro-biological research has shown that this is indeed what happens. However, the second theory suggests that you like chocolate because chocolate just tastes good. There also exists evidence for this theory as well..
Where was chocolate first made?
There are different theories about the origins of chocolate. However, what we know is that chocolate was first made in South America, specifically in the Maya region in the Pre-Columbian era. The Mayan people were the first to grind cocoa beans into a paste that could be mixed with water and spices. It is easy to see why the Maya were so into this treat: chocolate calms and soothes us and can promote joy and higher energy. Moreover, it is easy to digest and even reduces inflammation. The higher status members in Mayan society would drink hot chocolate in elaborate ceremonies and would even use it in religious festivals. If you find the cocoa beans in the region, you can even try making this delicious treat today..
Why is white chocolate is white?
White chocolate is not really chocolate at all. It is flavored cocoa butter. White chocolate is not really white either. The ingredient label will reveal that it consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, cream, and vanilla. If the ingredients do not have all four of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and cream, then it is not real chocolate. Cocoa butter is the ingredient that makes chocolate white in color..
When was candy invented?
Candy was invented much before the birth of Christ. Candy derived its name from the city of Canton in China where the sweet dish was first made. It was made from sugar which was brought to China from India..
Did Aztecs smoke chocolate?
There is no record of Aztecs smoking chocolate. It is believed that they ate raw cacao beans with pepper, cornmeal, and chili pepper, or cooked it into a drink with water, cornmeal, chilis, and sometimes honey. The chocolate drink was drunk cold, but could also be served hot. The Aztec elite also enjoyed the foamy head on top of the chocolate drink. It was called tepache, and was made with fruit, herbs, flowers, and seeds. The drink was enjoyed by all the Mesoamerican cultures. Many of the ingredients used to make tepache can still be found in Mexico today..
