COCOA TO CHOCO: A BITTERSWEET JOURNEY
We all love chocolate. From a baby to an aged person everyone is a fan of chocolate. The word 'chocolate' is enough to instigate one's, inner child.
Hearing the word chocolate the first thing that comes up to mind is a 'sweet yummy bar'....a source of pure happiness. From a mood booster to celebrate the joy, a chocolate bar has it all.
Well, sorry to disappoint you---the picture was not really this cool when people came to know about this divine flavor thousand of years ago. Let's live once again those bittersweet days of chocolate.
According to many historians, chocolate is around 2000 years old. But some recent researches have shown that it's even older, around 1400 BCE. It's very confusing to say the exact timing but whenever it is chocolate had been cherished all along.
According to etymologists, 'Aztec' word 'xocoatl' is the origin of the word 'chocolate'. Xocoatl referred to their bitter drink made of cocoa beans.
The Latin name of Cacao tree is Theobroma cacao which means "food of the gods."
According to many historians, chocolate is around 2000 years old. But some recent researches have shown that it's even older, around 1400 BCE. It's very confusing to say the exact timing but whenever it is chocolate had been cherished all along.
ORIGIN OF THE WORD 'CHOCOLATE ' :
According to etymologists, 'Aztec' word 'xocoatl' is the origin of the word 'chocolate'. Xocoatl referred to their bitter drink made of cocoa beans.
The Latin name of Cacao tree is Theobroma cacao which means "food of the gods."
MAYA CIVILIZATION: POSSIBLE DISCOVERER OF COCOA FLAVOUR
Though Mesoamerica is known as a possible ‘Cradle of Chocolate’, much evidence has been suggested that it was South American civilization to deal with cocoa beans in the first place.
Mayans used to consume cocoa beans in a liquid form which was totally different from today’s hot chocolate. Cornmeal, chili, Vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices were mixed with cocoa beans and hot water to make a thick bitter liquid. It was served on occasions like wedding, end of Maya calendar, etc. as it was very sacred for them both in a spiritual and material sense.
A mixture of ground cocoa beans, ground flour, and water was used to anoint little Mayan girls and boys as a part of Mayan baptismal rites.
It was so precious to the Mayans --people of Maya civilization that they used dried, roasted cocoa beans as currency. They used to give it to the king as tax.
This hot cocoa drink was a symbol of aristocracy, high status, and wealth. Commoners mostly enjoyed this drink on occasion. Elite people had it after dinner as a beverage.
CHOCOLATE IN AZTEC CIVILIZATION :
The Aztech got the culture of Cocoa beans from the Mayans. From western Mexico, the Aztecs migrated to Central Valley after 1200 A.D and set out to conquer many areas that were previously ruled by the Mayans. Here they learned about Cocoa beans, its social value, and how to consume it from the resident Mayans.
But they failed to grow Cacao in the central valley of Mexico. So they turned up with a new way to collect Cocoa. They started demanding it from the areas they had conquered as a tribute. Aztec merchants started to buy Cocoa beans from lowland Mayan areas which were out of their empire.
They believed it as a gift from Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. So they started to serve it to god as Cocoa water. Aztec civilization gave cocoa a great religious value. For them, it was a bridge between heaven and the earth.
Aztecs loved cold Cocoa drinks, unlike the Mayans. They also made wine and drinks from the white pulp around the seeds of a cocoa pod.
They used the oily layer from the cocoa drink to protect skin against the sun.
They valued Cocoa beans more than silver and gold. Poor people used it to buy food, clothes. Only people like rulers, great warriors, priests, merchants, honored guests had access to cocoa drink.
When Cortes returned to Spain in 1528 after conquering Aztecs, his galleons were full of Cocoa beans and required types of equipment to process it.
Monks in monasteries of Spain were well known for their pharmaceutical skills. They added sugar to the drink and strike off chili from the list to make a better version of chocolate. They realized it tasted better as a hot drink.
But still, it was only available to rich people as a fashionable drink. The recipe was a close secret as their supply of cocoa beans was short.
Italy came to know about chocolate by an Italian travellar Francesco Carletti who brought it from Central America. By 1606 chocolate spread its magic over Italy in a full phase.
Chocolate was in England in the 1650s but was reserved as a drink for the wealthy group.
Gradually it gained availability. In 1657 a Frenchman open a chocolate house in London for the chocolate drink.
In 1693 an Italian named Frances White opened the most famous White's Chocolate House in St James Street.
The quality of the drink was enhanced by 1700 by adding milk to it.
The price of chocolate was gradually falling as there was an increasing demand for it. Many countries started to grow cocoa to meet the market.
After becoming easily available people were curious to experiment with it to make a better version.
In 1847 Joseph Fry mixed cocoa powder, sugar, and Cocoa to mold a bar and he was successful. Fry's chocolate cream bar was produced in his factory in Bristol in 1866.
The taste of that choco bar was enhanced when in 1875 Henry Nestle and Daniel Peter took a try at making milk chocolate.
By 1879 cocoa butter was added to it by Rudolphe Lindt which made it hard and melting on the tongue.
In 1900 first American-made milk chocolate bar was produced.
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The Aztech got the culture of Cocoa beans from the Mayans. From western Mexico, the Aztecs migrated to Central Valley after 1200 A.D and set out to conquer many areas that were previously ruled by the Mayans. Here they learned about Cocoa beans, its social value, and how to consume it from the resident Mayans.
They believed it as a gift from Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. So they started to serve it to god as Cocoa water. Aztec civilization gave cocoa a great religious value. For them, it was a bridge between heaven and the earth.
Aztecs loved cold Cocoa drinks, unlike the Mayans. They also made wine and drinks from the white pulp around the seeds of a cocoa pod.
They used the oily layer from the cocoa drink to protect skin against the sun.
AZTEC TO SPAIN :
Aztec ruler Montezuma first introduced chocolate to Don Cortes, served in a golden cup.When Cortes returned to Spain in 1528 after conquering Aztecs, his galleons were full of Cocoa beans and required types of equipment to process it.
Monks in monasteries of Spain were well known for their pharmaceutical skills. They added sugar to the drink and strike off chili from the list to make a better version of chocolate. They realized it tasted better as a hot drink.
But still, it was only available to rich people as a fashionable drink. The recipe was a close secret as their supply of cocoa beans was short.
CHOCOLATE IN EUROPE :
In 1615 King Louis XIII of France married Anne, daughter of Philip II of Spain and the chocolate tradition entered France along with the princess. After 1684 France set up their own cocoa plantation in Cuba and Haiti after conquering them.
In the 17th century, the Dutch got into chocolate after capturing Curacao. Chocolate was famous there not only for taste but also they revealed some medicinal values of it as a great nourishing agent.
By 1646 Germany got the divine aroma by some visitors of Italy.
CHOCOLATE IN ENGLAND AND ALL OVER THE WORLD :
Chocolate was in England in the 1650s but was reserved as a drink for the wealthy group.
Gradually it gained availability. In 1657 a Frenchman open a chocolate house in London for the chocolate drink.
The quality of the drink was enhanced by 1700 by adding milk to it.
The price of chocolate was gradually falling as there was an increasing demand for it. Many countries started to grow cocoa to meet the market.
After becoming easily available people were curious to experiment with it to make a better version.
CHOCOLATE BAR :
It's difficult to say who first created the chocolate bar for it.In 1847 Joseph Fry mixed cocoa powder, sugar, and Cocoa to mold a bar and he was successful. Fry's chocolate cream bar was produced in his factory in Bristol in 1866.
By 1879 cocoa butter was added to it by Rudolphe Lindt which made it hard and melting on the tongue.
In 1900 first American-made milk chocolate bar was produced.
CONCLUSION :
Nowadays chocolate has become almost a part of our life. The use of chocolate has no boundary today. From a bitter cocoa bean to today's mouthwatering yummy bar..it has taken a long way to appear at its best. But from day one of its discovery, it has been highly celebrated by people whether it's bitter or sweet.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING. 💕💕
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR OPINION IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
1 Comments
Anny, now you make me hungry for chocolates!
ReplyDeleteThanks!