By Staff Writer: Jerri Clewis
Halloween has come and gone yet again, but it’s left behind many delightful treats for people to enjoy. One of the most popular sweets is chocolate, and with good reason, considering the variety of candy choices and the irresistible flavor.
Only chocolate hasn’t always been the sweet treat people think of today.
Chocolate originates from Mesoamerica, where groups like the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs discovered how to ferment, toast, and grind cacao beans. The beans come from the cacao tree, called Theobroma cacao, or rather “Food of the Gods.” It’s a suitable name since these ancient civilizations offered cacao beans to their gods, according to English Heritage.
Chocolate found its way into nearly every way of life in Mesoamerica. For the Mayans, it had religious connections, played a part in official ceremonies, and served medical purposes. They also used it in funerary offerings. The Aztecs even believed the beans to be so valuable that they legalized them as a form of currency.
During those early days of chocolate-loving practices, cacao beans produced something less sweet and a bit more savory. The Mayans ground beans with maize and then mixed it with water before flavoring it with allspice or vanilla. The ‘Ear flower’ was another flavoring choice, described as being similar to black pepper or cinnamon. For a spicier and vibrant red version, the Aztecs would add chili powder and achiote, a peppery spice often used to add yellow color to food.
The resulting mixture would then be poured between two vessels from a height to make a foamy drink. Sometimes, they would boil it to produce something similar to hot chocolate today. There is some evidence that the Olmecs also used cacao as gruels as well as drinks.
The Spanish later discovered the value of chocolate for themselves during the conquering periods. Hernán Cortés brought the beans back to Spain and praised them, allegedly stating that a cacao drink could permit a man to walk a whole day without food and even fight fatigue, according to Read Cacao, a website dedicated to tracing the history of chocolate.
It did not take long after to discover that sugar and spices remove the bitterness of chocolate.
By the 17th century, chocolate drinks, flavored with sugar, milk, and sometimes alcohol, were spreading all over Europe. Cafes dedicated to the stuff popped up, allowing affluent people to pop in and gamble while sipping on chocolate. It wouldn’t be until the 19th century that chocolate began appearing in the candy form we see today, thanks to Fry & Sons producing the first chocolate bar meant for eating rather than melting into a drink.