History of chocolate
The history of chocolate started when the old Aztec and Mayan civilizations discovered the value of the cocoa plant. It is said that the origins of this plant can be found in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins.
In 600 A.D., the Mayan civilization migrated to the northern regions of South America. They were the first to cultivate the cocoa bean for its fruit. They used it as a valuable means of payment. The oldest cocoa plantations known to man are situated in Yucatan in Mexico. However, it is thought that the Mayans were familiar with cocoa centuries before.
The explorer F. Cortez reached the eastern coast of Mexico in 1520. As a guest of honour at Montezuma’s court, the emperor of the Aztecs and an inveterate chocolate lover, he was offered a small sample of an aromatic chocolate drink flavoured with vanilla, pepper and other exotic spices.
Cocoa was introduced in Europe at the start of the sixteenth century. The Spanish conquistadors returning from Central America took the drink with them and added sugar to it. This chocolate was served at the Spanish court. It spread over all of Europe and was presented during official audiences at the French court. In the middle of the seventeenth century, special coffee and chocolate houses appeared in the Netherlands. Cocoa beans were still very expensive at that time. It was only around 1900 that the price of cocoa began to fall so that chocolate could become a popular and accessible drink. Initially, the name ‘chocolate’ was only used for the cocoa drink. Amsterdam is still the main global port for cocoa.
In 600 A.D., the Mayan civilization migrated to the northern regions of South America. They were the first to cultivate the cocoa bean for its fruit. They used it as a valuable means of payment. The oldest cocoa plantations known to man are situated in Yucatan in Mexico. However, it is thought that the Mayans were familiar with cocoa centuries before.
The explorer F. Cortez reached the eastern coast of Mexico in 1520. As a guest of honour at Montezuma’s court, the emperor of the Aztecs and an inveterate chocolate lover, he was offered a small sample of an aromatic chocolate drink flavoured with vanilla, pepper and other exotic spices.
Cocoa was introduced in Europe at the start of the sixteenth century. The Spanish conquistadors returning from Central America took the drink with them and added sugar to it. This chocolate was served at the Spanish court. It spread over all of Europe and was presented during official audiences at the French court. In the middle of the seventeenth century, special coffee and chocolate houses appeared in the Netherlands. Cocoa beans were still very expensive at that time. It was only around 1900 that the price of cocoa began to fall so that chocolate could become a popular and accessible drink. Initially, the name ‘chocolate’ was only used for the cocoa drink. Amsterdam is still the main global port for cocoa.
