Untitled Document

History
History of Chocolate Begins in the Americas Cacao was first used as a food by the native people living in Central America; Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and all other Carribean Islands and countries. Mayans and Aztecs, who lived in Central America three-thousand years ago, were the first people who made a drink from the roasted beans of the cacao tree. The Olmecs already had the word cacao in their language and were probably the first to grow the cacao tree. The Mayas and the Aztecs believed the cacao tree to be sacred. Mexican tales and stories tell that the god of the wind and moon, (Quetzalcoatl) brought the cacao beans down to earth. Theobroma (food of the gods in Latin) has been used by people for over two-thousand years. Mesoamerican Indians were first to make a drink from crushed cacao beans mixed with water and flavorings like vanilla and chili peppers! Imagine! Cacao takes a long trip to Europe Before the Europeans Explorers found America, cacao and chocolate were completely unknown in Europe. No one had ever seen or heard of cacao. On Christopher Columbus's fourth visit in 1502, he reached the island of Guanaja in the Gulf of Honduras. The Indians who lived there offered Columbus cacao beans as a sign of their genuine hospitality and good will. When Columbus tried the drink he didn't like it at all. So maybe that's why Cortez is the person who brought the first beans back to Europe. And maybe Cortez also, didn't mind swallowing a bitter drink! Today Hernando Cortez is known as the person who brought cacao to Europe; Spain first of course. The Spanish conquistador landed on the coast of Mexico in 1519. The Aztecs thought he was the returning God Quetzalcoatl (god of wind and moon) that Montezuma had seen in a dream. This is why Cortez was able to take so much gold, and so many treasures from the entire Aztec nation. With him cacao found its way to Europe. Chocolate Becomes Popular in Europe The people of Europe didn't like the taste of the drink at first, but over time, cacao became a daily drink even with its horrible, bitter taste. For more than 100 years the Spanish people kept the secret of cacao to themselves. As explorers and nobles began to travel to other countries, they took the "secret" with them. At first cacao was smuggled by Spanish seafarers but it was the contact between the European royal courts, visiting each other, that lead to chocolate becoming popular, first in Italy and France the then all over Europe. Pretty soon the kings and queens of Europe were sharing the good tasting, sweetened drink with everyone they knew. Special pots were made just for serving chocolate. These were called chocolate pots. By the middle of the 19th century, chocolate was enjoyed by almost everyone except the poor.	Important "Chocolate" Dates 1657- People of London love the new hot chocolate drink. 1780-The city of Barcelona has the first chocolate machine. 1800-Antoine Brutus Menier starts the first chocolate making business. 1810-Half of all the chocolate made in the world is made in Venezuela. The Spanish eat one-third of all this chocolate. 1830- A British man makes solid chocolate for the first time. 1875-Daniel Peter a man from Switzerland finally makes the first milk chocolate candy! His neighbor, Henri Nestle buys some and then he starts the Nestle Chocolate factory! 1900-German people eat the most chocolate per person. They're followed by the U.S., then France, and last but not least Great Britain. 1913-A man from Montreux, Switzerland by the name of Jules Sechaud sells the first filled chocolates. 1923-The CMA (Chocolate Manufactures of America) becomes a company. 1940- M&M’s were invented for World War II soldiers. The coating keeps the chocolate from melting in the soldier's hands. Chocolate is still making history today. New candybars and filled chocolates are always being put on the store shelves for us to buy so...the history will continue! 2008- Year we discovered that there was more to chocolate than eating it. :)

History

History of Chocolate Begins in the Americas

Cacao was first used as a food by the native people living in Central America; Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and all other Carribean Islands and countries. Mayans and Aztecs, who lived in Central America three-thousand years ago, were the first people who made a drink from the roasted beans of the cacao tree. The Olmecs already had the word cacao in their language and were probably the first to grow the cacao tree. The Mayas and the Aztecs believed the cacao tree to be sacred.

Mexican tales and stories tell that the god of the wind and moon, (Quetzalcoatl) brought the cacao beans down to earth. Theobroma (food of the gods in Latin) has been used by people for over two-thousand years. Mesoamerican Indians were first to make a drink from crushed cacao beans mixed with water and flavorings like vanilla and chili peppers! Imagine!

Cacao takes a long trip to Europe

Before the Europeans Explorers found America, cacao and chocolate were completely unknown in Europe. No one had ever seen or heard of cacao. On Christopher Columbus's fourth visit in 1502, he reached the island of Guanaja in the Gulf of Honduras. The Indians who lived there offered Columbus cacao beans as a sign of their genuine hospitality and good will. When Columbus tried the drink he didn't like it at all. So maybe that's why Cortez is the person who brought the first beans back to Europe. And maybe Cortez also, didn't mind swallowing a bitter drink!

Today Hernando Cortez is known as the person who brought cacao to Europe; Spain first of course. The Spanish conquistador landed on the coast of Mexico in 1519. The Aztecs thought he was the returning God Quetzalcoatl (god of wind and moon) that Montezuma had seen in a dream. This is why Cortez was able to take so much gold, and so many treasures from the entire Aztec nation. With him cacao found its way to Europe.

Chocolate Becomes Popular in Europe

The people of Europe didn't like the taste of the drink at first, but over time, cacao became a daily drink even with its horrible, bitter taste. For more than 100 years the Spanish people kept the secret of cacao to themselves. As explorers and nobles began to travel to other countries, they took the "secret" with them. At first cacao was smuggled by Spanish seafarers but it was the contact between the European royal courts, visiting each other, that lead to chocolate becoming popular, first in Italy and France the then all over Europe. Pretty soon the kings and queens of Europe were sharing the good tasting, sweetened drink with everyone they knew. Special pots were made just for serving chocolate. These were called chocolate pots. By the middle of the 19th century, chocolate was enjoyed by almost everyone except the poor.

Important "Chocolate" Dates

1657- People of London love the new hot chocolate drink.

1780-The city of Barcelona has the first chocolate machine.

1800-Antoine Brutus Menier starts the first chocolate making business.

1810-Half of all the chocolate made in the world is made in Venezuela. The Spanish eat one-third of all this chocolate.

1830- A British man makes solid chocolate for the first time.

1875-Daniel Peter a man from Switzerland finally makes the first milk chocolate candy! His neighbor, Henri Nestle buys some and then he starts the Nestle Chocolate factory!

1900-German people eat the most chocolate per person. They're followed by the U.S., then France, and last but not least Great Britain.

1913-A man from Montreux, Switzerland by the name of Jules Sechaud sells the first filled chocolates.

1923-The CMA (Chocolate Manufactures of America) becomes a company.

1940- M&M’s were invented for World War II soldiers. The coating keeps the chocolate from melting in the soldier's hands.
Chocolate is still making history today. New candybars and filled chocolates are always being put on the store shelves for us to buy so...the history will continue!

2008- Year we discovered that there was more to chocolate than eating it. :)