History of Chocolate

Origin of Chocolate

It is said that chocolate originated within Central and South America.  Originally the Toltecs ate only the flesh of the cocoa fruit because the seeds were too bitter.  Later, one of them came up with the idea of throwing the beans onto the fire.  The aroma that this produced made him curious and he then grinded the beans between two stones which created a creamy paste.  That was the birth of chocolate.

When Columbus first discovered the Aztecs, he was the first one to become familiar with cocoa, but he was not impressed.  However, the conquistadors Pizzaro and in particular Cortez, showed interest in the bean. In 1520 Fernando Cortez reached the east coast of Mexico.  As the honored guest of Montezuma, Aztec Emperor and chocolate fanatic, he was offered xocotlatl, a small portion of aromatic chocolate drink mixed with vanilla, pepper, and other herbs.

Chocolate conquers the Old World

Shortly after the new world was discovered, the cocoa bean made its way to Spain.  The Spanish roasted the beans and added sugar.  They did everything in their power to secure their monopoly on the bean.  But this was all in vain: the beans were smuggled to Europe and Asia in enormous quantities and slowly but surely all of Europe fell under the chocolate spell.

The first Chocolate Shop

No, it was not a Belvedere Belgian Chocolate Shop™, but the first shop is said to have opened its doors in London in 1657 by a Frenchman.  The chocolate drinks sold were very expensive and the shop was therefore considered to be a shopping place for the elite. For the longest time, chocolate was only considered a beverage, and then mostly for men.  Only later in the seventeenth century was it considered an appropriate drink for children as well.  In 1674, chocolate was also introduced in edible form as rolls and cakes.

The Invention of the Cocoa Press

The real breakthrough was made in Holland when a process for making the drinks finer and less fatty was discovered: the cocoa press.  It crushed the freshly ground beans and extracted the liquid cocoa butter.  What remained was a dry slab of cocoa powder.

Then, in 1828, it was discovered how to alkalize cocoa powder.  This made the powder easy to mix and digest.

Chocolate and Milk: A Marriage made in Heaven

In the nineteenth century came the turning point in the production and consumption of chocolate.  First was the discovery of the process to condense milk which then developed into a means of obtaining chocolate and milk in a solid mix.  This would forever change the face of chocolate production around the world.

Conching

Chocolate makers kept on looking for new methods to improve the taste and texture of their chocolate.  During one of many experiments it was discovered that leaving the chocolate to mix in a container for several days had a very positive effect on the flavor.  This became known as 'conching', and as time went by machines become more and more important in the process.

Chocolate... a delicacy for everyone

Throughout history chocolate was a luxury product enjoyed by the Royal court and the privileged classes.  It was only in the 20th century that it really became available to all and today chocolate is a delicacy that everyone knows and enjoys.