Chocolate History
Cocoa trees were believed to have been around since between 400 BC and 1500 BC in the Amazon basin, Central America.
The Aztecs first recorded the Cocoa tree, around 600 AD on tablets and wall drawings.
A spiced drink was enjoyed for its energy and sexual enhancing powers - made from the ground cocoa beans.
The beans were also traded in currency - 100 bought a slave, 10 the services of a prostitute and (if you were still hungry) 4 a rabbit.
The Mayans worshipped the Cocoa Tree and called it "THEOBROMA COCOA" translating to Food of the Gods and the (KAK KOW) "Cocoa" meaning God Food.
1502, Christopher Columbus 1st traded in Cocoa beans.
1519, 17 years later Hernando Cortez realized their worth and later set up plantations for Spain.
1580, saw the 1st Chocolate processing plant in Spain. Manufacturing Cocoa for the - by that time very popular hot drink.
The Spanish kept the whole Chocolate and Cocoa bean a secret, monopolising on the revenue. That when British Pirates raided a Spanish Galleon and found what they thought to be Sheep’s Droppings in the cargo, they were so frustrated that they burnt the ship down. Not realising that Cocoa beans were literally worth their weight in silver.
1657, the 1st Chocolate house opened in Britain, these became very popular and soon spread.
Soon bakers started to put Cocoa powder in to Cakes.
And in 1828 a Dutch chemist invented the way forward by extracting the butterfat (cocoa butter) from the bean. Making the drink smooth and tastier.
So in 1847 FRY & SON produced the worlds 1st Chocolate Bar - Right here in England.
And that was a little bit of CHOCOLATE HISTORY