History of Chocolate

Chocolate has been used as a drink for nearly all of its history. The earliest record of using chocolate dates back to the Mesoamerican civilization days. The Mesoamerican civilization grew cacao trees in their backyard, and used the cacao seeds it produced to make a frothy, bitter drink which was only used for ceremonial purposes, in addition to everyday life. It was only to be consumed by royalty since it was considered a blessed drink of the gods. 

It was consumed in a bitter, spicy drink called xocoatl, and was often flavored with vanilla, chile pepper and achiote (known today as annatto). Xocoatl was believed to fight fatigue, a belief that is probably attributable to the theobromine content. Chocolate was also an important luxury good throughout pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, and cacao beans were often used as currency. 

Later on the Spanish took the concept of chocolate drinks to Europe where it quickly became a court favorite. Even in Europe only royalty and the well-connected could afford to drink this expensive import. Over the years it passed on to other European powers that started to commercially process chocolate for the common man.

For hundreds of years, the chocolate making process remained unchanged until the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in Europe. During this time, many changes occurred that brought the hard, sweet candy we love today to life. In the 1700s, mechanical mills were created that squeezed out cocoa butter, which in turn helped to create hard, durable chocolate. But, it was not until the arrival of the Industrial Revolution that these mills were put to bigger use. Not long after the revolution cooled down, companies began advertising this new invention to sell many of the chocolate treats we see today. When new machines were produced, people began experiencing and consuming chocolate worldwide.