The History of Chocolate (Nectar of the gods...)

OK, so taking a hint from sawaboof’s inspiring topic this morning, I decided to research the history of chocolate. We all love it (and if you don’t, then you’re weird and I can’t understand you), but few of us really know where it came from (beyond some vague idea of cocoa beans in South America). So here’s a brief history of this incredible food.
The first people who unlocked the secrets of the nectar of the gods are the Mayans and the Aztecs. They mixed cacao seeds (from trees in the rainforest) with various spices to make a drink similar to a shake. It was a favored drink of the royalty (no kidding) and the seeds were often offered to the gods (change of taste from human blood…personally, I like chocolate better).
When the Spanish conquered the natives, they naturally discovered the cacao seeds and brought them back to Spain in the 1500s (can you IMAGINE life without chocolate???). In Spain, new recipes were created through these seeds. (anyone who’s seen “Ever After” will remember the French Prince with the British accent offering chocolate to the nasty step sister). It was even used as a currency (imagine…getting paid in CHOCOLATE). About a hundred years later, the rest of Europe got the swing of things and started making stuff themselves out of this odd cacao stuff. However, as both cacao and sugar were expensive items, it remained a royal delectable.
However, that all changed in the 1800s. Mass production made access to chocolate way cheaper (thank God). Trial and error has brought us to the delicious treats we have today. However, it’s interesting to note that cacao seeds are still grown and harvested similarly to the way they were harvested in ancient times. Cacao seeds are also used in cosmetics and medicines (personally, I think they should just use chocolate…it’s an incredible medicine).
It’s interesting to see how chocolate was used in religion and the economy, as well as a distinction of wealth. Oh and one final note…don’t research chocolate while you’re hungry.
Respect Life
Information Sources:
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/history.html
http://www.chocolatemonthclub.com/chocolatehistory.htm
Picture:
http://gazettefood.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/1621121-lcl-chocolate-hau...