The History Of Chocolate
250AD – 1000AD
The earliest record of chocolate consumption dates from the Classic period of the Ancient Maya of Mexico and Central America. The Maya and their ancestors made chocolate into a spicy drink (cacao paste mixed with chili peppers, vanilla and other ingredients) that they used in ceremonies.
14th – 16th century
The Aztec, between the 14th and 16th centuries, were among those who had to trade for cacao and often required that citizens and conquered peoples pay their tribute in cacao seeds—a form of Aztec money. Like the earlier Maya, the Aztecs also consumed their bitter chocolate drink seasoned with spices, and sometimes with honey (sugar was unavailable to them).
1502
Columbus captured a flotilla of dugout canoes off the coast of Mexico the contents included what he thought to be Almonds but they were in fact cocoa beans, he was unaware of their value and did not take any of them with him.
1517 - 1519
It’s during this period that the chocolate became sweetened, using cane sugar and drank hot instead of cold. Cortes and his men also realised that cocoa bean could be used as a way to pay workers.
1519
The Aztecs and their king, Montezuma, thought Hernan Cortez the Spanish conquistador and his men were gods, and offered them cocoa. He found it spicy and bitter and was unimpressed.
1534
The Jesuits were formed, a militant army of the church. They did lots of work with the Colonies and became chocolate drinkers themselves and traded with Spain.
1585
The first official shipment of cocoa beans arrived in Spain and chocolate becomes fashionable.
17th century
By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal and even aphrodisiac properties.
1650s
Cacao first arrived in England along with the two other new drinks of the age, tea and coffee. Jamaica became England's primary cacao source. Chocolate was becoming democratised in England.
1657
An anonymous Frenchman opened London’s first
The earliest record of chocolate consumption dates from the Classic period of the Ancient Maya of Mexico and Central America. The Maya and their ancestors made chocolate into a spicy drink (cacao paste mixed with chili peppers, vanilla and other ingredients) that they used in ceremonies.
14th – 16th century
The Aztec, between the 14th and 16th centuries, were among those who had to trade for cacao and often required that citizens and conquered peoples pay their tribute in cacao seeds—a form of Aztec money. Like the earlier Maya, the Aztecs also consumed their bitter chocolate drink seasoned with spices, and sometimes with honey (sugar was unavailable to them).
1502
Columbus captured a flotilla of dugout canoes off the coast of Mexico the contents included what he thought to be Almonds but they were in fact cocoa beans, he was unaware of their value and did not take any of them with him.
1517 - 1519
It’s during this period that the chocolate became sweetened, using cane sugar and drank hot instead of cold. Cortes and his men also realised that cocoa bean could be used as a way to pay workers.
1519
The Aztecs and their king, Montezuma, thought Hernan Cortez the Spanish conquistador and his men were gods, and offered them cocoa. He found it spicy and bitter and was unimpressed.
1534
The Jesuits were formed, a militant army of the church. They did lots of work with the Colonies and became chocolate drinkers themselves and traded with Spain.
1585
The first official shipment of cocoa beans arrived in Spain and chocolate becomes fashionable.
17th century
By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal and even aphrodisiac properties.
1650s
Cacao first arrived in England along with the two other new drinks of the age, tea and coffee. Jamaica became England's primary cacao source. Chocolate was becoming democratised in England.
1657
An anonymous Frenchman opened London’s first