The origins of the first domestic cocoa plantations date back to the Olmec civilization (southeast Mexico). Usually, cocoa was used as an offering to the gods.<\/p>\n
From the Maya civilization (southeast Mexico and Central America), there are scenes depicting kakaw in containers. Cocoa was served as a drink, utilizing the viscous part of the bean. At that time, it was used as medicine and mixed with other plants. The drink was always consumed hot.<\/p>\n
Initially, there were areas where only the mucilage was consumed as a drink, and the beans were discarded. In other places, the pulp was fermented with the beans to obtain a cocoa drink with a more intense flavor.<\/p>\n
During the Aztec civilization (central Mexico), the word chocolate gained relevance. This word was adopted by the Spanish colonizers and spread to the rest of the world. It is also documented that, during that period, cocoa – chocolate was used as currency. Unlike the Mayans, the Aztecs consumed the cocoa drink cold.<\/p>\n
CURIOSITY…<\/p>\n
Various drinks were made with cocoa, mixed with water or corn, with vanilla, black pepper, dried insects\u2026<\/p>\n
THE COLONIZATION OF AMERICA<\/p>\n
The arrival of Spanish colonizers allowed cocoa to spread to the rest of the world. It was one of the products that were quickly accepted by society, although it was initially consumed as medicine. One of the first steps for this rapid spread was the sweetening and flavoring of cocoa with sugar and spices, especially vanilla and cinnamon.<\/p>\n
Expansion of chocolate in Europe<\/p>\n
1502: Christopher Columbus arrives on the island of Guanaja and, as an offering, they give him cocoa.<\/p>\n
1519: Hern\u00e1n Cort\u00e9s lands on the coasts of Mexico and is received as a god. They offer him xocolatl, a cocoa drink, in a gold cup.<\/p>\n
1528: Hern\u00e1n Cort\u00e9s introduces chocolate to the Spanish court.<\/p>\n
1535: Chocolate reaches the Viceroyalty of New Spain (in present-day United States).<\/p>\n
1557: Italy is the next country in Europe to consume chocolate.<\/p>\n
1615: Anne of Austria marries Louis XIII and, as a result of this marriage, cocoa – chocolate is introduced to the French court.<\/p>\n
1641: Cocoa travels to Germany and from there to the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
1657: Chocolate is introduced into some households, as described in the diary of Samuel Pepys.<\/p>\n
1727: The first milk chocolate appears, thanks to Nicholas Sanders.<\/p>\n
1751-1772: In Diderot’s Encyclopedie, the process of making and tasting chocolate is explained.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The origins of the first domestic cocoa plantations date back […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n