-
100
The Origin of Chocolate
(Date: 1200 BC)
Most scientists believe that cocoa beans were first used by the Olmecs, however some argue that it was the Aztecs, some the Mayans. Since the Olmecs are the oldest civilization of the three (they are thought to have started around 1200 BC and end around 200 BC), the majority of experts believe that the Olmecs were the first to crack open the cocoa pod. The Mayans and Aztecs followed the tradition and carried it on long after Olmec civilization died away. -
Jan 1, 600
Cocoa used by the Mayans and Aztecs
(Date: 400 BC)
The use of cocoa today is both similar and different to that of long ago. After the Olmecs, the Mayans were the first to plant the seeds of cocoa pods and start cocoa farming. Just like today, the Mayans used the beans to make hot chocolate. However, they called the drink, which was made up of crushed and dried cocoa beans and hot water, chocolatl. (continued on the next event) -
Jan 2, 600
Cocoa used by the Mayans and Aztecs
(Date: 400 BC)
(continued)
While the Mayans combined the powdery substance with hot water, the Aztecs drank it with cold. Both tribes, however, added flavor using chili peppers and vanilla. Even with flavorings the drink must have been very bitter. Cocoa alone is not very tasty, and these tribes didn't add any sugar to the chocolatl. -
Jan 1, 1502
Findings of Cocoa in the New World
(Date: approx. the 1400's)
Eventually Europe, Spain, and other countries got interested in the land across the sea, later known to be the Americas. Christopher Columbus, acknowledged by many to be the first person to sail to the Americas, came across a Mayan ship full of cargo, including cocoa beans, on his fourth and final expedition to the new world in 1502. -
Jan 2, 1502
Findings of Cocoa in the New World
(Date; aprox. the 1400's) (continued)
After his crew had been ordered to capture the ship, his son, Ferdinand, wrote that they had found 'almonds' on the ship, and that the Mayans treated them with great care. In one legend, the pirates that captures their ship thought that the cocoa beans were sheep droppings, and they burned them. -
Jan 1, 1519
Cortes and the Aztecs
Hernando Cortes, a Spanish conquistador, traveled to modern day Mexico around 1519. When he arrived he was generously greeted by the Aztec emperor, Montezuma. They prepared a feast for him, with chocolatl to drink for dessert. Hernando Cortes had traveled to the New World to claim for Spain, and that he did. By 1512, he had conquered the Aztec nation and taken everything they had, including gold and cocoa beans. -
Jan 2, 1521
Chocolate in Spain
Cortes introduced Spain to the delicious chocolatl drink but since the drink was much too bitter for the Spainiards, they added sugar and renamed it chocolate. Since both beans and sugar had to be imported, the drink became known as a luxury that only royalty could afford. Chocolate was also regarded as good for your health which only increased demand. -
Spreading to The Rest of the World
Despite Spain's effort to keep chocolate to themselves, Europe was drinking chocolate in cafes by the 1650's. After the marriage of Princess Maria Teresa of Spain and King Louis XIV of France in 1660, French nobles began to acquire a taste for the sweet drink just like their queen. In the 1700's Europeans brought cocoa powder back across the sea to the New World. The colonies of America loved the drink and the first chocolate factory opened in 1765 by Walter Baker and co. in Massachusetts. -
Steam Engine Machine
James Watt was the next to make an invention that improved the making of chocolate. In 1765, he invented the steam engine machine. And although he did not initially make the steam engine, he vastly improved the original concept. With the steam engine, chocolate could be made easier, and so that the price of chocolate was cheaper. -
Choclate Factories and Ideas
While looking for work in America, John Hannon, who had run a chocolate factory in Ireland, met Dr. James Baker and they decided they would go into business with each other. Their new factory had a giant water wheel that powered a machine that crushed the cocoa beans into a fine powder. Before their machine was built, cocoa beans had to be crushed by hand. -
The Chocolate Press
Cocoa beans are made up of cocoa mass, the meat of the beans, and fatty cocoa butter. When crushed, the fatty cocoa butter gave the chocolate a greasy texture that doesn't mix well with water. Coenraad van Houten is a Dutch chemist who invented the chocolate press. The cocoa press separated the cocoa meat with the cocoa butter and made the chocolate mix better with water, and it made it tastier! -
The Chocolate Bar
In the 1840's, Fry's chocolate company opened in Europe. Joseph Fry was the first to make solid chocolate for eating. He mixed cocoa powder and sugar with melted cocoa butter (instead of water) and put the mixture into a mold for it to harden. After that, the chocolate business boomed. Many different kinds of chocolate mixtures were made. At this point, the nobles were no longer the only ones able to afford it, chocolate was eaten by everyone. It was thought to be a healthy and delicious treat. -
Two Great Inventions from Switzerland
Before 1875, chocolate bars had been coarse and grainy and had only been made out of dark chocolate. But then in Switzerland, Henri Nestle, who at the time had been experimenting with condensed milk in breakfast cereals, was persuaded by his partner, Daniel Peter, to add condensed milk to the chocolate mixture. By doing this, they invented milk chocolate. Another man, Rudolphe Lindt, from Switzerland invented the "conche" four years later. (continued) -
Two Great Inventions from Switzerland
(continued) The "conche" is a machine that continuously rolls back and forth over a cocoa mass. The movement of the rollers creates friction and heat to result in smooth, velvety chocolate. -
Hershey Chocolate
In 1905, Milton Hershey opened up a chocolate factory in a dairy region of Pennsylvania. Using the latest technology he mass produced types of chocolate including the Reese's peanut Butter Cup, which is still a best seller today. Later, as Hershey's became more popular, he built a whole town around the chocolate factory for workers and tourists that included golf courses, hotels, and statues. Today Hershey's is one of the top candy sellers in the whole world! -
Works Cited
I will resend you the updated works cited page in a kmail. -
Chocolate Today
Today, the average human consumes 10- 21 pounds of chocolate every year and the average chocolate factory uses 31 million pounds of milk daily to make chocolate. It makes up 60% of the candy industry. Chocolate is used in baking, covering, and plain out eating. But, in the end, all chocolate comes from a pod of beans. -
Uses of Cocoa
(Date: 400 BC)
Choclatl was not drunken daily, they only made and used chocolatl on special occasions, such as rituals and royal feasts. The drink was typically poured from a height into another pot to give it heavy foam on the top. Along with chocolatl, the Aztecs and Mayans both gave pure cocoa beans as offerings to the gods. Because of their high demand and delcious taste, cocoa beans were also used as currency for the Mayans and Aztecs. (contiued on next event) -
Uses of Cocoa
(Date: 400 BC) (continued)
The tribes would trade the beans for anything that they wanted. The beans were very valuable to them. As the Aztecs expanded, they started taking valuable land that was used to grow cocoa beans from the Mayans. The Aztec emperor would take cocoa beans form people as taxes. It was said that at one time that the Aztec emperor had more than 960 million cocoa beans in his store rooms.
