Chocolate first began in North and Central America when Christopher Columbus brought cocoa beans back with him from Spain. It wasn’t until the Aztec Indians of Mexico were conquered by Cortez that he learned from them about a very special drink they called “gift from the gods” or “cacahuatl.” The Aztecs believed that the drink acted as an aphrodisiac. The cocoa beans were taken from pods of cacao trees that were harvested at two different occasions of the year. They were then put through a process of fermenting, drying and finally roasting. After roasting was complete they were ground into the finest of powder and mixed with hot water.
Upon his return to Spain in 1528, Cortez brought back the chocolate drink of the Aztecs that was very bitter and spicy (and probably not very tasty by today’s standards). The Spaniards made attempts to improve the drink by adding cream and sugar. It remained the secret of these people for almost a hundred years. The drink became known (and well appreciated) in France upon King Louis marriage to a member of the Spanish royalty. Cocoa beans were a part of the bride’s trousseau as she enjoyed the chocolate drink at breakfast time.
Suddenly the popularity of the drink grew and chocolate houses began popping up all over France. But the chocolate craze quickly spread to England and then finally back to one of its places of origin, North America. Interesting to note is that after the Boston Tea Party took place in 1773, the rich chocolately drink gained even more popularity. However a century would come and go before the process of making a solid chocolate would be improved upon to the point of perfection that we enjoy in our chocolate today.