Cocoa grows only in tropical regions of the world within 15 degrees of the equator. The majority of the cocoa in the world comes from the Ivory Coast followed by Brazil as the second producer of cocoa beans. The yearly consumption of cocoa is over 500,000 tons and it continues to rise. To follow is a brief history of how we came to enjoy what I call one of the greatest pleasures in life.

The tree

There are two main types of cocoa trees; the Forastero and the Criollo. The most common type of cocoa tree is the Forastero, but the world’s best chocolate makers prefer the Criollo beans. There are many other cocoa trees that are a mix of the main two types of plant. The cocoa tree grows best when it’s shaded by taller trees. Farmers plant a variety of other trees to protect the cocoa tree. The first cocoa pods grow after the tree is 3 to 5 years old. Inside the pods you can find seeds that will become cocoa beans.

Treasure Found

We first find record of chocolate in the year 600 A.D. The first known cocoa plantation was located in the Yucatan where the Mayans and Aztecs used to make a drink called “xocoatl.” Chocolate was believed to be a gift from the Gods and human sacrifices were performed in a ceremony in which chocolate was given as a last meal.

It is known that Christopher Columbus was the first one to introduce chocolate to Europe, but it was not noticed until twenty years later in 1519 when Hernan Cortez brought it from Mexico to Spain, and hiding in Spanish monasteries learned how to process the beans. Chocolate was kept secret for almost a century after that. Antonio Carletti, an Italian, finally introduced chocolate to the rest of Europe in the year 1600. In the year 1657, the first chocolate house was opened in London. Only the rich were able to afford chocolate during that time. In many places, cocoa beans were used as money.