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Chocolate

The document outlines the history of chocolate, starting from its origins with the Olmecs in Mexico to its evolution into a popular drink among the Aztecs and its eventual introduction to Europe by Hernán Cortés. By the 1700s, chocolate transitioned from a drink to solid forms, leading to the establishment of chocolate houses and mass production by companies like Cadbury. Today, chocolate is a global multi-billion dollar industry enjoyed by many.

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Ceci Rodriguez
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24 views1 page

Chocolate

The document outlines the history of chocolate, starting from its origins with the Olmecs in Mexico to its evolution into a popular drink among the Aztecs and its eventual introduction to Europe by Hernán Cortés. By the 1700s, chocolate transitioned from a drink to solid forms, leading to the establishment of chocolate houses and mass production by companies like Cadbury. Today, chocolate is a global multi-billion dollar industry enjoyed by many.

Uploaded by

Ceci Rodriguez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The History of Chocolate

The History of
Chocolate
In 1657, the first chocolate house was Today, chocolate is a multi-billion
opened in London. Cacao was an dollar industry and people all over
expensive import and only the rich the world love the taste of chocolate.
could afford to drink chocolate. In fact, This is an industry that will not go
in France, chocolate could be drunk away any time soon. You can even
only by the royal family. make your own!
Chocolate bars. Chocolate ice cream. Chocolate milk. Delicious!
But where does chocolate come from? Up until the 1700s, chocolate was
mainly a drink, but in 1830 the first
real, moulded chocolate bar was
Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees, starting about 10 million years produced. By the late 19th century,
ago. The Olmecs of Mexico were probably the first to grow the cacao plant. chocolate companies such as Cadbury
It is thought that they used the cacao beans to make drinks, but there is no were mass-producing boxes of
written history for the Olmecs. chocolates.

The Olmecs passed their cacao The Spanish Conquistador, Hernán


knowledge to the Ancient Maya of Cortés, arrived in Central America in
Mexico and Central America, who 1519. There he saw the Aztec Emperor
made chocolate into a spicy drink drinking ‘Xocalatl’, the earliest known
used in ceremonies. Cacao started to hot chocolate, and Cortés realised the
become very precious. Later the Aztecs great value that it had. Almost ten
used cacao for trade and the cacao years later, Cortés established a cacao
seeds as a form of money. plantation for trading. He took the
beans back to Spain along with the
In 1502, Christopher Columbus was
chocolate drink recipe. Here, cinnamon
the first European explorer to come
and other spices were added to the
into contact with cacao beans when
bitter brew and it was sweetened
he and his crew captured a trade ship.
with sugar.
He presumed the beans were a type
of almond and brought them back
to Europe, not knowing the potential
value of the unusual beans.

Did you know...?

To make a good chocolate you only need four ingredients: cocoa beans, cocoa
butter, sugar and milk powder.

visit twinkl.co.za visit twinkl.co.za

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