ChocostatEvery year, people consume more than 7.2 million metric tons of chocolate globally..Imagine a world without chocolate. No chocolate bars, no hot cocoa, and definitely no chocolate cake. Sounds pretty bleak, right? Luckily for us, the story of chocolate began over 3000 years ago with ancient civilisations in Central and South America. Our chocolate story starts with the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico, who were likely the first people to discover the wonders of the cacao tree, around 1500 BC. However, it was the Mayans who truly commercialised chocolate. They believed that cacao was a heavenly gift, and they used it in everything from sacred rituals to everyday cooking.By 600 AD, the Mayans had spread the love of cacao throughout Mesoamerica, including into the lives of the Aztecs. But there was a twist – the Aztecs liked their chocolate cold and frothy, mixed with spices, and without any sugar! This spicy chocolate drink was called 'xocolatl', meaning "bitter water"..Historical luxury Chocolate was considered a luxury good and a divine substance by ancient Mesoamerican civilisations. It was used not just as a food but also in rituals, including marriage ceremonies and baptisms, and was even included in the graves of rulers..Used as currencyFor the Aztecs, chocolate wasn't just a treat; it was so valuable that they used cacao beans as currency. Yes, that's right – they literally had money growing on trees! The Aztec emperor Montezuma II was said to have a massive storehouse of cacao beans and even drank gallons of xocolatl each day to increase his energy.In the 16th century, the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés arrived in the Americas. After realising the importance of chocolate to the Aztec culture, he brought cacao beans back to Spain. Initially, the Spanish kept chocolate a closely guarded secret, but they added cane sugar and cinnamon to sweeten the bitter brew. It became a trendy drink among the Spanish aristocracy.By the 17th century, chocolate had made its grand entrance into other European countries, becoming a fashionable drink across the continent, enjoyed in lavish chocolate houses. Imagine Starbucks, but with chocolate! .Birth of the barChocolate remained a luxury drink until the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, which allowed for new technologies that transformed chocolate production. In 1828, a Dutch chemist named Coenraad Johannes van Houten invented the cocoa press, which squeezed out cocoa butter from roasted cacao beans, leaving behind a dry cake that could be powdered into cocoa. This made chocolate cheaper to produce and more consistent in quality.Then came the big game changer – the first solid chocolate bar was created by Joseph Fry in 1847. He discovered that he could make a mouldable chocolate paste by adding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa. By 1868, Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England..Milk chocolate The creation of milk chocolate brought chocolate to the masses. In 1875, Daniel Peter, a Swiss chocolatier, experimented for years to add milk to chocolate. He eventually teamed up with his neighbour, Henri Nestlé, a manufacturer of baby food, who had developed a powdered milk. This collaboration led to the creation of the first milk chocolate that we all love today!Today, chocolate is a global phenomenon. It's no longer just for the elite or used as currency. From the cacao farms in Ivory Coast to the chocolatiers in Switzerland and Belgium, chocolate has become a favourite treat all over the world. Companies like Hershey's, Mars, and Lindt have turned chocolate into an industry worth billions.Every year, people consume more than 7.2 million metric tons of chocolate globally. That's a lot of chocolate bars, truffles, and cakes!So, the next time you unwrap your favourite chocolate bar, remember that you're enjoying a treat with a history as rich and fascinating as its taste. .Unusual relatives The cacao tree, which gives us the cocoa beans for making chocolate, is part of the Malvaceae family, making it a relative of both okra and cotton—plants not typically associated with something as decadent as chocolate..Explosive past During World War II, there were attempts to use chocolate as a medium for concealing explosives. The idea was to make a chocolate-covered explosive that would detonate a short time after a piece was broken off, designed as a booby trap..A drink before a barLong before chocolate was enjoyed as the solid bars we love today, it was consumed primarily as a beverage. This drink was far different from the sweet hot chocolates we're familiar with—it was often bitter, as it was made from ground cocoa beans mixed with water, corn, and spices..Ruby chocolateOne of the newer innovations in the chocolate world is ruby chocolate, introduced in 2017. It's known for its distinctive pink color, which is believed to be derived from unfermented cocoa beans that have been acidified, although the exact process is patented and not fully disclosed.
