It should go without saying that absolutely everyone likes the taste of chocolate. Although we may not think of it when we are feverishly dashing to the fridge to steal another chunk of our favourite sweet treat, chocolate is in fact one of the oldest delicacies known to mankind. It is with that in mind that we bring you this brief guide to the history behind chocolate.

Believe it or not chocolate has been used as a drink for practically it’s entire history. Archaologists working out in Honduras recently found evidence of the use of cacao which they estimated would date back to 1100 to 1400 BC, making it the earliest recorded use of chocolate to date. The chocolate residue that was found indicated that the first use of chocolate was not just as a drink but the pup that was left behind led them to believe that it could have also been a source of fermentable sugars used for alcoholic beverages.

There is also evidence from Guatamala in the form of hieroglyphs that indicates that the ancient Mayans were drinking chocolate in around 400 AD. In the new world the chocolate of the time took the form of a spicy, bitter drink called xocoatl and was flavoured with additional vanilla and chilli pepper. This drink was believed to fight the effects of fatigue.

You would have thought that the western world would be quick to latch on to chocolate however this was not the case. In fact no European had ever heard of this popular south american chocolate drink until the 16th century. We had to wait until the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs before chocolate began to be imported into Europe. It quickly became a favourite of the Spanish nobility and became so popular that it spread round the rest of Europe. In order to keep up with demand the Spanish army started to use slaves to help produce it.

When chocolate eventually reached British shores the story was entirely different. It wasn’t considered a drink or food exclusive to the upper classes. It was a treat that everyone could afford. The very first chocolate house in England was opened in London in the mid 1600s. The development of chocolate took a hige step forward towards the end of the 19th century when a chocolate drink developed in Jamaica was eventually sold to the Cadbury brothers who went on to become one of the world’s biggest names in chocolate manufacturing.

The production techniques involved in the manufacture of chocolate stayed the same for hundreds of years, however by the time of the industrial revolution many changes were made that lead to the type of chocolate which we enjoy today. Mechanical mills were built that squeezed out cocoa butter which helped to create a type of chocolate which was harder and more durable. As the industrial revolution progressed these mills were put to ever greater use. These production techniques eventually spread to the rest of the world, allowing everyone to buy and enjoy the wonderful taste of chocolate.

Author Bio: Trevor Richards is writing on behalf of American Soda, a leading UK importer of American Sweets.

Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: chocolate, sweets, candy, gifts, presents, gift ideas, classic sweets, drinks, soda