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WELCOME
TO
CHOCOLATE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BEAN THAT MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE
About 2000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas, the Mayan people first discovered the secret of the Cacao Tree.
What they discovered was that the trees pods contained seeds, and that they could process these seeds by grinding and mixing them with various seasonings such as chili peppers and cornmeal. They then mixed this spicy concoction with water to produce a delicious and spicy drink.
Sometime around the year 1400, the Aztec empire began to trade with the Maya people for these precious seeds. They were so precious; they soon became a form of Aztec money.
The conquest of Mexico by the Europeans in 1521 gave Europe its first contact with the Cacao bean and for the next 300 years this expensive import and the beverage made from this bean became a status symbol for the European upper class. It remained so for many years.
By the 1800’s, new methods and machinery used to process the Cacao bean moved into the area of mass production. In 1847, a company named Fry & Sons developed the first solid chocolate bar. This new and now affordable solid chocolate candy was introduced to the masses.
Chocolate Trivia>>
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