A little bit of history...

What is it about chocolate that we love so much? They say that 9 out of 10 people love chocolate. The other one is probably lying…

Chocolate came to Europe through Spain. Until the 16th century, no one in Europe had heard of the magical cocoa beans that were once used as currency among the Aztecs. Cacao, however, has been cultivated for at least 3000 years in Mexico and Central America while in Europe, we started relishing this god-sent gift five centuries ago! How unfair!

The word itself is said to derive from the Nahualt “xocolatl”. Many translations have been attributed to this word. Some say it comes from the word “xococ” for bitter and “atl” for water. Apparently, the “ xocolatl” back then tasted completely different from what we know and love today. It was a bitter, spicy concoction that was served as a ceremonial drink with a touch of vanilla and chilli pepper.

After the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, chocolate was imported for the first time to Europe. It became a very popular drink among Spanish royalty and was generally quite expensive to obtain.

It was the Industrial revolution in the 19th century however that made chocolate easily available to everyone. With the advent of machinery and mass production techniques, people started consuming chocolate worldwide.

The experience had just begun! Enjoy chocolate!