Although chocolate was brought to the continent in the 1600s, Europe learned to love chocolate in the 1800s, after Fry and Sons started to market it with sugar. By this time, the food known as chocolate had gone through a long and colorful history.
Early Consumption of Chocolate
Artifacts show that chocolate may have been enjoyed as a drink as early as 1750 BC in Mesoamerica. This drink had a special place in ancient cultures. In Chocolate in Ancient Mayan and Aztec Societies, Kimberly Dyke of Classroom Synonym.com says, “…The ancient Aztec and Maya cultures used cacao as currency. The plant’s seeds that grew so readily in the lowlands were extremely valuable in the drier climates. They were also used as gifts and tributes to emperors and as offerings in religious ceremonies when transformed to liquid. Baskets of cacao, maize and feathers were traded in the market and used as a reference for measurement…” [Read more…]
