How Chocolates Came To Be

What would the world be without chocolates? Imagine that. If it weren’t for the creation of chocolate, the world would be cold, boring, and meaningless because chocolate is one of the reasons that the world is a sweet place to live in. For many, it gave meaning to life. When you are down in Dumpster's, you can hide away with a box of chocolates. If you are up in the mood for a celebration, chocolates can make you high. When you are in love, an outward expression can be given chocolates. Clearly, the world is a better place to live in thanks to chocolate.

But have you ever wondered where chocolate really originated? Belgium is known across the world to have produced the most delicious chocolates. But did it start there? As far as history takes you, it actually came from Mexico dating back to 1100 BC. Cacao trees have been cultivated in Mexico, Central America and Northern South America for almost 3 millennia already. It was known to be Nahuatl to the Mesoamericans including the Aztecs which meant bitter water. Cacao seeds are so bitter that you need to ferment it before it is dry, peeled, and finally grounded. This is what you refer to as chocolate in its pure form. This is then usually put into a liquefied form and molded with or without the use of other ingredients. This has become a beverage or an ingredient to food for the Mesoamericans.

But the Europeans put another kick into it. They sweetened and fattened it by using sugar and milk. Mesoamericans were not aware of such. Rather than drinking it or using it as an ingredient, they tagged it as a dessert. And that is a short history of how the chocolate came to be. Cheers to both the Mesoamericans and Europeans for a job well done!