Science / Discoveries
Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Aztecs, who ruled Mexico until the 1500s, were drinking chocolate. They made a spicy drink called xocoatl from cacao beans or seeds, which translates to “warm and bitter liquid” or “bitter water.” Then xocoatl became xocolatl in the Nahuatl dialects of Mexico. In effect, xocolatl is the link to the modern word, chocolate.
In 1502, the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus met some Aztec people in the West Indies. They gave him cacao beans as payment for trading goods. Columbus didn’t like the spicy drink they made from the beans, and didn’t realize how important cacao beans would become.
In 1519, another Spanish explorer, Hernán Cortés, met Moctezuma, an Aztec emperor who loved xocolatl. Cortés realized how valuable the beans were and brought the drink back to Spain.
When Cortés introduced xocolatl to the Spanish people, it was still a bitter-tasting drink. People experimented by adding different ingredients. Eventually, someone tried adding sugar, and sweet hot
chocolate was born.
In the 1500s and 1600s, cacao and sugar were very expensive, and only the rich could afford to drink chocolate. For instance, in France, only members of the royal court were permitted to drink hot chocolate.
What Americans generally call “candy bars” is referred to as “chocolate bars” in British and Commonwealth countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. These are bars of solid chocolate that were first developed in the late 1700s.
In France and Italy a small scale production began after the Spaniards returned from South America with the recipe. At that time, the drink was prepared from roasted crushed cocoa beans.
From Cailler (1819) to Lindt (1879), significant names in the development of chocolate are worth mentioning:
At the beginning, Lindt’s blocks of chocolate were hard with a bitter after-taste, and the chocolate remained heavy and thick despite being heated up. The machine he invented kneaded the chocolate, and Lindt also started the significant addition of cocoa butter. The chocolate that everybody loves today was born. In 1880, Rodolphe Lindt patented his invention.
And for Mozart lovers like me, there's Mozartkugeln! Or a local favourite, Australia's Haigh's dark marzipan bars!
Welcome news to “chocaholics” everywhere is a scientific finding in recent years that a small amount of chocolate is actually good for you. In particular the dark chocolate, which contains chemical compounds called flavanols, that are important for healthy blood vessels. According to the International Journal of Medical Sciences, findings from scientists suggest that flavanols offer benefits to brain blood flow and improve cognitive health.
One final note: the scientific name of the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao, “theobroma” meaning food of the gods – a most appropriate description, as any lover of chocolate will agree.
Resources:
1. Bayard V, Chamorro F, Motta J, Hollenberg NK. Does flavanol intake influence mortality from nitric oxide-dependent processes? Ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and cancer in Panama. International Journal of Medical Sciences. 2007;4:53-58. Accessed May 12, 2011.
2. Giscard d’Estaing, Valérie, Associate Editor. The Book of Inventions and Discoveries. London: MacDonald Queen Anne Press, 1990.
3. Ireland, Kenneth. Who Invented, Discovered, Made the First..?. London: Ravette Books, 1988.
Note: This piece was originally published in Decoded Science, May 13, 2011. / Tel
(c) May 2011. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Aztecs, who ruled Mexico until the 1500s, were drinking chocolate. They made a spicy drink called xocoatl from cacao beans or seeds, which translates to “warm and bitter liquid” or “bitter water.” Then xocoatl became xocolatl in the Nahuatl dialects of Mexico. In effect, xocolatl is the link to the modern word, chocolate.
How was Xocolatl Discovered?
Cacao Beans
In 1502, the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus met some Aztec people in the West Indies. They gave him cacao beans as payment for trading goods. Columbus didn’t like the spicy drink they made from the beans, and didn’t realize how important cacao beans would become.
In 1519, another Spanish explorer, Hernán Cortés, met Moctezuma, an Aztec emperor who loved xocolatl. Cortés realized how valuable the beans were and brought the drink back to Spain.
The Beginning of Hot Chocolate
In the 1500s and 1600s, cacao and sugar were very expensive, and only the rich could afford to drink chocolate. For instance, in France, only members of the royal court were permitted to drink hot chocolate.
From Hot Chocolate to Candy Bars
What Americans generally call “candy bars” is referred to as “chocolate bars” in British and Commonwealth countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. These are bars of solid chocolate that were first developed in the late 1700s.In France and Italy a small scale production began after the Spaniards returned from South America with the recipe. At that time, the drink was prepared from roasted crushed cocoa beans.
From Cailler (1819) to Lindt (1879), significant names in the development of chocolate are worth mentioning:
- 1819 François-Louis Cailler, a 23 year-old Swiss who made the first bars of chocolate at Vevey.
- 1826 Fry’s of England, were producing “chocolate lozenges” for medicinal purposes.
- 1842 John Cadbury (founder of Cadbury and father of George Cadbury), of Birmingham, started to sell “French eating chocolate.”
- 1853 Fry’s introduced their chocolate cream stick.
- 1866 The first box of chocolates was made by Cadbury’s
- 1973 First milk chocolate was manufactured by Daniet Peter, Cailler’s son-in-law.
- 1879 Rodolphe Lindt, a Swiss confectioner invented a machine that produced cacao seed paste into smooth, creamy chocolate bars. He also built a factory in Berne.
At the beginning, Lindt’s blocks of chocolate were hard with a bitter after-taste, and the chocolate remained heavy and thick despite being heated up. The machine he invented kneaded the chocolate, and Lindt also started the significant addition of cocoa butter. The chocolate that everybody loves today was born. In 1880, Rodolphe Lindt patented his invention.
And for Mozart lovers like me, there's Mozartkugeln! Or a local favourite, Australia's Haigh's dark marzipan bars!
Welcome news to “chocaholics” everywhere is a scientific finding in recent years that a small amount of chocolate is actually good for you. In particular the dark chocolate, which contains chemical compounds called flavanols, that are important for healthy blood vessels. According to the International Journal of Medical Sciences, findings from scientists suggest that flavanols offer benefits to brain blood flow and improve cognitive health.
One final note: the scientific name of the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao, “theobroma” meaning food of the gods – a most appropriate description, as any lover of chocolate will agree.
Resources:
1. Bayard V, Chamorro F, Motta J, Hollenberg NK. Does flavanol intake influence mortality from nitric oxide-dependent processes? Ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and cancer in Panama. International Journal of Medical Sciences. 2007;4:53-58. Accessed May 12, 2011.
2. Giscard d’Estaing, Valérie, Associate Editor. The Book of Inventions and Discoveries. London: MacDonald Queen Anne Press, 1990.
3. Ireland, Kenneth. Who Invented, Discovered, Made the First..?. London: Ravette Books, 1988.
Note: This piece was originally published in Decoded Science, May 13, 2011. / Tel
(c) May 2011. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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