I Remember When They First Invented Chocolate: The History of This Sweet Treat

We all know the story of how chocolate was first invented. Legend has it that an Aztec ruler, King Montezuma, drank from a cup made of cocoa beans and found himself in awe at the flavor. It wasn’t until centuries later that people started to use this sweet treat as a drink or food additive. I remember when they first invented chocolate is one of my favorite memories!

But is it true? We might never know for sure, but there are some interesting facts that give credence to the legend. For instance, cocoa beans have been found in Aztec tombs and also on a stone statue of King Montezuma himself! Plus, chocolate has always played an important role in Mexican culture since its introduction by Spanish conquistadors as early as 1519.

So where did they first invent this sweet treat you ask? This seems like a no-brainer: The word “chocolate” originated from Nahuatl cacti which means “beaten drink.” But does anyone really know what happened before the discovery of cocoa pods by Europeans centuries later was made during Columbus’ fourth voyage to the Americas?

The first real reference to “chocolate” as a drink comes from the diary of Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo. The Spanish chronicler wrote about Aztec Emperor Moctezuma drinking a cup made from cacao beans and honey, which was then flavored with pepper…kind of like hot chocolate today! While this could have been just another spicy beverage in their culture, there is evidence that it had gotten its name because cocoa seeds were used for currency among Mesoamericans so who knows if they may have actually invented one of the best-loved beverages on earth.

But can we really call something an invention until someone invents it for the first time? No matter how you’re counting, the first “real” chocolate drink that was made in Europe came from Italian explorer Pietro Della Valle. Traveling deep into South America, he wrote about tasting a hot cocoa drink and named it after its Aztec name of chocolate (pronounced SHAW-Koh-laht).

The rest is history. Chocolate became more popular and those who had it to trade were rich! The Europeans began grinding up cocoa beans with sugar to make an even richer version of this new candy treat they called “chocolate”; while Native Americans would mix their own spices like chili peppers or ground maize for flavor so there are many varieties around today. Of course, now we have all sorts of flavors, textures, and fillings.

The history of chocolate is rich and complex. As more people invented ways to make this delicious treat, the popularity continued to grow until it became a global phenomenon! It’s not hard to see why with all these amazing facts about cocoa beans, hot cocoa drink recipes you can create at home (with your own favorite flavors!), or even just some fun trivia on the subject – if you want to know where chocolate comes from or how many types there are out there, then read on!

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when chocolate was first invented, but it didn’t take long before people realized that this ancient drink recipe could be a sweet treat. It is believed there were two Aztec tribesmen who discovered cocoa beans and shared the news with Emperor Montezuma II. He soon became an avid fan of both drinking coca (a hot bitter beverage) and eating other items made from these newfound “chocolate” beans! The rest, as they say, is history.

One interesting fact about dark chocolate that many people might not know: you can actually feel your heart rate slow down just by looking at it because of how pure dark chocolate contains antioxidants that reduce stress hormones in your body!

As you can see, chocolate has been around since the beginning of time and continues to be a favorite. Read more about how this sweet treat became popular in donuts, cookies, and other delicious desserts here at Baked In Brownies!

A Brief History of Chocolate (from E-How)

Easter is just around the corner so we’ve decided it’s high time for an egg hunt. But what if you had your heart set on hunting eggs with chocolate? Easter wouldn’t be near as fun without candy-coated chocolates hiding among the colorful treats. It might surprise you that one of our most beloved foods was first created by accident more than 3000 years ago when Mesoamericans were making their traditional drink, chocolate.

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that grow in pods on the Theobroma cacao tree. They are roasted, cracked, and ground into a paste for use as an ingredient or base flavor in cooking and baking recipes. Brownies are just one of many chocolate-laced desserts first introduced to the U.S. when Christopher Columbus returned home with new foods he discovered during his voyage across what would later become known as North America thousands of years after Mesoamerican civilizations had established themselves there–including chiles, tomatoes, cornbreads, and hot peppers.