In 1500s Veracruz coast on the Gulf of Mexico was the party place to be. Back to those times crowds of Aztecs were raving all night, feasting, dancing and drinking chocolate infused with cinnamon, anise, pepper and orange blossom. Later in the history it would be known as The Best Party Ever Ruined. Legend has it that the warrior Montezuma consumed fifty chalices of the drinking chocolate before visiting his harem of numerous wives. Another benefit of real dark chocolate.
Drinking chocolate though was popularised by Mayans long before it was accommodated by Aztecs. Very often it was mixed with achiote that made drinker’s lips blood-red. But event before Mayans cacao was widely consumed by a group of fishers and farmers who lived in what is now Mexico’s Chiapas state between 1900 and 1500 B.C.
More than three thousand years after this, Christopher Columbus loaded his ships with cacao somewhere near the cost of Honduras. But like everything new it took time and some sugar to kick off the world’s love affair with what we know as the chocolate.
By the 1700s all European hipsters were flocking to cafes to sip chocolate. French chocolate makers made it thick and luxurious, while Italians preferred thinner option with citrus infusion.
Here comes Industrial Revolution. In 1800s names that are well-know now popped our of nowhere. Coenraad van Houten invented a process to make poor-quality cacao more eadable, Henri Nestle invented milk powder and milk chocolate and Rodolphe Lindt invented a machine that agitates chocolate to refine its flavour and texture. The rest belong to history.
But history is cyclic. While mass market producers like Van Houten, Nestle or Lindt are continuing to deteriorate quality of chocolate facing profit-demanding pressure from their shareholders, the whole new formations of boutique bean-to-bar chocolate makers from around the world appeared on chocolate scene. Like in 1700s the real chocolate becomes part of people’s lifestyle. It is a new cool to enjoy couple of squares of good artisanal chocolate from France, Switzerland or even Iceland melting it with a cup of aromatic Arabica.
And it is always great to have such places as Hello Chocolate store which make the process even more enjoyable. So what are you waiting for? Order your chocolate now.
…and don't forget to share your passion. Create your own chocolate gifts box here and send it to day. We are offering same day delivery around Singapore.