The Story of Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the best-loved foods everywhere in the world. It is one of life's little pleasures. The attractive tastes and textures of chocolate and chocolate products delight the senses of all ages.

The story of chocolate began in the New World with the Mayans, who drank a dark brew called cacahuaquchtl. Later, the Aztecs consumed chacahoua and used the cocoa bean for currency. In 1523, they offered cocoa beans to Cortez, who introduced chocolate to the Old World, where it swiftly became a favorite food among the people.

From the beginning, turning raw, bitter cocoa beans into what one 17th century writer called "the only true food of the gods" has been a fine art; a delicate mixture of alchemy and science that creates an almost otherworldly flavor.