The Maya tribe called chocolate “xocoatl”. Probably, this is where the modern name comes from. The Maya used beans as money.
According to the famous Cortés, one glass of cocoa was enough to quench a soldier’s thirst for an entire day. The Indians had already learned to make the first chocolate.
The Toltecs, conquered by the Aztecs in 1325, had known chocolate for at least 1000 years.
The famous Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus introduced Europe to a tree called “Theobroma cacao”, which translates to Drink of the Gods in Russian.
The first Europeans to discover chocolate were the Spaniards and the Portuguese, and for an entire century they were monopolists in its production and consumption. In the 17th century, chocolate appeared at the court of Louis XIV, where court ladies drank it during receptions. Richelieu and many famous French aristocrats loved chocolate. It was from French palaces and castles that chocolate began its triumphant spread across the world.
The history of chocolate is as fascinating as the taste sensations from trying chocolate at factories and in famous Parisian chocolate cafes, renowned for their history, their recipes, and chocolate fountains…
The history of Paris and France intricately intertwines with the history of chocolate. Both are exquisite and appetizing!
