History of Chocolate

2000 - 500 BC the Olmecs 3 - 4 thousand years ago were the first known to use cacao which grew wild in Central America - followed by other Central American (Mesoamerican) peoples like the Maya and then the Aztecs from the 10th century AD to the 1520s. At this time and for many years afterwards chocolate was purely a drink.

Even as far apart in time as they were, what they all had in common was that they all knew that a cup of 'XOCO - ATL' (BITTER WATER) was great for FATIGUE AND it was supposed to stimulate BRAIN power. Chocolate was always drunk, and not eaten until relatively recently in the middle of the last century. Beans were also used as money - making it even more valuable. 100 beans could buy a slave; 4 beans a rabbit etc. Who says that 'money doesn't grow on trees'?!

1502 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS landed on the island of Guanaja off coast of Honduras, on his 4th and final voyage to 'discover India'.

1519 is probably the most crucial moment in the history of chocolate when HERNAN CORTES - Spanish explorer and one of Columbus' ambassadors met Montezuma in Tenochtitlan the capital of. Montezuma was the flamboyant Aztec Emperor. His name has become immortalised for the vast quantities of foaming 'xoco latl' he used to drink before visiting his harem of wives - this started the legend of chocolate and sex! Chocolate was Montezuma's Viagra!

Montezuma was convinced that the fair skinned bearded man, Cortes, was their god and savour Quetzalcoatl returning from the wilderness. Cortes was showered with gifts - including cocoa.
This misjudgement was Montezuma's downfall. His own people turned against him and he was killed. Cortes and the Spanish went on to destroy most of the Aztec nation. Mexico City was born.

1527 CORTES took COCOA 'home' to the SPANISH COURT. The Spanish kept it secret for over a century - taxing it so highly that, like the ancient Mexicans, only the rich could afford it.

1615 Chocolate crossed to the French court through the marriage of Anne of Austria, daughter of Philip 11 of Spain, to Louis X111.

Based on its perceived medicinal properties the use of chocolate - still as a drink - is spread by the MISSIONARIES ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND BACK AT HOME ACROSS EUROPE.

1650 (approx) CHOCOLATE CAME TO ENGLAND and the Chocolate Houses of London were born and provide a focus for broadcasting the news of the drink. Its still taxed so highly that, like Mexico and Europe, it was exclusive to the rich.

For the next 200 years, chocolate was mostly drink for its physical and mood enhancing qualities. Consequently it became one of the most important medicines in the apothecaries’ medicine chest. This is the foundation for the great interest taken by the Quakers. Quakers were regularly to be found as apothecaries, partly because many of the other trades, universities (such as they were) and military activities were prohibited to them on moral and religious grounds.

Chocolate starts to appear as eating chocolate in the form of pastilles / bars. It was during the 18/19th century that chocolate began its long, slow journey from a gritty, fatty drink into the refined product we know today.

EARLY 18TH CENTURY : Walter Churchman and company - later to become the great JS Fry - invented a water powered engine to mill chocolate.

1778 First hydraulic machine invented in France by a man called Doret.

1824 Quaker John Cadbury opened his shop in Birmingham.

DURING THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY IN HOLLAND, VAN HOUTEN CREATED THE WORLD FIRST CHOCOLATE PRESS which separated the cocoa butter from the cocoa powder. Shortly afterward Van Houten developed the ALKALISATION OF COCOA with the addition of potash - still known today as 'Dutching'.

In the 1847 grandson of the Joseph Fry invented a way of mixing cocoa butter with cocoa paste to produce the world first chocolate bar.

The three great Quakers of the time, GEORGE CADBURY, JOSEPH ROWNTREE AND JOSEPH STORRS FRY created an immensely wealthy industry producing cocoa and chocolate (to drink) as an alternative to the demon alcohol (and gin in particular). They made an enormous contribution to the quality of chocolate and cocoa - cutting out adulteration which was rife in Victorian times, at the same time revolutionising working conditions - not only of their own factories but also within the community. Bournville was created by Cadburys as a utopia for its chocolate factory workers. Likewise, Rowntree and Fry also felt it essential to reward their workers with the best possible living and working conditions. That way, not only did they fulfil their true philanthropic ethos, but this was also good for business! They were indeed, significant social benefactors.

Swiss RODOLPHE LINDT discovered conching - by accident when assistant left the machine on all night!

1875 another Swiss DANIEL PETER discovered a way of mixing milk with chocolate to create THE FIRST MILK CHOCOLATE using condensed milk manufactured by his friend Henri Nestlé.

1905 CDM - Cadbury Dairy Milk was launched.

1909 - After six years of intensive but unsuccessful negotiations with the Portuguese Government which had been prompted by the alarming news which ‘dribbled’ though some twenty years earlier that the sources of their cocoa beans were slave-driven, British Quaker Chocolate companies, led by Cadbury, persuade the chocolate makers of Europe to boycott cocoa from enslaved plantations in Portuguese West Africa.

Twentieth century chocolate comes of age. We now eat on average just under 7 oz per person per week. The confectionery industry is worth over £5 billion in UK alone of which chocolate is £3½ billion.

The EIGHTIES AND NINETIES has seen a breathtaking revival of fine quality chocolate from chocolate houses like Cacao Barry now Barry Callebaut, Valrhona, l'Opera, El Rey, Amedei, Lindt, and - even in the States, not renowned for its fine chocolate - there are a few entrepreneurs endeavouring the raise the profile of good chocolate – in particular Scharffenberger