The Sweet Story of Chocolate

Written by: Paige Leal

A chocolate bar is a favorite all around the world. Before the candy bar even existed, it had started as a bitter drink. Cacao seeds were used as currency and symbols. Chocolate had changed over thousands of years from a bitter taste to its sweet and creamy treat we know it as today.

Ancient beginnings of Chocolate 

It is believed by archaeologists that the earliest people to have used cacao was the Mayo-Chinchipe people, living around 3,300 B.C. Cacao was turned into a drink by the Olmecs, who lived in Mexico. This tradition was carried on by the Mayans and Aztecs, who also used cacao in a spiritual manner, during events such as rituals. Mayans whipped cacao and created frothy drinks. 

Chocolate in Europe 

Spanish explorers arrived in the Americas and discovered the spiced and bitter cacao drinks. They were intrigued by it and brought cacao beans back with them to Europe. While in Europe, people played around with ingredients and added sugar, cinnamon and milk giving chocolate a different flavor. 

In 1847 a British company, J.S Fry and Sons of England created the first known chocolate bar using cocoa butter to solidify the liquid chocolate and make it easier to eat. Chocolate became a sweet luxury that royalty and the wealthy enjoyed.  Companies like Cadbury and later on Hershey's had brought chocolate to become easier accessible, as it has been a rare treat.

Innovations by Chocolate 

Then in the later 1800’s, different brands started to make their own chocolate bars using new techniques such as conching. Conching was a game-changer in making chocolate. Conching is a process where chocolate is stirred for hours to create its silky and creamy taste. Some people say it as the “melt-in-your-mouth” kind of chocolate. This invention gave us the chocolate textures we love today.

Chocolate for Everyone

Chocolate today is sold all around the world with hundreds of styles of chocolates and also ways to serve chocolate. Chocolate can be found as bars, in desserts like cakes, and so many more forms. Chocolate is enjoyed as dark, which is a more rich, bitter flavor that is more classic because it uses more cocoa. Milk chocolate is a sweeter and creamier taste made sweeter because of the milk. White chocolate isn’t made with actual pieces of cocoa but uses cocoa butter, making it taste more smooth and sweet. These are just the most popular types of chocolate but all around the world people have taken their own spins on it, adding different fillings like caramel, or dubai chocolate with pistachio.