After Columbus returned triumphantly from America, he presented a batch of rare treasures to the king of Spain. Among these rare treasures are some dark brown cocoa beans shaped like almonds. This is the first time that the courts of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella have seen cocoa beans-raw materials for making chocolate and cocoa powder.
The king and queen never dreamed that cocoa beans were so important, so the business opportunities provided by the New World were left to the great Spanish explorer hernando? Kutz.
History of chocolate
Tianshende gourmet
In the process of conquering Mexico, Kutz discovered that the Astek Indians made chocolate from cocoa beans, which was the royal drink of their kingdom, meaning hot drink. In 15 19, Emperor Montezuma entertained his Spanish guests with chocolate bottles. These drinks are packed in golden wine glasses, as if they were used to worship God. It is said that the emperor drinks 50 or more chocolates every day. Despite its royal style, chocolate in Montezuma is very bitter, which is not to Spanish taste. In order to make this mixed drink more suitable for Europeans, Kutz and his compatriots came up with the idea of sweetening it with sucrose.
When they brought chocolate back to Spain, the idea of sweetening was affirmed. After adding several newly discovered spices such as cinnamon and vanillin, this beverage has undergone several changes. Finally, some people think that this drink will taste better when heated.
This new drink quickly won praise among Spanish nobles. Spain wisely began to grow cocoa in its overseas colonies, which gave birth to a profitable business. Surprisingly, the Spanish have successfully concealed cocoa technology from other European countries for nearly a hundred years.
Chocolate spread to Europe.
The Spanish monk entrusted with processing cocoa beans finally let the cat out of the bag. Soon, chocolate won applause from all over Europe as a delicious and healthy food. It was once superior to the fashionable French court drink. Chocolate drinks soon spread to Britain through the English Channel. 1657, the first batch of famous English chocolate houses appeared. The method of manual production in small workshops gave way to the mass production of chocolate in time. The improved steam engine accelerated the production reform. This engine has mechanized the cocoa grinding process. By 1730, the price of chocolate had dropped from more than $3 per pound to an affordable price for all. 1828, the invention of cocoa press further reduced the price of chocolate, and improved the quality of beverage by squeezing out part of cocoa butter (the fat naturally formed in cocoa beans). Since then, the chocolate you drink has a smoother viscosity and a pleasant smell today.
/kloc-in the 0/9th century, the history of chocolate had a revolutionary development. 1847, a British company introduced solid chocolate by developing soft candy chocolate. This is a kind of velvet-smooth chocolate, which almost completely replaces the coarse chocolate that once dominated the world market.
Chocolate spread to America.
In the United States, chocolate production is developing faster than anywhere else in the world. In New England before the revolution-to be exact, 1765-the first chocolate factory in China was established. Chocolate has also been brought into space as part of the food for American astronauts. (Chocolate Information Center Network)
An anecdote about chocolate
Chocolate: a noble legacy
Before the fruit of cocoa tree was introduced to Europe, Olmec Indians in South and Central America ate it for a long time. The Olmec Indians first used the word cocoa. Maya Indians further planted cocoa trees in agriculture and produced the first cocoa drink. The Aztecs believed that their Quetzalcoaths gave cocoa beans to humans. The Aztecs believed in cocoa beans, which were used in religious ceremonies and as gifts from gods. But it is an indispensable part of Aztecs' daily life, and it is used as currency. But only nobles and warriors can eat it.
Chocolate eaten for the first time by human beings is a spicy and bitter drink. The ancient Aztecs baked cocoa beans and ground them into powder. After mixing them with water and corn flour, they add pepper and blow it into bubbles. This drink is called chocolate.
Mon, ruler of the Aztecs.
Question 2: Where did chocolate originally come from? From 400 BC to AD 100, Maya chocolate was considered as the earliest chocolate drink. Later, the Aztecs inherited the worship of cocoa and called it a "paradise tree"; The Aztecs mixed pepper, clove and cinnamon into dried, roasted and ground cocoa particles, and then added corn flour as the basic emulsifying component to absorb cocoa butter to make chocolate drinks, which they called "the delicacy of the gods" and "liquid gold". 15 19, Spanish Hernan? Cortes landed in Aztec territory and was worshipped as Quetzalcoatl, enjoying this special drink. Cortes brought cocoa seeds and production tools back to Spain. From16th century to17th century, chocolate drinks gradually spread in European countries, becoming the drinks of aristocrats and upper class. At that time, Belgium and Switzerland became famous chocolate centers; 1874, British Foley Company made the first piece of edible chocolate by mixing cocoa powder with refined cocoa butter and sugar.
Question 3: Which country did milk chocolate first come from? 1876, Daniel Peters of Switzerland discovered how to add milk powder to chocolate formula, and milk chocolate was born.
Question 4: Which country first invented chocolate? Which country did the Swiss invent the earliest formula of milk chocolate? Belgium and Britain are also major producers of milk chocolate.
Question 5: Where did chocolate first originate? The earliest chocolate originated from the ancient Indians in Mexico, and it is a kind of food containing cocoa powder. It tastes bitter and spicy. 1526, the Spanish explorer cortes brought it back to Spain and presented it to the king at that time, which made Europeans regard it as * * * and set off a frenzy. Later, around16th century, the Spanish made chocolate into a "dessert". They mixed cocoa powder and spices in sugarcane juice to make a sweet drink. In 1876, a Swiss named Peter was ingenious and added some milk to the above drinks, which completed the whole process of modern chocolate creation. Soon, people think that liquid chocolate will be dehydrated and concentrated into chocolate candy that is easy to carry and store. 1828, by the Netherlands? Van Houten thought of removing 2/3 of the fat to make it easy to drink cocoa. At the end of 19, Daniel of Switzerland? Peter, the invention of adding milk to chocolate tastes better. This is the embryonic form of chocolate today.
Question 6: When was chocolate first introduced to China? It was 59 years after Kangxi first came into contact with chocolate that chocolate was introduced to white people in North American states. At that time, it was widely regarded as a healthy drink. Speaking of it, Kangxi's imperial court was surprisingly advanced: they grasped the international trend faster than the United States.
This is not the plot in the travel notes: In May of the 45th year of Kangxi (1706), the famous western medicine chocolate was summoned by imperial edict and sent to the Qing Palace by Roman missionaries.
Question 7: Which country was chocolate first made? It was first made in Mexico. Chocolate is a kind of food for ancient Indians. At that time, it was brought back to Spain by the Spanish explorer Cortes and presented to the local king, which set off a frenzy. So it was not first made in Spain, but in Mexico.