The history of chocolate. Where and when did chocolate appear? Who came up with it?

1. The history of chocolate, so familiar to us now, began a long time ago, more than 3000 years ago. Around 1500 BC, the Olmec civilization arose in the lowlands on the Gulf Coast of America. Their culture left us very little, but some linguists believe that the word "cocoa" was first pronounced "kakawa" around 1000 BC, at the height of the Olmec civilization. Later, the Olmecs were replaced by the Mayan civilization. Having descended from the plateaus, the Mayans discovered and began to cultivate the wild cocoa tree, and it was during that period that the modern pronunciation of the word “cocoa” most likely arose. By the 600s AD, the Mayans established the very first cocoa plantations known to us. The Mayans called the chocolate drink "xocolatl", and the Aztecs called it "cacahuatl"; In the Mexican Indian language, the word "chocolate" comes from a combination of the words "choco" ("foam") and "atl" ("water"). This may have been because early chocolate was known only as a drink. It is said that Christopher Columbus brought cocoa beans to King Ferdinand on his fourth expedition to the New World, but no one paid much attention to them due to the large number of other treasures Columbus brought back. In the next 100 years after Columbus, chocolate appeared in Europe. With the development of industry, chocolate became more accessible; various additives began to be added to it: milk, spices, various sweet substances, wine and even beer. Cocoa imported into Europe first ends up in monasteries and the King's Court, where it is very popular among the ladies of the court. From Spain, "xocolatl" penetrates Europe, quickly displacing Mexican spices made from cane sugar and vanilla. The government of the German Emperor Charles V, aware of the commercial importance of cocoa, demands a monopoly on this product. However, already in the 17th century, smuggling squads were actively importing it into the Netherlands. The first licenses for creating chocolate production were invented by the Italians. In England, "Chocolate Houses" are more visited than coffee and tea salons. In the 19th century, the first chocolate bars appeared, and Jean Neuhaus invented the first candy with praline filling.

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   Around 1500 BC, the Olmec civilization arose in the lowlands on the Gulf Coast of America. This culture gave us the name cocoa. It sounded like kakawa. Please note that over such a long time, only a few letters have changed in the name.

   The Olmecs were replaced by the Mayan civilization. It was the Mayans who initiated the cultivation of the cocoa tree. The Mayans consumed chocolate as a drink: roasted cocoa beans, which themselves have a bitter taste, were mixed with cold water, and then cloves or chili peppers were added to the mixture. And for a very long time, chocolate was exclusively a drink.

   However, there is an opinion that the drink of the gods was not invented by the Mayans, but by the Aztecs. For their emperor Montezuma, they prepared the drink xocolatl (bitter water). The highlight of the Aztec recipe was mashed milk corn kernels, honey, vanilla and sweet agave juice. The drink was considered sacred, only a select few could drink it: the fathers of the tribe, their associates, priests and the most worthy warriors.

   The Aztecs valued chocolate so much that they even used cocoa beans as money. You could buy a slave for a hundred, the same price for a freshly caught crab, and you could use the services of a woman of easy virtue for six cocoa grains.

   The first European to discover the nutritional and healing power of cocoa beans was Christopher Columbus. In 1502, he received them as a gift from the inhabitants of the island of Guanaja. But no one paid much attention to them due to the large number of other treasures brought by Columbus. There is a version that the traveler forgot some important part of the recipe, and the trick failed.

   In 1517, the Spaniard Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico. The Aztecs take him for the returning god Quetzalcoatl. That is why Montezuma presented Cortes with sacred beans as a gift. According to ancient legend, the god Quetzalcoatl planted the first garden of these trees so that people could prepare a drink that gave wisdom and strength. Cortez's plans also turned out to be grandiose: to conquer Mexico. And Cortez also determined for himself: the chocolatl would help him gain an excellent position in his homeland. And Cortez was not mistaken.

   Chocolate has become a real discovery for Spain. The Spaniards kept the recipe for the drink in the strictest confidence, and were in no hurry to distribute chocolate outside the country. In addition, the volume of supplies of cocoa beans did not allow this to be done.

   What the Spaniards did with cocoa beans is already closer to the chocolate that we know. Spanish chocolate included cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar, and, on the contrary, they tried to exclude pepper. In addition, the drink was now served hot. These changes turned out to be good for chocolate. But it turned out to be impossible to hide this amazing drink for a long time.

   In the next 100 years after Columbus, chocolate appeared in Europe. Costing 10-15 shillings per pound, chocolate was considered a drink for high society. This delicious exotic drink won the hearts of the Italian, Austrian and, finally, after the wedding of Anne of Austria and King Louis XIV, the German aristocracy.
   While chocolate remained bitter, it was looked upon more as a medicine than as a delicacy. It was often sold in pharmacies. Thus, Christopher Ludwig Hoffman recommended chocolate as a remedy against many diseases, citing the experience of treating Cardinal Richelieu.

   It took another two centuries for chocolate to acquire its modern form, taste and availability. All the most interesting and important things happened to him in the 19th century. First, a hydraulic press was invented, with the help of which it became possible to extract cocoa butter from cocoa beans, reducing the bitterness of chocolate. Then Englishman Joseph Fry cast the first chocolate bar from cocoa butter mixed with sugar. In 1876, the Swiss Daniel Peter added milk powder to cocoa mass and got milk chocolate. Milk chocolate was instantly dubbed Swiss, and now the homeland of Daniel Peter is no less proud of it than of cheeses, watches and jars.

3. it appeared in the 19th century
4. Chocolate is usually considered a treat for children. If we go back three thousand years, the popular belief would certainly be refuted. Chocolate has long been exclusively a drink. It was consumed by cold roasted cocoa beans, which themselves have a bitter taste, mixed with water, and then chili peppers were added to the mixture. The ancient Omelki civilization, which was the first to try the invented drink, gave it the name that is still used today. They're gov
   History of chocolate. Century VI.

   1528 - Regular imports of cocoa beans from Central America into Spain begin. Those close to the conquering conquistador Hernando Cortez established regular supplies of cocoa from the plantations of Mexico, which now belonged to the “entrepreneur” Cortez. Sailing ships with valuable cargo under military guard traveled for a long time across the Atlantic, exposed to the danger of attack by raiders from unfriendly countries and the hardships of bad ocean weather. No one suspected the existence of a particularly valuable cargo, and when in 1587 the British captured a Spanish ship loaded with beans, the booty was simply thrown into the sea to unload the ship, without even realizing its true value.

   1565 - The scientist-monk of Italian origin Benzoni, who, on behalf of the Spanish king, worked to improve the maintenance and supply of the Spanish army, for the first time seriously studied the beneficial properties of liquid chocolate and presented a detailed report to the king. From then on, everything related to chocolate became a state secret of the Spanish kingdom. In the Middle Ages, more than 80 people were executed for violating this secret.

   1590 - The king's most trusted people - Spanish Jesuit monks - were involved in chocolate. They were also not happy with the bitter taste of the drink. Gradually, through timid experiments, they began to add honey to the grated cocoa beans, removed chili pepper from the recipe, which also made chocolate cheaper - expensive pepper was no longer needed, and there was plenty of honey. Later, vanilla was added for a pleasant smell, and honey was replaced with sugar. For better solubility, the drink was heated and it turned out that it tastes better when hot.
   History of chocolate. Century VII.

   1606 - End of Spain's monopoly on the secret of making chocolate. First, the Italian Carletti brought the Aztec recipe from his trip to America, the Dutch stole or traded the recipe for the hot drink from the Spaniards, then chocolate appeared from the Dutch in Germany and Belgium. The daughter of the Spanish king, Anne of Austria, married the French king Louis XIII in 1616 and introduced her favorite drink to France. Soon the Swiss became involved in chocolate.

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5. The Indians came up with it. Only they have a cocoa tree.

The birthplace of chocolate is South America, where more than 3 thousand years ago it was consumed as a drink by the Indian tribes of the Aztecs and Mayans. In ancient times, they only knew how to prepare a drink from cocoa beans, to which hot pepper was added. Ground roasted cocoa was mixed with water and hot spices and whipped until a thick foam formed. Drink the drink cold, quenching thirst and lifting your spirits.

In Europe, chocolate was considered a “secret product” from the mid-16th century and was consumed only among the richest classes. The top-secret product was brought to Spain by the scientist-monk Benzonius, who revealed the secret of its benefits. Instead of being bitter and cold, the drink became warm and sweet thanks to the addition of exquisite ingredients and the use of a special recipe. For divulging the secrets of making liquid chocolate, one could pay with one's head. “The food of kings” was very expensive for three centuries, and only towards the end of the 19th century. sugar and cocoa became considerably cheaper, which provided confectioners with the opportunity to make a product from cocoa beans and other ingredients that resembled modern chocolate.

The history of modern chocolate

From those times to this day, the exquisite sweetness has taken pride of place as a favorite delicacy among children and women, most of whom do not even know when chocolate appeared. The modern history of this sweet begins in 1828, when a Dutch resident, Conrad van Huten, found an inexpensive way to make cocoa butter extract from grated cocoa. This discovery led to the production of solid chocolate, which eventually replaced the liquid European drink. The first chocolate bars were made in England at a confectionery factory back in 1847, where the product included cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa beans and liqueur.

Only 28 years after the appearance of dark chocolate, the Swiss Daniel Peter, after numerous experiments, discovered a recipe for milk chocolate by adding powdered milk to the recipe. In 1979, the production of this product began, which was supported by Henri Nestlé, who is known to this day. It was at this time that the technology of conching chocolate masses was mastered, with the help of which the resulting delicacy began to have a delicate “melting” taste and a uniform consistency.

Swiss confectioners have become trendsetters in the production of exquisite sweets, and for quite a long time they have been experimenting with the addition of various ingredients: nuts, dried fruits and spices.

The appearance of chocolate in Russia

Not all modern sweet tooths know where chocolate appeared, but despite this, they certainly associate its appearance with the reign of Empress Catherine II. At this time, the recipe for the delicacy was brought to the territory of the Russian Empire by the Latin American officer and ambassador Francisco de Miranda.

The first factories producing chocolate were built only in the mid-19th century in Moscow, under the control of the Frenchman Adolphe Sy and the German Ferdinand von Einem. Boxes with Einem sweets were decorated with velvet, silk and leather, and were also supplemented with surprises.

Domestic production of the sweet product began in the 50s of the 19th century, headed by Alexey Abrikosov, a self-taught marketer and talented merchant. His personal factory produced gourmet chocolates in collectible packaging with cards featuring portraits of famous artists. The manufacturer also came up with a chocolate treat for children, produced in wrappers with gnomes and ducks. “Crawfish tails”, “Crow’s feet” and “Duck noses”, chocolate bunnies and Santa Clauses are the signature creations of the most talented confectioner.

Since the 20th century, the Abrikosov factory has turned into an improved confectionery concern “Babaevsky”, which is still known today. The history of chocolate does not end there, as talented confectioners improve the recipe using the latest equipment and experimenting with ingredients. Thanks to the skill of the producers of the “royal delicacy”, everyone can please themselves with a piece of a simple and familiar sweet from childhood.

History of chocolate: from ancient civilizations to the present day. Legends of the Aztecs, the birth and flourishing of the chocolate industry in Europe, interesting facts from the history of chocolate.

The history of chocolate is inextricably linked with the emergence of the first civilizations. The oldest delicacy went from a bitter Aztec drink to a sweet European dessert, which in the 19th century took on its familiar solid state, and today is one of the most popular confectionery products in the world.

The Ancient History of Chocolate

The history of chocolate began more than 3 thousand years ago in the fertile lowlands of the Gulf of Mexico, where civilization arose. Very little evidence has been preserved about the life of this people, but scientists believe that it was in the Olmec language that the word “kakawa” first appeared. This is what the ancient Indians called a drink made from crushed cocoa beans diluted with cold water.

After the disappearance of the Olmec civilization, the Mayans settled in the territory of modern Mexico. They considered the cocoa tree to be a kind of deity, and its grains were attributed magical properties. The ancient Mexicans even had their own patron - the cocoa god, to whom the priests prayed in temples.

This is interesting! The Indians used cocoa beans as a bargaining chip: for 10 fruits of the cocoa tree you could buy a rabbit, and for 100 you could buy a slave.

The first cocoa plantations

Cocoa trees grew in abundance, so the Mayans did not cultivate them for a long time. True, a drink from their seeds was considered a luxury, available only to a select few - priests, tribal fathers and the most worthy warriors.

By the 6th century AD The Mayan civilization reached its peak. It’s hard to believe that this small nation managed to build entire cities, with pyramid castles, that were superior in architecture to the monuments of the Ancient World. At this time, the first cocoa plantations were established.

Ancient history of chocolate

By the 10th century AD Mayan culture declined. And two centuries later, a powerful Aztec empire was formed in Mexico. Of course, they did not ignore the cocoa plantations, and every year the cocoa trees produced larger and larger harvests.

At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, the Aztecs conquered the Xoconochco region, gaining access to the best cocoa plantations. According to legend, about 500 bags of cocoa beans were consumed in the Nezahualcoyotl palace per year, and the warehouse of the Aztec leader Montezuma accommodated tens of thousands of bags of cocoa.

Aztec Legends

The Legend of the Garden of Eden of the Wizard Quetzalcoatl

The history of the origin of chocolate is shrouded in many secrets and legends. The Aztecs believed that cocoa seeds came to them from paradise, and the fruits of the sacred tree were the food of the celestials, from which wisdom and strength emanated. They created many beautiful legends about the divine drink made from cocoa beans. One of them talks about the wizard Quetzalcoatl, who supposedly lived among these people and planted a garden of cocoa trees. The drink that people began to prepare from the fruits of the cocoa tree healed their souls and bodies. Quetzalcoatl was so proud of the results of his work that he was punished by the gods with deprivation of his reason. In a fit of madness, he destroyed his Garden of Eden. But one single tree survived, and has been giving people joy ever since.

The Legend of Montezuma's Favorite Drink

This legend says that the leader of the ancient Indians loved the drink made from the fruits of the cocoa tree so much that he drank 50 small cups of this delicacy every day. For Montezuma, chocolatl (from choco - “foam” and latl - “water”), as the ancient Indians called it, was prepared according to a special recipe: cocoa beans were fried, ground with grains of milk corn, sweet agave juice, honey and vanilla. Chocolatl was served in gold glasses decorated with precious stones.

Destruction of the Mayan civilization

The Indians believed in these legends so much that they mistook the calculating and bloodthirsty Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, who came to Tenochtitlan (the ancient capital of Mexico) in 1519, for the god Quetzalcoatl who had returned from heaven. He presented Cortes Montezuma with gold and other treasures. But the cruel Spaniard walked with bloody footprints across Mexican soil. The Spaniards plundered Montezuma's palace, and the Indian leaders were forced under torture to teach them the secrets of making a chocolate drink. After this, the insidious and cruel Cortes ordered the destruction of all the priests who knew this secret.

History of chocolate in the Middle Ages. Conquest of Europe

Spaniards' introduction to chocolate

Returning to Spain, Cortez went to the king, who had heard about the atrocities of the cruel conquistador. But Cortez managed to appease the monarch with a drink prepared from a strange overseas product. It must be said that the Spaniards changed the chocolate recipe that had existed for centuries: they began adding cinnamon, cane sugar and nutmeg to the too bitter Aztec chocolate. The Spaniards kept the recipe for making a chocolate drink a closely guarded secret for more than half a century, not wanting to share their discovery with anyone.

Italians' introduction to chocolate

Thanks to smugglers, the Netherlands learned about chocolate. And the Florentine traveler Francesco Carletti told the Italians about the drink made from cocoa beans, who were the first to invent licenses for creating chocolate production. The country was gripped by a real chocolate mania: chocolaterias, as chocolate cafes were called in Italy, opened one after another in different cities. The Italians did not zealously guard the recipe for this exquisite delicacy. From them Austria, Germany and Switzerland learned about chocolate.

Introducing the French to chocolate. History of chocolate in France

It should be noted that a great contribution to the spread of noble sweets in Europe was made by the Spanish princess, who became the wife of the French king Louis XIII. The Queen introduced cocoa beans to Paris, where she brought a box of fruits from the cocoa tree at the beginning of the 17th century. After chocolate was approved by the French royal court, it quickly conquered all of Europe. True, the aromatic drink, although it was more popular than coffee and tea, remained so expensive that only the rich could afford this rare pleasure.

In medieval Europe, a cup of hot chocolate for dessert was considered a sign of good taste. Among the chocolate fans was Louis XIV's wife, Marie Teresa, as well as Louis XV's favorites, Madame du Barry and Madame Pompadour.

In 1671, the Duke of Plessis-Pralines created the sweet dessert “praline” - grated nuts with lumps of chocolate and candied honey. And in the middle of the 18th century, every Frenchman could enjoy his favorite drink: chocolate confectioneries opened one after another in the country. In Paris by 1798 there were about 500 such establishments. “Chocolate Houses” were very popular in England, so much so that they eclipsed coffee and tea salons.

Interesting facts from the history of chocolate!

Men's drink

For a long time, bitter and strong chocolate was considered a man's drink, until it acquired the lightness it lacked: in 1700, the British added milk to chocolate.

Beautiful "Chocolate Girl"

Swiss artist Jean Etienne Lyotard, inspired by the divine drink, painted his most famous painting in the mid-40s of the 17th century, “The Chocolate Lady,” which depicts a maid carrying hot chocolate on a tray.

Queen's Chocolatier

In 1770, Louis XVI married the Austrian Archduchess Marie Antoinette. She came to France not alone, but with her personal “chocolatier”. So a new position appeared at court - the queen's chocolatier. The master came up with new varieties of this noble delicacy: chocolate with orange blossoms to calm the nerves, with orchids for vigor, with almond milk for good digestion.

Ancient medicine

In the Middle Ages, chocolate was used as medicine. A clear confirmation of this is the experience of treatment of Cardinal Richelieu by the famous healer of that time, Christopher Ludwig Hoffman. And in Belgium, the first chocolate producers were pharmacists.

Modern history of chocolate

Until the beginning of the 19th century, chocolate existed only as a drink, until the Swiss chocolatier Francois-Louis Caillet came up with a recipe that made it possible to turn cocoa beans into a solid, oily mass. A year later, a chocolate factory was built near the town of Vevey, and after it, chocolate production enterprises began to open in other European countries.

First chocolate bar

The turning point in the history of chocolate was 1828, when the Dutchman Conrad van Houten managed to obtain cocoa butter in its pure form, thanks to which the royal delicacy acquired its familiar solid form.

In the mid-19th century, the first chocolate bar appeared, which consisted of cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter and liqueur. It was created by the English company J.S. Fry & Sons, which built the first mechanized chocolate factory in Bristol in 1728. Two years later, a similar product was launched on the market by the Cadbury Brothers company, which in 1919 absorbed the creator of the first chocolate bar.

The rise of the chocolate industry

The mid-19th century was marked by the heyday of the chocolate industry. The first chocolate kings appeared and tirelessly improved the recipe for solid chocolate and the technology for its preparation. The German Alfred Ritter replaced the rectangular shape of the tile with a square one. Swiss Theodor Tobler invented the famous triangular chocolate bar "". And his compatriot Charles-Amédé Kohler invented chocolate with nuts.

Making white and milk chocolate

The turning point in the history of noble sweets was 1875, when the Swiss Daniel Peter created milk chocolate. His compatriot, Henri Nestlé, began producing milk chocolate using this recipe under the Nestlé brand at the beginning of the 20th century. Serious competition came from Cadbury in England, Kanebo in Belgium and the American Milton Hershey, who founded a whole town in Pennsylvania where they did nothing but make chocolate. Today, the city of Hershey is a real museum, reminiscent of the scenery of the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

In 1930, Nestlé began producing white chocolate. A year later, the American company M&M’s launched a similar product.

It is not known for certain when Imperial Petersburg learned about chocolate. Historians do not name the exact date. What is known is that during the reign of Empress Catherine II, the recipe for this wonderful delicacy was brought to Russia by the Latin American ambassador and officer Francisco de Miranda.

In the mid-19th century, the first chocolate factories appeared in Moscow, however, they were controlled by foreigners: the Frenchman Adolphe Siu, the creator of A. Sioux and Co. and the German Ferdinand von Einem, owner of Einem (today Red October). Boxes with Einem candies were decorated with velvet, leather and silk, and sets with surprises included notes of specially written melodies.

The first to establish domestic chocolate production was Alexey Abrikosov, a talented merchant and self-taught marketer. His factory, created in the 50s of the 19th century, produced chocolate in exquisite collectible packaging: on the cards that were placed inside there were portraits of famous artists. Abrikosov also came up with baby wrappers with ducks and gnomes. The famous caramel “Crow's feet”, “Crawfish necks” and “Duck noses”, everyone’s favorite chocolate Santa Clauses and hares - all these are signature creations of the talented confectioner. In the 20th century, Abrikosov’s brainchild turned into the Babaevsky confectionery concern.

Today, this royal delicacy with a centuries-old history is available to everyone and is probably the most attractive sweet in the world. The story of chocolate does not end there. Talented confectioners tirelessly improve their skills in order to give us every day a piece of such simple happiness, familiar from childhood.

The history of the origin of chocolate today is not a mystery: there is a lot of documented evidence proving exactly where this delicacy spread throughout the world and how it came to our country. The history of white chocolate is not as long as the history of dark chocolate made from cocoa powder, and its benefits are much less, but this does not make white bars any less popular.

The history of the origin of cocoa and the creation of chocolate

Where and when did chocolate appear, and how did it get to Russia? What is known about the history of chocolate for children and where are the best chocolate products made? You will learn about all this and much more in this material.

Both coffee and cocoa were once exclusively wild. Man noticed them in ancient, completely pre-literate times, so now these stories are actually legends or assumptions based on the same legends. However, in more recent times, the spread of coffee and cocoa across different countries is recorded in various documents, and even the names of people who contributed to introducing their compatriots to new products are known.

The history of the origin of chocolate began with the appearance of cocoa on earth. Uncultivated cocoa grew and grows in a warm climate, at approximately 40 degrees north and south latitude. This is the coast of Mexico, Central and South America. Now there are cocoa plantations in Africa and on some Asian islands, but also at the same latitude. This is the so-called “chocolate belt”.

Cocoa is a tree up to 12 m high that blooms and bears fruit all year round. Accordingly, the harvest on plantations is harvested manually, choosing ripe fruits. True, now there are also machines for harvesting cocoa, but manual collection is still considered the best. Ripe fruits come in a variety of colors: burgundy, orange, dark green, depending on the variety, reach 30 cm in length and weigh up to 500 grams. There are up to 50 beans inside the fruit. To get 1 kg of chocolate, you need approximately 900 beans, and for 1 kg of cocoa liquor - approximately 1200 cocoa beans.

The best varieties of cocoa are obtained by removing the fruits by hand, leaving them to ferment, and drying them in the sun. But you can’t feed the whole world this way.

In the old days, the Indians did not roast cocoa beans, but only ground them and brewed them with low boiling water.

Now the fruits are kept in air for 2 days to a week (primary fermentation), crushed, then placed under a press and squeezed out. It is an important ingredient for making chocolate, as well as for perfumery as a base for cosmetic ointments and for pharmacology. The dry residue after pressing is ground and used in the form of cocoa powder to prepare cocoa drink, as well as in food production. The bean husks are crushed and used as livestock feed (called cocoa shells).

For the first time, man began to specifically cultivate cocoa in what is now Peru. Archaeologists have dug up vessels with traces of theobromine inside, which means cocoa was stored there. Thus, it is believed that it has been used since the 18th century BC. However, then they did not use cocoa beans, but the sweet pulp of the fruit, from which a kind of mash is still prepared in tropical countries today.

From the history of the origin of chocolate it is known that the first who began to regularly consume it in the form of a bitter, intoxicating drink were the Aztec and Mayan tribes. When did such chocolate appear in liquid form? This happened, according to historians, between 400 BC. e. and 100 AD e. The Mayans considered cocoa sacred and used it in ceremonies dedicated to the gods and in wedding ceremonies. Since the 14th century, the Aztecs revered cocoa as a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl. They also used cocoa beans as an equivalent of money. The Aztecs also prepared a drink from cocoa, but it tasted completely different from what we drink now. It was not sweet, but with added spices. It consisted of water, cocoa, maize, vanilla, hot pepper and salt, and only noble people could drink it.

The history of hot chocolate

From South America, chocolate came to Europe, where, also in the form of a drink, but with sugar, chocolate gained popularity in high society. This path was long and branchy, overgrown with many myths and legends. But if we talk briefly, the history of the emergence of chocolate in the Old World began only after the conquest of America. Cortez's men found cocoa beans in the treasury of Montezuma II, the last leader of the Aztecs, which were collected from the population as taxes. Then the Spaniards learned about the fruits and drink from the Aztecs, and already in the middle of the 16th century this information found its way into books about the New World.

Of the Europeans, Christopher Columbus was the first to try chocolate in 1502 and even brought the beans home. But then they did not pay any attention to them, because Columbus himself did not like chocolate. The second attempt to accustom Europeans to cocoa was successful - the conquistadors of General Hernan Cortez tried it in 1519, brought the miracle beans to Europe and introduced a never-before-seen drink at the Spanish court. He liked cocoa, and the enterprising conqueror of the New World organized trade in it from his plantation in America.

The history of hot chocolate says that at first, a very expensive product was inaccessible to most, but over time, many townspeople began to be able to afford to buy, if not the cocoa beans themselves, then the waste from their production, from which they made a drink called cocoa, similar to cocoa, but more liquid. But the cocoa drink itself became increasingly popular. Over the decades, its composition has also changed. Quite quickly, Europeans abandoned the use of pepper and strong spices, began to add more sugar or honey, and used vanilla for flavor. In relatively cold Europe, cocoa began to be heated, which also influenced the taste preferences of the Spaniards, Italians and French. Chocolate came to the territory of the German states from Italy, and since 1621, Spain’s monopoly on this product ceased to apply altogether - cocoa beans appeared on the wholesale markets of Holland and throughout the continent. Cocoa was sold at retail in pressed slabs, from which the merchant broke off a piece of the required weight. From the history of hot chocolate and
It is known that it was prepared in a very simple way: cocoa was heated in a special vessel, sugar and water were added to it and poured into cups. At the beginning of the 18th century in Great Britain they tried using milk instead of water and got a softer and tastier drink than the one prepared with water. Following the example of the British, other countries began to use milk in the preparation of cocoa, and this soon became commonplace.

Already in the 17th century, plantations of cocoa trees began to appear in the New World, on which African slaves worked. At first, the main centers of production were Ecuador and Venezuela, then Belem and Salvador in Brazil. Nowadays, cocoa is grown in almost all subequatorial countries lying between 20° north and south latitude (where the climate is warm and humid). Subequatorial Africa produces 69% of the world's cocoa bean crop. The largest producer is Côte d'Ivoire (about 30% of the annual harvest). Other exporters: Indonesia, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Malaysia and Colombia.

Until the 19th century, cocoa beans were used only to make a drink, grinding them and brewing them. And the drink made from cocoa powder was cheaper than the previous one made from cocoa beans, and from that time on, cocoa began to spread throughout all segments of the population.

In the middle of the 16th century, cocoa began to be transported to Europe, but due to the long and dangerous journey, it was very expensive and was available only to the courtiers in Madrid. It was still drunk without sugar, but with spices - vanilla and cinnamon. It was only in the next century that sugar began to be added to cocoa, and after that the drink became much more popular. For example, at the court of the French king Louis XIV, hot cocoa (liquid chocolate) was considered a love potion.

It is interesting that the Indian name of the tree - cocoa, the fruits of which were used by people, took root in the New World as the name of the drink. It is strange that other products made from cocoa beans received a different name - chocolate, although among the Indians a thick cold drink made from cocoa with vanilla and spices was called a similar-sounding word “chocolatl” or “xocoatl”, which translated as “foamy water”. This drink was drunk primarily by the highest nobility, clergy and traders, and cocoa itself played an important role in the cultural and religious life of the Indian society of the Mayans and Aztecs. Many religious ceremonies of these peoples are associated with the consumption of cocoa.

Chocolate (both solid and liquid) is constantly credited with some special properties: magical, mystical, healing... For example, in Latin cocoa trees are called Theobroma Cacao, which means “food of the gods.” In Greek, theos means "god" and broma means "food."

The history of the appearance of hard bitter, milk and white chocolate

When did the first solid chocolate appear, and to whom does the world owe this invention? As for the history of the creation of such chocolate, it dates back to 1828, when the Dutch chemist Conrad van Houten came up with the idea of ​​adding cocoa butter to cocoa powder. And twenty years later in Germany they created the classic recipe for solid chocolate, which is used to this day. Cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla are added to the grated cocoa. The degree of bitterness of the chocolate depends on the amount of cocoa butter added. When adding 30% cocoa butter, milk chocolate bars are made, and with higher numbers, dark chocolate bars are made. With the increasing demand for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, many manufacturers indicate the percentage of its content on the packaging.

It is believed that in 1847 the first chocolate bar appeared at the English confectionery factory J. S. Fry & Sons. The history of milk chocolate began in 1875, when Daniel Peter from Vevey added powdered milk to the chocolate ingredients.

Nowadays, food chocolate is usually divided into white, milk and bitter. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, film powder and vanillin without adding cocoa powder, so it is creamy in color (white) and does not contain theobromine. Milk chocolate is made from cocoa mass, cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder. Black (bitter) chocolate is made from cocoa mass, powdered sugar and cocoa butter. By changing the ratio between powdered sugar and grated cocoa, you can change the taste characteristics of the resulting chocolate - from bitter to sweet. The more grated cocoa in chocolate, the more bitter the taste and the brighter the aroma of the chocolate.

Interesting fact from the history of chocolate: In honor of the holy month of Ramadan, a chocolate mosque three meters wide and five meters high was built in Indonesia! Construction took two weeks. Everyone who came to see this miracle could not only admire it, but also try a piece.

The history of the appearance of chocolate in Russia

The history of chocolate in Russia began with Empress Catherine the Great. They say that this delicacy was presented to the court of Her Imperial Majesty in 1786 by the Venezuelan Ambassador, Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda. For some time, chocolate, and we mean drink, was drunk exclusively among the nobility and merchants. The main reason for this is the high price of the product delivered from overseas, and even through European ports. The situation began to change by the middle of the 19th century, when in 1850 the German Theodor Ferdinand Einem came to Russia to do business and opened a small chocolate production in Moscow, which became the basis of a large production, now known under the Red October brand. Einem chocolate was famous not only for its excellent quality and excellent taste, but also for its expensive and elegant packaging. The sweets were placed in silk or velvet cells, the boxes were trimmed with genuine leather with gold embossing. T.F. Einem came up with the idea of ​​selling sets of chocolates with surprise gifts inside. Usually these were notes of small musical
special compositions – songs or simply greeting cards. In St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod and other large cities of the Russian Empire, in the second half of the 19th century, cafes and restaurants opened where one could drink hot cocoa or enjoy home-made chocolate. Gradually, ordinary people are accustomed to drinking cocoa at home, buying cocoa powder in confectionery stores, and for people with low incomes they offered cocoa shells - waste from the production of cocoa beans. The drink made from cocoa shells bore the same name and differed from real cocoa in its liquid consistency and less pronounced taste. For a long time, cocoa shell was very popular, but as incomes grew, it was replaced by cocoa powder made from cocoa beans.

History of the development of Russian chocolate production

From the history of Russian chocolate it is known that in our country one of the first famous chocolate magnates was the industrialist Alexey Ivanovich Abrikosov, who produced such famous candies as “Crow's Feet”, “Crawfish Tails” and “Duck Noses”.

The owners of the Partnership A.I. Abrikosov's sons" were the first in Russia to come up with the idea of ​​covering dried fruits with glaze - this is how prunes and dried apricots in chocolate appeared, which had previously been imported to us from France. In 1900, the chocolate enrobing process at the Abrikosov factory became automated, and a year earlier the Partnership received the high title of “supplier to the court of His Imperial Majesty.” In 1918, all “sweet” production of Apricots was nationalized. The Abrikosovs also packaged their products in expensive and memorable packaging. The box of chocolate included cards and labels dedicated to artists, scientists, musicians and writers, and the chocolate kings were oriented mainly towards children, which is why they called the candies names close to children’s hearts, where paws and beaks are present.

In the last century, the domestic industry produced a lot of dark and milk chocolate, chocolates and chocolate-glazed products. Historically, most of the products consumed in Russia are milk chocolate; to a lesser extent, we eat dark chocolate. But this is due to the fact that the German Eichen brought milk chocolate from Germany, and his company quickly accustomed our ancestors to chocolate with a lower cocoa content. Of course, Russia also loved dark chocolate, but consumed it in smaller quantities. The start of the mass history of modern chocolate production was given by the Moscow confectionery factory “Red October” and the factory named after N.K. Krupskaya, located in St. Petersburg. The latter even had its regular admirers - chocolate lovers were looking for its products.

Interesting history of chocolate for children

The history of chocolate development has not stood still. The invention of milk bars led to the fact that from that time on this delicacy became increasingly associated with children. The history of chocolate for children shows that at first it was a purely marketing ploy: manufacturers, advertising their products, appealed to parents' feelings, forcing them to buy chocolate for their children. And when doctors proved that chocolate was not only tasty, but also healthy, the developers began to think about the need to create specialized children's chocolate. Varieties of chocolate intended for children contain a reduced amount of cocoa products and an increased amount of milk and sugar.

Thus, Michele Ferrero (inventor of the favorite children's treat - “Kinder Surprise”), who did not like milk since childhood, developed a variety of chocolate “Kinder” containing 42% of this product. Chocolate for children is produced not only in the form of bars, but also in the form of bars and all kinds of figures (animals, fish, cones). It should be remembered that even children's varieties of chocolate should not be given to children under three years of age: it is harmful to their pancreas and liver. After three years, children can already be given 2-3 slices of chocolate. Small portions of chocolate are extremely beneficial for the child’s body due to the presence of antioxidants, theobromine, unique amino acids and tryptophan, vitamins and microelements. All these substances are vital for every baby. There is not a single company that does not produce products intended for children. The famous company Nestlé, which is at the origins of the creation of milk chocolate, has developed a whole line of Nesquik products, including children's breakfasts, nutritious cocoa and chocolate for children.

Russian chocolates for children are represented by the varieties “Alenka” (milk), “Mishka” (with almonds), and “Chaika” (with roasted hazelnuts). White chocolate for children of the Khreshchatyk and Detsky brands is made without cocoa powder and contains only milk powder, sugar and cocoa butter. Brands of children's chocolate without additives - “Circus”, “Dorozhny”, “Vanilla”. The content of cocoa powder in it is no more than 35%.

Here you can see photos from the history of chocolate from time immemorial to the present day:

The history of sweets began at least 4 thousand years ago with Egyptian desserts described in papyri that have reached us. It has been established that candied fruits were sold in markets in 1566 BC. The history of chocolate began when the ancient Mayan and Aztec tribes discovered the wonderful properties of cocoa. Having appeared in the Amazon or Orinoco Valley, chocolate remained unknown in the Old World for a long time.

In 600 BC. The Mayans migrated to the northern part of South America and established the first cocoa plantations in the territory of modern Yucatan. There is a version that the Mayans were familiar with cocoa several centuries earlier, using wild cocoa beans for counting and as cash equivalent. It is unknown who exactly invented the first chocolate. Both the Mayans and the Aztecs made the drink xocoatl from cocoa beans. According to Aztec legend, cocoa seeds came to earth from paradise, so it gives strength and wisdom to everyone who eats its fruits.

The Aztecs believed that the god Quetzalcoatl, who arrived on earth on the ray of the morning star, brought the cocoa tree as a gift to people and taught them to fry and grind its fruits and prepare a nutritious paste from which they could make the drink chocolatl (bitter water). To change the taste of the bitter drink, the Aztecs added pepper and other spices to it. The modern word "chocolate" is thus derived from the May word "xocoatl" (cocoa) and the Aztec "chocolatl". In the language of modern Mexican Indians, the word “chocolatl” has been preserved, meaning foam with water.

The history of chocolate goes back many centuries, when chocolate existed only in liquid form. This drink was part of magical rituals and marriage ceremonies. Some ancient Mexican tribes believed that chocolate was patronized by the food goddess Tonacatecuhtli and the water goddess Calciuhutluk. Every year they made human sacrifices to the goddesses, feeding the victim cocoa before death.

The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who was involved in the classification of plants, changed the ancient name of cocoa to “theobroma”, which is translated from Greek as “food of the gods”. It is believed that the first person to bring cocoa to Europe was Columbus. From his fourth trip to the New World, he brought cocoa beans as a gift to King Ferdinand, but compared to other treasures, the “food of the gods” was not given due importance.

The first European to taste the original chocolate was Cortez, who visited Emperor Montezuma in Mexico. Montezuma drank nothing but cold chocolate with vanilla and other spices. Montezuma's custom of drinking a cup of chocolate before entering his harem led European doctors to believe that chocolate was a powerful aphrodisiac. In 1528, Cortez presented cocoa beans to King Charles V. It turned out that Spanish monks began making chocolate according to an Indian recipe and kept it secret for almost 100 years. When chocolate became known outside the walls of the monasteries, Spain began to grow cocoa trees in its many colonies and made huge profits from the sale of chocolate.

The Italian traveler Antonio Carletti brought cocoa beans to Italy in 1606. In 1615, Spanish Princess Maria Teresa gave chocolate to her fiancé Louis XIV. When Spain lost its power and monopoly on chocolate, it began to be made throughout Europe - in France, Italy, Germany and England.

The first cafe that served chocolate was opened in London in 1657. Chocolate was a drink for the rich and cost up to 15 shillings per pound. Like the Mayans, the fruits of the cocoa tree became currency in some countries. In Nicaragua you could buy a rabbit for 10 cocoa beans and a good slave for 100. Leading doctors of the 17th and 18th centuries. prescribed chocolate to their rich patients as a general tonic and a cure for many diseases. Chocolate was usually prescribed to children and men, adding milk, wine, spices, and even beer to the drink.

In 1674, soft chocolate appeared in the form of bars and rolls. The first chocolate bar was made by Fry & Sons under the brand Chocolat Delicieux a Manger. The first milk chocolate appeared in Switzerland, after which the Swiss company Nestle gained popularity. In 1879, Rudolf Lindt from Bern produced chocolate that melted in the mouth. He invented conching, a method of slowly heating chocolate, and began adding more cocoa butter to his products. The first chocolate with filling appeared in 1913.

In the middle of the 18th century. chocolate became cheaper and more accessible to all segments of the population thanks to the expansion of plantations and the mechanization of production. The invention of the cocoa butter press in 1828 improved the quality of chocolate and made it even more affordable. During the Industrial Revolution, industrial production of chocolate began. In 1765, chocolate arrived in North America.

Isaac Disraeli wrote about chocolate: “The Spaniards brought chocolate from Mexico, where it was a rough mixture of ground cocoa beans, Indian corn and spices. The Spaniards liked the nutritional value of chocolate and enhanced the drink with sugar and flavorings.”

According to the Nestle company, chocolate owes its popularity to four events: the production of cocoa powder in 1828, the reduction of excise taxes, the improvement of transportation and the invention of solid chocolate. Arthur Knapp, a researcher of the history of chocolate, notes the particular importance of the invention of the press for squeezing cocoa beans.

In the 19th century, Venezuela was the leader in the production of cocoa beans; now half of the cocoa is grown in Brazil and Côte d’Ivoire. The United States is now considered the leader in chocolate production; In terms of chocolate consumption per capita, Switzerland is in first place. The world eats 600,000 tons of chocolate every year. Chocolate production is one of the most profitable branches of the food industry.

In 1980, the world was shocked by the story of industrial espionage. An apprentice of the Swiss company Suchard-Tobler unsuccessfully tried to sell the chocolate recipe to manufacturers from Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

Chocolate is one of the few products that has undergone a transformation from a bitter drink of the Indians to an exquisite dessert of the nobility and a product of mass consumption, produced in a wide range. In addition to taste and commercial value, chocolate has the property of uplifting and giving strength.

Olga Borodina