Once Upon a Time - History of Chocolate | Taste The Planet (Tasty Planet)

 

Once Upon a Time... is no ordinary chocolate. Wrapped in parchment-like paper with golden cursive script and sealed with a wax-like stamp, each bar feels like a treasure from a forgotten fairy tale.

The chocolate itself is a rich, velvety 70% dark blend, laced with hints of wild forest berries and a whisper of lavender, as if kissed by an enchanted glade. Inside, there’s a delicate swirl of honeycomb toffee and crushed roasted almonds, giving it a magical crunch that tells its own tale with every bite.

As you break off a square, you’ll see tiny embossed scenes — a castle, a dragon, a carriage — etched into each piece, inviting you to savor not just the flavor, but the fantasy.

The taste lingers like a good ending: deep, complex, and just a little mysterious...

 

🍫 The History of Chocolate: From Sacred Drink to Sweet Delight

~1900 BCE – The Origins in Mesoamerica

• The earliest evidence of cacao use comes from the Olmecs, one of the first major civilizations in present-day southern Mexico.

• They likely consumed cacao as a bitter drink, used in rituals and medicine.

~250–900 CE – The Maya Civilization

• The Maya revered cacao. They roasted and ground cacao beans into a paste, mixed it with water, chili, and spices to make xocolatl, a frothy, bitter drink.

• Cacao was often consumed by nobility and priests during sacred ceremonies.

• It was so important that Mayan art often depicted gods and kings interacting with cacao.

A Mayan lord sits before an individual with a container of frothed chocolate.

 

~1200–1500 CE – The Aztecs

• The Aztecs believed cacao was a gift from Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom.

• They used cacao beans as currency, and consumed the drink cold, sometimes with vanilla and chili.

• Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor, reportedly drank cacao 50 times a day for strength and virility.

1500s – Chocolate Arrives in Europe

• In 1528, Hernán Cortés brought cacao to Spain after conquering the Aztecs.

• Europeans initially disliked the bitterness, but eventually sweetened the drink with sugar, cinnamon, and milk.

• It became a luxury item for the European elite.

1700s–1800s – Industrialization and Innovation

• Cacao became widely available across Europe.

• In 1828, Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten invented the cocoa press, which separated cocoa butter from cocoa powder, making chocolate cheaper and smoother.

• In 1847, Joseph Fry created the first solid chocolate bar.

• By 1875, Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter, with the help of Henri Nestlé, invented milk chocolate.

1900s – Mass Production and Global Popularity

• Brands like Cadbury, Hershey’s, and Nestlé popularized chocolate worldwide.

• Chocolate became a staple in wartime rations and a symbol of love, celebration, and comfort.

Today – A Global, Evolving Industry

• Chocolate is now a $100+ billion global industry.

• There's growing awareness of ethical sourcing, fair trade, and the sustainability of cacao farming.

• Artisanal, bean-to-bar, and single-origin chocolates are experiencing a renaissance.

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Fun Fact:

The word "chocolate" comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word "xocolatl," meaning bitter water.