History Behind Chocolate’s Mystery

Historically speaking, how did we get from a food product used as currency, medicine and in religious ceremonies in early Mesoamerica to the delicious candy characterized by the ubiquitous Hershey Kiss?

Favored by Aztec and Mayan royalty, this “food of the gods” was first consumed as an unsweetened drink made with water, spices and chiles. From baptism to burial, it played a role in the lives of these civilizations.

Chocolate made its culinary way to Europe via Spanish explorers in the 16th Century, where it became a well-kept secret among the royal court for about 100 years before its use spread through the rest of Europe. The aristocracy often added seasonings such as cinnamon, anise, black pepper, sesame seeds and almonds, and to blunt the bitterness, sugar. Eventually, chocolate confections were born. The Industrial Revolution of the 1800s transformed chocolate from a handmade luxury to an affordable candy product for the masses, leading to the introduction of the Hershey Kiss in 1907. With modern incarnations turning to some of the original Mayan and Aztec flavorings, chocolate may be coming full circle.

Source:
Chicago Tribune, The Food We Hold Sacred