Post by Margarete on Jan 12, 2007 17:47:53 GMT -5
Since some of our folks, me included, are inordinately fond of chocolate, I decided to do a bit of research on it.
Essentially, what I found is that Spain had a very important position in the growth and spread of chocolate in the world.
However, it wasn't until 1847 that a process for making a chocolate "bar" or candy was discovered. Prior to that, chocolate was a beverage, and was made into cake and rolls, anything that could use powdered chocolate.
So, while we can't have chocolate candy, know that the beverage and cakes and rolls were the drink, and food, of kings. quite literallly.
From the Field Museum Web Page
The tasty secret of the cacao (kah KOW) tree was discovered 2,000 years
ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. The pods of this tree
contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how
chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet
encompasses many cultures and continents.
The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures
of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and
Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a
spicy, frothy drink.
Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home to Spain,
where new recipes were created. Eventually, and the drink’s popularity
spread throughout Europe. Since then, new technologies and innovations
have changed the texture and taste of chocolate, but it still remains
one of the world’s favorite flavors.
Select which part of chocolate’s long history you’d like to explore
first:
Introduction: Chocolate’s History at a Glance
For a quick introduction to the life and times of chocolate, check out
this brief summary spanning the centuries and civilizations conquered
by cacao.
Chocolate: A Mesoamerican Luxury
Unearth the ancient history of chocolate’s origins as a bitter but
beloved beverage in Mesoamerican culture. You’ll discover chocolate’s
significance in Maya and Aztec religious ceremonies and learn about the
important role it played in social circles.
Chocolate: A European Sweet
Explore the cultural exchange of chocolate as it crossed the ocean and
traveled to Europe after the Spanish conquest of Mexico. You’ll learn
how France, England, and other countries also made their mark on
chocolate’s history.
Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection
Investigate the effects that new technological innovations of the
Industrial Revolution had on chocolate. You’ll find out how it evolved
from the sweet drink of kings into its current chocolate bar form loved
by so many people today.
Chocolate: A European Sweet
Until the 1500s, no one in Europe knew anything at all about the
delicious drink that would later become a huge hit worldwide. Spain’s
search for a route to riches led its explorers to the Americas and
introduced them to chocolate’s delicious flavor.
Eventually, the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs made it possible to
import chocolate back home, where it quickly became a court favorite.
And within 100 years, the love of chocolate spread throughout the rest
of Europe.
Take a more detailed look below at the different ways Spain and the
rest of Europe obtained, made, and used cacao.
SPANISH Conquest
Although it's likely that other early explorers encountered cacao in
the Americas, it wasn’t until Hernán Cortés conquered Mexico in 1521
that the Spanish began to learn about the delicious flavor of
chocolate.
Contact between Spaniards and Aztecs opened a gateway for the exchange
of ideas and technology—and a new European market for foods like cacao.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1521—1600
Obtaining Cacao—
The SPANISH DEMANDED it from CONQUERED PEOPLES
The Spanish carried cacao home with them.
In 1521, Cortés led his forces against Montezuma’s warriors and
defeated them in battle. The Spanish soldiers demanded that Aztec
nobles hand over their treasures or be killed.
Cacao, a treasured treat and a form of Aztec money, became one of the
spoils of war. Spanish soldiers claimed the Aztec’s supply of cacao and
began to demand it from the same peoples from whom the Aztecs had
demanded tribute. Before long, cacao and chocolate made their way to
Spain.
Indigenous peoples provided labor for landowners in the Americas.
In Spain, people couldn’t get enough of this new drink, which had never
been tasted before outside the Americas. Keeping up with the demand for
chocolate required the labor of millions of people to tend, harvest,
and process both sugar and cacao.
From the early 1600s until the late 1800s, enslaved people provided
most of this labor—the most inexpensive way for plantation owners to
produce large quantities. The first people enslaved for the sake of
chocolate were Mesoamericans.
Making Chocolate—
The SPANISH DRANK chocolate with CINNAMON and SUGAR and blended it with
a MOLINILLO
The Spanish didn’t like the bitter flavor of chocolate.
At first, Cortés and his men weren’t thrilled by chocolate’s taste. To
spice up the brew a bit, they began heating the beverage and adding a
variety of ingredients.
Once the drink migrated to Europe, someone eventually got the idea to
add sugar, cinnamon, and other spices to the mix—and sweet, hot
chocolate was born.
The Spanish introduced a new tool to chocolate making.
Spain didn’t really change the way raw cacao was prepared and processed
into chocolate. The native peoples still did all the work of harvesting
the pods and fermenting, drying, cleaning, and roasting the seeds.
However, the Spanish did bring one new tool to the trade—the molinillo
(moh lin EE oh). A wood stirring stick, the molinillo made the job of
whipping chocolate into a smooth foam much easier.
Using Chocolate—
Only WEALTHY SPANIARDS and CHURCH OFFICIALS could afford to drink
chocolate
Spanish priests introduced the Spanish court to chocolate.
Legend has it that, in 1544, a group of Dominican friars took a
delegation of native peoples to visit Prince Philip in Spain. These
captives gave his majesty his first taste of chocolate, which quickly
became the fashionable trend in the Spanish court.
Because of its early colonization of the Americas, Spain held a
monopoly on chocolate for many years. Only the wealthiest and most
well-connected Spanish nobility could afford this expensive import.
The Spanish Catholic Church drank chocolate for energy.
The Spanish recognized chocolate’s restorative and nutritional
properties immediately. (Cacao is naturally high in calories and
contains caffeine and a similar chemical called theobromine.)
As a result, during the 16th century, chocolate became known as a
clerical fasting beverage. After much debate, the Catholic Church
allowed people to drink liquid chocolate as a nutritional substitute
during fasting periods (when solid foods are taboo).
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
A EUROPEAN Obsession
Nearly 100 years passed before other European countries caught the
chocolate craze. Were the Spaniards trying to keep chocolate to
themselves? And how did news of chocolate spread? We’re not sure.
Eventually someone let the secret slip, and chocolate became the latest
and greatest fad to hit the royal courts of Europe—a trend that lasted
until the Industrial Revolution made chocolate available to a much
broader public.
Obtaining Cacao—
EUROPEANS GREW it on PLANTATIONS
Many countries established cacao-growing colonies.
The English, Dutch, and French also colonized cacao-growing lands near
the equator. The British planted trees in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The Dutch
established plantations in Venezuela, Java, and Sumatra. And the French
focused on the West Indies.
Soon, these countries were shipping cacao back home to keep Europe well
stocked with chocolate.
Plantations struggled with labor issues.
Many of the products coming out of the Americas at this time were
labor-intensive crops. Colonial landowners needed a large workforce to
meet European demand for sugar as well as indigo (dye), tobacco,
cotton, and cacao itself.
After so many Mesoamericans died from European diseases, growers needed
a new labor force. European colonial landowners turned to Africa to
supply them with the necessary labor. For over two centuries, a
combination of millions of wage laborers and enslaved peoples were used
to create a large workforce.
Making Chocolate—
EUROPEANS ground cacao using MILLS and some DRANK their chocolate with
MILK
Chocolate mills helped Europeans grind large amounts of cacao.
Like the Spanish, most other Europeans had their plantation workers
harvest, ferment, and dry the seeds for overseas shipping. Once they
arrived in European ports, these seeds would have to be ground by hand.
But eventually, to produce larger amounts of chocolate more quickly,
people began grinding their cacao using wind-driven or horse-drawn
mills.
Europeans drank their chocolate with sugar and milk.
As with the Spanish, most Europeans liked their chocolate sweetened
with sugar, another expensive and exotic import from faraway
plantations.
And in the late 1600s, Sir Hans Sloane, president of the Royal College
of Physicians, introduced another culinary custom: mixing the already
popular chocolate drink with milk for a lighter, smoother flavor.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
Using Chocolate—
Only the EUROPEAN ELITE could afford to drink chocolate
In France, chocolate was a state monopoly.
According to legend, the French court’s love of chocolate was sealed
when its new, self-confessed chocoholic queen, Anne of Austria
(daughter of King Philip III of Spain), married Louis XIII in 1615.
Chocolate became an instant status symbol, and by decree, no one but
members of the French aristocracy were allowed to drink it.
In England, anyone with money could drink chocolate.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. Like coffee shops,
which became popular much later, chocolate houses were places to enjoy
a hot drink, discuss politics, socialize, and gamble.
Many chocolate houses admitted only men. Others were open to anyone who
could afford the entrance fee.
Wealthy Europeans used special dishes for drinking chocolate.
Europeans preferred to drink their chocolate from ornate dishes made
out of precious materials and crafted by artisans.
Like the elaborate ceramic vessels of ancient Maya and Aztec rulers,
these dishes were more than serving pieces. They were also symbols of
wealth.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
Using Chocolate—
Only the EUROPEAN ELITE could afford to drink chocolate
In France, chocolate was a state monopoly.
According to legend, the French court’s love of chocolate was sealed
when its new, self-confessed chocoholic queen, Anne of Austria
(daughter of King Philip III of Spain), married Louis XIII in 1615.
Chocolate became an instant status symbol, and by decree, no one but
members of the French aristocracy were allowed to drink it.
In England, anyone with money could drink chocolate.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. Like coffee shops,
which became popular much later, chocolate houses were places to enjoy
a hot drink, discuss politics, socialize, and gamble.
Many chocolate houses admitted only men. Others were open to anyone who
could afford the entrance fee.
Wealthy Europeans used special dishes for drinking chocolate.
Europeans preferred to drink their chocolate from ornate dishes made
out of precious materials and crafted by artisans.
Like the elaborate ceramic vessels of ancient Maya and Aztec rulers,
these dishes were more than serving pieces. They were also symbols of
wealth.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
Using Chocolate—
Only the EUROPEAN ELITE could afford to drink chocolate
In France, chocolate was a state monopoly.
According to legend, the French court’s love of chocolate was sealed
when its new, self-confessed chocoholic queen, Anne of Austria
(daughter of King Philip III of Spain), married Louis XIII in 1615.
Chocolate became an instant status symbol, and by decree, no one but
members of the French aristocracy were allowed to drink it.
In England, anyone with money could drink chocolate.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. Like coffee shops,
which became popular much later, chocolate houses were places to enjoy
a hot drink, discuss politics, socialize, and gamble.
Many chocolate houses admitted only men. Others were open to anyone who
could afford the entrance fee.
Wealthy Europeans used special dishes for drinking chocolate.
Europeans preferred to drink their chocolate from ornate dishes made
out of precious materials and crafted by artisans.
Like the elaborate ceramic vessels of ancient Maya and Aztec rulers,
these dishes were more than serving pieces. They were also symbols of
wealth.
Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection
For hundreds of years, the chocolate-making process remained relatively
unaltered. But by the mid 1700s, the blossoming Industrial Revolution
saw the emergence of innovations that changed the future of chocolate.
A steady stream of new inventions and advertising helped set the stage
for solid chocolate candy to become the globally favored sweet it is
today.
Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection
For hundreds of years, the chocolate-making process remained relatively
unaltered. But by the mid 1700s, the blossoming Industrial Revolution
saw the emergence of innovations that changed the future of chocolate.
A steady stream of new inventions and advertising helped set the stage
for solid chocolate candy to become the globally favored sweet it is
today.
Obtaining Cacao—
EUROPEANS and AMERICANS PURCHASED cacao and sugar from PLANTATIONS
Hardships continued long after slavery’s end.
For more than two centuries, enslaved people had labored to produce
crops in lands colonized by European nations. Although slavery was
abolished in all countries by 1888, the need for labor to meet the
demand for products like sugar and cacao continued.
In some tropical countries, harsh labor conditions prevailed long after
the end of slavery.
Some activists in the world of chocolate worked to improve conditions.
In 1910, William Cadbury (the famous chocolate manufacturer) invited
several English and American chocolate companies to join him in
refusing to buy cacao from plantations characterized by harsh working
conditions until things improved.
That same year, a United States Congressional hearing resulted in a
formal U.S. ban on any cocoa shown to be the product of slave labor
from these plantations.
Making Chocolate—
EUROPEANS and AMERICANS used MACHINERY to process cacao into SOLID
CHOCOLATE CANDY
Machines made chocolate a mass-produced treat.
In the early 1700's, a Frenchman named Doret invented a hydraulic
machine to grind cacao seeds into a paste. Not long afterward, another
Frenchman by the name of Dubuisson, created the steam-driven chocolate
mill.
These mechanical mills relieved people from the labor-intensive process
of grinding cacao. It became possible to grind huge amounts of cacao
and mass-produce chocolate inexpensively and quickly.
New innovations improved chocolate’s texture and taste.
Before the Industrial Revolution, chocolate was a gritty, rather oily
paste usually dissolved in water or milk and made into a beverage. But
the invention of new machines made it possible to create smoother,
creamier chocolate in the form of an edible candy bar.
One of the most important inventions was the cocoa press, created in
1828 by the Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten. It squeezed out cocoa
butter (leaving the powder we call cocoa) and made cocoa both more
consistent and cheaper to produce.
New ingredients also improved chocolate’s texture and taste.
In 1815, Van Houten added alkaline salts to powdered chocolate, which
helped it to mix better with water and gave it a darker color and
milder flavor.
And in 1875, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé teamed up to introduce
condensed milk to chocolate. Their smooth, creamy “milk chocolate”
rapidly became a popular favorite.
Using Chocolate—
In EUROPE and AMERICA, eventually solid chocolate for EATING became
affordable to a MASS MARKET
Expensive handmade chocolate gave way to affordable mass-produced
sweets.
For hundreds of years, chocolate remained a pricey luxury for the upper
classes. But new technologies made chocolate affordable to a much
broader segment of society and opened up opportunities for culinary
experimentation.
Chocolate began to appear not only in its candy bar form, but also
became much more popular as an ingredient in other confectionery
sweets, such as cakes, pastries, and sorbets.
Advertising boosted public consumption of chocolate.
While inventions made chocolate easier to produce, advertising made it
something people craved.
As chocolate products became cheaper to make and buy, advertisers
introduced marketing campaigns aimed at more people, particularly women
and children.
Breakfast chocolate became a part of many people’s diets. And nibbling
on chocolate bars was encouraged as a way to sustain energy, cure
lethargy, and improve a host of other medical conditions.
From Kara CHocolate's web site
The 19th Century marked two more revolutionary developments in the
history of chocolate. In 1847, an English company introduced solid
"eating chocolate" through the development of fondant chocolate, a
smooth and velvety variety that has almost completely replaced the old
coarse grained chocolate which formerly dominated the world market. The
second development occurred in 1876 in Vevey, Switzerland, when Daniel
Peter devised a way of adding milk to the chocolate, creating the
product we enjoy today known as milk chocolate.
inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blchocolate.htm
1674 - Eating solid chocolate was introduced in the form of chocolate
rolls and cakes, served in chocolate emporiums.
1847 - Joseph Fry & Son discovered a way to mix some of the cocoa
butter back into the "Dutched" chocolate, and added sugar, creating a
paste that could be molded. The result was the first modern chocolate bar.
1849 - Joseph Fry & Son and Cadbury Brothers displayed chocolates for eating at an exhibition in Bingley Hall, Birmingham, England.
Margarete
Essentially, what I found is that Spain had a very important position in the growth and spread of chocolate in the world.
However, it wasn't until 1847 that a process for making a chocolate "bar" or candy was discovered. Prior to that, chocolate was a beverage, and was made into cake and rolls, anything that could use powdered chocolate.
So, while we can't have chocolate candy, know that the beverage and cakes and rolls were the drink, and food, of kings. quite literallly.
From the Field Museum Web Page
The tasty secret of the cacao (kah KOW) tree was discovered 2,000 years
ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. The pods of this tree
contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how
chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet
encompasses many cultures and continents.
The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures
of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and
Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a
spicy, frothy drink.
Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home to Spain,
where new recipes were created. Eventually, and the drink’s popularity
spread throughout Europe. Since then, new technologies and innovations
have changed the texture and taste of chocolate, but it still remains
one of the world’s favorite flavors.
Select which part of chocolate’s long history you’d like to explore
first:
Introduction: Chocolate’s History at a Glance
For a quick introduction to the life and times of chocolate, check out
this brief summary spanning the centuries and civilizations conquered
by cacao.
Chocolate: A Mesoamerican Luxury
Unearth the ancient history of chocolate’s origins as a bitter but
beloved beverage in Mesoamerican culture. You’ll discover chocolate’s
significance in Maya and Aztec religious ceremonies and learn about the
important role it played in social circles.
Chocolate: A European Sweet
Explore the cultural exchange of chocolate as it crossed the ocean and
traveled to Europe after the Spanish conquest of Mexico. You’ll learn
how France, England, and other countries also made their mark on
chocolate’s history.
Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection
Investigate the effects that new technological innovations of the
Industrial Revolution had on chocolate. You’ll find out how it evolved
from the sweet drink of kings into its current chocolate bar form loved
by so many people today.
Chocolate: A European Sweet
Until the 1500s, no one in Europe knew anything at all about the
delicious drink that would later become a huge hit worldwide. Spain’s
search for a route to riches led its explorers to the Americas and
introduced them to chocolate’s delicious flavor.
Eventually, the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs made it possible to
import chocolate back home, where it quickly became a court favorite.
And within 100 years, the love of chocolate spread throughout the rest
of Europe.
Take a more detailed look below at the different ways Spain and the
rest of Europe obtained, made, and used cacao.
SPANISH Conquest
Although it's likely that other early explorers encountered cacao in
the Americas, it wasn’t until Hernán Cortés conquered Mexico in 1521
that the Spanish began to learn about the delicious flavor of
chocolate.
Contact between Spaniards and Aztecs opened a gateway for the exchange
of ideas and technology—and a new European market for foods like cacao.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1521—1600
Obtaining Cacao—
The SPANISH DEMANDED it from CONQUERED PEOPLES
The Spanish carried cacao home with them.
In 1521, Cortés led his forces against Montezuma’s warriors and
defeated them in battle. The Spanish soldiers demanded that Aztec
nobles hand over their treasures or be killed.
Cacao, a treasured treat and a form of Aztec money, became one of the
spoils of war. Spanish soldiers claimed the Aztec’s supply of cacao and
began to demand it from the same peoples from whom the Aztecs had
demanded tribute. Before long, cacao and chocolate made their way to
Spain.
Indigenous peoples provided labor for landowners in the Americas.
In Spain, people couldn’t get enough of this new drink, which had never
been tasted before outside the Americas. Keeping up with the demand for
chocolate required the labor of millions of people to tend, harvest,
and process both sugar and cacao.
From the early 1600s until the late 1800s, enslaved people provided
most of this labor—the most inexpensive way for plantation owners to
produce large quantities. The first people enslaved for the sake of
chocolate were Mesoamericans.
Making Chocolate—
The SPANISH DRANK chocolate with CINNAMON and SUGAR and blended it with
a MOLINILLO
The Spanish didn’t like the bitter flavor of chocolate.
At first, Cortés and his men weren’t thrilled by chocolate’s taste. To
spice up the brew a bit, they began heating the beverage and adding a
variety of ingredients.
Once the drink migrated to Europe, someone eventually got the idea to
add sugar, cinnamon, and other spices to the mix—and sweet, hot
chocolate was born.
The Spanish introduced a new tool to chocolate making.
Spain didn’t really change the way raw cacao was prepared and processed
into chocolate. The native peoples still did all the work of harvesting
the pods and fermenting, drying, cleaning, and roasting the seeds.
However, the Spanish did bring one new tool to the trade—the molinillo
(moh lin EE oh). A wood stirring stick, the molinillo made the job of
whipping chocolate into a smooth foam much easier.
Using Chocolate—
Only WEALTHY SPANIARDS and CHURCH OFFICIALS could afford to drink
chocolate
Spanish priests introduced the Spanish court to chocolate.
Legend has it that, in 1544, a group of Dominican friars took a
delegation of native peoples to visit Prince Philip in Spain. These
captives gave his majesty his first taste of chocolate, which quickly
became the fashionable trend in the Spanish court.
Because of its early colonization of the Americas, Spain held a
monopoly on chocolate for many years. Only the wealthiest and most
well-connected Spanish nobility could afford this expensive import.
The Spanish Catholic Church drank chocolate for energy.
The Spanish recognized chocolate’s restorative and nutritional
properties immediately. (Cacao is naturally high in calories and
contains caffeine and a similar chemical called theobromine.)
As a result, during the 16th century, chocolate became known as a
clerical fasting beverage. After much debate, the Catholic Church
allowed people to drink liquid chocolate as a nutritional substitute
during fasting periods (when solid foods are taboo).
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
A EUROPEAN Obsession
Nearly 100 years passed before other European countries caught the
chocolate craze. Were the Spaniards trying to keep chocolate to
themselves? And how did news of chocolate spread? We’re not sure.
Eventually someone let the secret slip, and chocolate became the latest
and greatest fad to hit the royal courts of Europe—a trend that lasted
until the Industrial Revolution made chocolate available to a much
broader public.
Obtaining Cacao—
EUROPEANS GREW it on PLANTATIONS
Many countries established cacao-growing colonies.
The English, Dutch, and French also colonized cacao-growing lands near
the equator. The British planted trees in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The Dutch
established plantations in Venezuela, Java, and Sumatra. And the French
focused on the West Indies.
Soon, these countries were shipping cacao back home to keep Europe well
stocked with chocolate.
Plantations struggled with labor issues.
Many of the products coming out of the Americas at this time were
labor-intensive crops. Colonial landowners needed a large workforce to
meet European demand for sugar as well as indigo (dye), tobacco,
cotton, and cacao itself.
After so many Mesoamericans died from European diseases, growers needed
a new labor force. European colonial landowners turned to Africa to
supply them with the necessary labor. For over two centuries, a
combination of millions of wage laborers and enslaved peoples were used
to create a large workforce.
Making Chocolate—
EUROPEANS ground cacao using MILLS and some DRANK their chocolate with
MILK
Chocolate mills helped Europeans grind large amounts of cacao.
Like the Spanish, most other Europeans had their plantation workers
harvest, ferment, and dry the seeds for overseas shipping. Once they
arrived in European ports, these seeds would have to be ground by hand.
But eventually, to produce larger amounts of chocolate more quickly,
people began grinding their cacao using wind-driven or horse-drawn
mills.
Europeans drank their chocolate with sugar and milk.
As with the Spanish, most Europeans liked their chocolate sweetened
with sugar, another expensive and exotic import from faraway
plantations.
And in the late 1600s, Sir Hans Sloane, president of the Royal College
of Physicians, introduced another culinary custom: mixing the already
popular chocolate drink with milk for a lighter, smoother flavor.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
Using Chocolate—
Only the EUROPEAN ELITE could afford to drink chocolate
In France, chocolate was a state monopoly.
According to legend, the French court’s love of chocolate was sealed
when its new, self-confessed chocoholic queen, Anne of Austria
(daughter of King Philip III of Spain), married Louis XIII in 1615.
Chocolate became an instant status symbol, and by decree, no one but
members of the French aristocracy were allowed to drink it.
In England, anyone with money could drink chocolate.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. Like coffee shops,
which became popular much later, chocolate houses were places to enjoy
a hot drink, discuss politics, socialize, and gamble.
Many chocolate houses admitted only men. Others were open to anyone who
could afford the entrance fee.
Wealthy Europeans used special dishes for drinking chocolate.
Europeans preferred to drink their chocolate from ornate dishes made
out of precious materials and crafted by artisans.
Like the elaborate ceramic vessels of ancient Maya and Aztec rulers,
these dishes were more than serving pieces. They were also symbols of
wealth.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
Using Chocolate—
Only the EUROPEAN ELITE could afford to drink chocolate
In France, chocolate was a state monopoly.
According to legend, the French court’s love of chocolate was sealed
when its new, self-confessed chocoholic queen, Anne of Austria
(daughter of King Philip III of Spain), married Louis XIII in 1615.
Chocolate became an instant status symbol, and by decree, no one but
members of the French aristocracy were allowed to drink it.
In England, anyone with money could drink chocolate.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. Like coffee shops,
which became popular much later, chocolate houses were places to enjoy
a hot drink, discuss politics, socialize, and gamble.
Many chocolate houses admitted only men. Others were open to anyone who
could afford the entrance fee.
Wealthy Europeans used special dishes for drinking chocolate.
Europeans preferred to drink their chocolate from ornate dishes made
out of precious materials and crafted by artisans.
Like the elaborate ceramic vessels of ancient Maya and Aztec rulers,
these dishes were more than serving pieces. They were also symbols of
wealth.
Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1600—1750
Using Chocolate—
Only the EUROPEAN ELITE could afford to drink chocolate
In France, chocolate was a state monopoly.
According to legend, the French court’s love of chocolate was sealed
when its new, self-confessed chocoholic queen, Anne of Austria
(daughter of King Philip III of Spain), married Louis XIII in 1615.
Chocolate became an instant status symbol, and by decree, no one but
members of the French aristocracy were allowed to drink it.
In England, anyone with money could drink chocolate.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. Like coffee shops,
which became popular much later, chocolate houses were places to enjoy
a hot drink, discuss politics, socialize, and gamble.
Many chocolate houses admitted only men. Others were open to anyone who
could afford the entrance fee.
Wealthy Europeans used special dishes for drinking chocolate.
Europeans preferred to drink their chocolate from ornate dishes made
out of precious materials and crafted by artisans.
Like the elaborate ceramic vessels of ancient Maya and Aztec rulers,
these dishes were more than serving pieces. They were also symbols of
wealth.
Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection
For hundreds of years, the chocolate-making process remained relatively
unaltered. But by the mid 1700s, the blossoming Industrial Revolution
saw the emergence of innovations that changed the future of chocolate.
A steady stream of new inventions and advertising helped set the stage
for solid chocolate candy to become the globally favored sweet it is
today.
Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection
For hundreds of years, the chocolate-making process remained relatively
unaltered. But by the mid 1700s, the blossoming Industrial Revolution
saw the emergence of innovations that changed the future of chocolate.
A steady stream of new inventions and advertising helped set the stage
for solid chocolate candy to become the globally favored sweet it is
today.
Obtaining Cacao—
EUROPEANS and AMERICANS PURCHASED cacao and sugar from PLANTATIONS
Hardships continued long after slavery’s end.
For more than two centuries, enslaved people had labored to produce
crops in lands colonized by European nations. Although slavery was
abolished in all countries by 1888, the need for labor to meet the
demand for products like sugar and cacao continued.
In some tropical countries, harsh labor conditions prevailed long after
the end of slavery.
Some activists in the world of chocolate worked to improve conditions.
In 1910, William Cadbury (the famous chocolate manufacturer) invited
several English and American chocolate companies to join him in
refusing to buy cacao from plantations characterized by harsh working
conditions until things improved.
That same year, a United States Congressional hearing resulted in a
formal U.S. ban on any cocoa shown to be the product of slave labor
from these plantations.
Making Chocolate—
EUROPEANS and AMERICANS used MACHINERY to process cacao into SOLID
CHOCOLATE CANDY
Machines made chocolate a mass-produced treat.
In the early 1700's, a Frenchman named Doret invented a hydraulic
machine to grind cacao seeds into a paste. Not long afterward, another
Frenchman by the name of Dubuisson, created the steam-driven chocolate
mill.
These mechanical mills relieved people from the labor-intensive process
of grinding cacao. It became possible to grind huge amounts of cacao
and mass-produce chocolate inexpensively and quickly.
New innovations improved chocolate’s texture and taste.
Before the Industrial Revolution, chocolate was a gritty, rather oily
paste usually dissolved in water or milk and made into a beverage. But
the invention of new machines made it possible to create smoother,
creamier chocolate in the form of an edible candy bar.
One of the most important inventions was the cocoa press, created in
1828 by the Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten. It squeezed out cocoa
butter (leaving the powder we call cocoa) and made cocoa both more
consistent and cheaper to produce.
New ingredients also improved chocolate’s texture and taste.
In 1815, Van Houten added alkaline salts to powdered chocolate, which
helped it to mix better with water and gave it a darker color and
milder flavor.
And in 1875, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé teamed up to introduce
condensed milk to chocolate. Their smooth, creamy “milk chocolate”
rapidly became a popular favorite.
Using Chocolate—
In EUROPE and AMERICA, eventually solid chocolate for EATING became
affordable to a MASS MARKET
Expensive handmade chocolate gave way to affordable mass-produced
sweets.
For hundreds of years, chocolate remained a pricey luxury for the upper
classes. But new technologies made chocolate affordable to a much
broader segment of society and opened up opportunities for culinary
experimentation.
Chocolate began to appear not only in its candy bar form, but also
became much more popular as an ingredient in other confectionery
sweets, such as cakes, pastries, and sorbets.
Advertising boosted public consumption of chocolate.
While inventions made chocolate easier to produce, advertising made it
something people craved.
As chocolate products became cheaper to make and buy, advertisers
introduced marketing campaigns aimed at more people, particularly women
and children.
Breakfast chocolate became a part of many people’s diets. And nibbling
on chocolate bars was encouraged as a way to sustain energy, cure
lethargy, and improve a host of other medical conditions.
From Kara CHocolate's web site
The 19th Century marked two more revolutionary developments in the
history of chocolate. In 1847, an English company introduced solid
"eating chocolate" through the development of fondant chocolate, a
smooth and velvety variety that has almost completely replaced the old
coarse grained chocolate which formerly dominated the world market. The
second development occurred in 1876 in Vevey, Switzerland, when Daniel
Peter devised a way of adding milk to the chocolate, creating the
product we enjoy today known as milk chocolate.
inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blchocolate.htm
1674 - Eating solid chocolate was introduced in the form of chocolate
rolls and cakes, served in chocolate emporiums.
1847 - Joseph Fry & Son discovered a way to mix some of the cocoa
butter back into the "Dutched" chocolate, and added sugar, creating a
paste that could be molded. The result was the first modern chocolate bar.
1849 - Joseph Fry & Son and Cadbury Brothers displayed chocolates for eating at an exhibition in Bingley Hall, Birmingham, England.
Margarete