Today, we're going to delve into the royal history of chocolate;This is a story of power, politics, and status. Chocolate has been around for about 5,000 years and was consumed in the earliest days long before records began!For what has been recorded, we know that chocolate has always played a vital role in society and culture. Now, let's embark on a journey through history, from its origins in Central America to its current status at Buckingham Palace. So, whether you're a history buff or someone eager to learn more about chocolate, sit back and let us embark on a journey through time.
700 B.C.e.–1520 - A gift from God
The earliest records of chocolate can be found in the Mayan culture. The Mayan culture is an ancient civilization rich in cultural arts, spiritual beliefs, and social norms.
The geographical origin of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) is still debated by modern historians. But there is no doubt that the Maya were the first to describe cocoa in hieroglyphs.
Archaeological evidence suggests that cocoa was closely associated with their spiritual practice, and that its consumption coincided with the ritual of human sacrifice. In the tombs of the upper classes of Maya society, more physical samples suggest that cocoa was a common drink among the elite. The wealthy Mayans drank a varied, frothy chocolate drink, while the general population consumed it in porridge form. When the Aztec Empire flourished in the 15th century, they began to trade cocoa with the Mayans because they could not grow cacao trees on their land. Like the Maya, the Aztecs saw cacao as a mystical gift from the gods that stimulated divine energy in the human body and was used as an aphrodisiac while having medicinal properties. It is said that in the 16th century, the Aztec ruler Moctsuma II (or Motsuma II Shokojosin) drank 50 cups of cocoa from a golden cup every day. "Sometimes they (Montesuma) brought him some kind of cocoa drink in a pure gold cup. It's said to have a lot of control over women, but I've never seen it. I did see them bring more than fifty large jars of cocoa, and there was foam, and he drank some, and the women waited respectfully. "Bernal Diaz, early records of 1568 tell us that cocoa was used in exchange for livestock and human slavery, and could even be used to pay the powerful as taxes.
1520-1600 - Age of Discovery
In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors first set foot on the shores of South America.
Initially hoping to travel through East Asia in search of better opportunities on the Silk Roads, they discovered a part of what came to be known as the 'New World'. The Spaniards invaded present-day Mexico and conquered the population there, settling down.
The Aztec emperor Montezuma II offered Hernán Cortés and his companions 50 cans of drink, and they believed: "Chocolate looks more like a pig's drink than a drink that humans should drink. Jurolamo Bezzoni, History of the New World (1565).
Eventually, the ** of Spanish immigrants became scarce, so they turned to chocolate, seeking additional nourishment. At the same time, many moderate-income Spaniards also married elite Aztec women, often as concubines, which helped accelerate the spread of chocolate among the New Spanish population. "Disgusting to people unfamiliar with it, with a layer of foam or scum and a very unpleasant taste. However, it was a highly regarded drink among the Indians, who used it to entertain the nobles who traveled through their country. Spaniards, both men and women, are very fond of this chocolate. José de Acosta, late 16th century.
They use chocolate, which is ground into a paste and chooses added ingredients such as sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. At a grand banquet in Mexico's Grand Square, built on the ruins of the Aztec capital, King Carlos I of Spain and King Francis I of France served chocolate on gold plates to celebrate peace between the two countries.
1520sThe introduction of chocolate
The Spaniards first began shipping cocoa to Spain in the 1520s. At that time, there were several clashes with pirates, who had not yet understood the value of cocoa, so burned the cargo of the intercepted Spanish ships. The priests of Spain were the ones who spread the recipe for chocolate. The Benedictine friar at that time said: "No one should drink cocoa except a monk, a nobleman, or a brave soldier." ”
1520-1600 -Aristocratic consumption
Just like within the walls of Central America, chocolate remains a symbol of luxury, wealth, and power in Spanish soil. It was only given to members of the royal family, affordable only to Spain's most elite citizens, and was extremely popular in high society.
Chocolate soon became part of the reception of guests at court in the 16th and 17th centuries as an element of entertainment, especially favored by noble women.
The ladies of the court, in addition to their usual sweets, offered chocolates to the visiting ladies, which the noble women liked so much that they asked to have chocolate in the church as well. Of course, this request was denied, and the diocesan bishops forbade the consumption of chocolate in the church. However, they managed to create "chocolate parties" that took place after religious ceremonies where women could talk freely and drink chocolate to their heart's content.
In the portraits of royalty and the upper class of this period, you will often see them holding chocolate cups, and a special chocolate pot (specially used to make and ** chocolate) is placed nearby, as a symbol of wealth and status for the owners.
Gradually, the availability of chocolate penetrated the lower classes, and eventually, chocolate was found in families in all the big Spanish cities with a similar recipe**.
1600-1660 -Luxury
By the 17th century, chocolate was widely accepted and loved by the Spanish royal family, the elite, and ordinary income citizens. Chocolate had been consumed in Spain for at least 100 years, and its recipe was kept secret among the upper classes, ready to begin to spread in Europe.
In 1615, the 14-year-old Princess Anne of Austria (daughter of King Philip III of Spain) married the 14-year-old King Louis XIII of France, probably the first time chocolate was introduced to France. Chocolates are given as wedding gifts and are said to be packaged in an oak box. Later, it is said that it was the Sun King Louis XIV who popularized chocolate among the French royal family in 1660 when he married Maria Theresa of Spain. Since then, chocolate has become a regular element of Versailles' entertainment and gastronomy. In the hands of the French, Spanish recipes were praised, improved, experimented with, and new styles of taste were formed, all in liquid form. Once again, chocolate retains its status as a luxury item that can only be enjoyed by royalty, symbolizing power, wealth, and a healthy libido.
1655-1700 - From sheep dung to **
It wasn't until quite late that the British became interested in the chocolate craze.
By the time chocolate entered the tastes of British high society, Spain had been importing and refining chocolate for about 150 years.
In 1579, a group of pirates, armed with a written pass from the English crown, intercepted a Spanish ship carrying goods from South America to Spain. When they found the cocoa beans, they thought it was sheep dung and burned the shipment. As the years following the initial interception, the British remained somewhat ignorant of chocolate and its place in power and politics until the chocolate craze spread to France. Exactly when chocolate was introduced to England is unknown, but it is estimated to have been in the early 17th century. It wasn't until 1655, when England wrested Jamaica from Spain, that chocolate really became popular in England. The Spaniards operated cocoa plantations in Jamaica, which they also took over when the British occupied the island. With a new valuable plantation in hand, the British began to produce their own sweet chocolate drink, which was seen by the royal family as a display of exoticism and uniqueness. During the same period, the French set up "chocolate houses" in England. Although chocolate was a fashionable symbol of wealth among European high society, when chocolate was introduced to England, it was initially reserved for men. It would be served to the noisy dining table in the private living room of wealthy men, where they gambled, begged for ***, and stayed away from their wives to indulge in food and drink.
It is said that the chocolate house you choose is a signal of your political affiliation.
In fact, the chocolate houses were a popular meeting place for upper-class gentlemen, who would use the space to organize and form controversial political groups, so much so that Charles II tried to stop these chocolate houses - but he was unsuccessful.
In 1690, King William III and Queen Mary II rebuilt Hampton Court Palace and set up a kitchen dedicated to making chocolate. It is recorded that kings and queens were so fond of chocolate and its health benefits that they drank it at breakfast and at the small feast, a dress ceremony for a small number of members of the court. Old English Chocolate Recipe: Water & Milk, Sugar, Egg Yolk & Brandy!
1700-1900 - The Chocolate Revolution
The turning point of the 18th century marked the rise of the Industrial Revolution, with new types of rotation and movement pushing chocolate production to the height of modern dynamics. Joy for the wealthy few is about to become a luxury for many.
In the UK, chocolatiers are starting to experiment with more experimental flavour pairings. They started using delicate ingredients like jasmine, rose water, cinnamon, vanilla, and even ambergris (a solid waxy substance produced in the stomach of sperm whales that is also used to make perfumes!).）。
With the advent of new technologies, new ideas have also emerged. Early in this period, there was a heated debate in academia around the health properties of chocolate. It has been suggested that the addition of sugar and spices can affect the nutritional potential of chocolate. But despite this, the chocolate frenzy continues.
In 1709, Queen Anne spent £50 a month (about £11,000 in today's money) on chocolates!
1778 - Joseph Townsend invents a machine that uses hydraulic energy to mill cocoa beans. This invention meant that more chocolate could be processed, greatly increasing production.
1828 - Konrad Johannes Van Hauten develops a new process for making cocoa beans into fine powder. This means that chocolate is finally able to be produced on a large scale and, more importantly, is no longer exclusive to a few, but a commodity accessible to the general public.
1842 - An Englishman named Charles Barry moves to Meyrin, France, where he creates the famous "Coco Barry" powder.
1847 - The Frye family in Bristol, England makes the first-ever chocolate bar.
1853 - The Frye family's rival Catterbury becomes its official merchant after Queen Victoria grants her a Royal Warrant.
1875 - Swiss Daniel Peter adds milk powder invented by Henry Nessley to chocolate (Henry invented it in 1867).
1879 - Rodolfo Lint perfects the mixing process, which helps to unleash the depth and layers of chocolate, making it smoother and more delicate.
As you can see, the 18th and 19th centuries were a huge moment for the development, improvement and consolidation of chocolate in the public taste. You could say that without chocolate, some of the revolutionary technologies of this period might never have happened, or would have taken longer to materialize.
By 1848, drinking chocolate and solid chocolate bars were widely available to the general public. Eventually, everyone will be able to experience a surge of energy, sweet and complex flavors, and a feeling of warmth and pleasure that the Mayans first felt thousands of years ago.
Modern - expensive taste
But what about our current royals?Does Queen Elizabeth II like to taste chocolates in front of specially selected staff when she is dressed in full costume?
We're not sure what happened at the banquet, but what we do know is that Queen Elizabeth's chocolates came from one of the UK's first (and now the oldest) chocolate shops, Charbonnel et Walker on Bond Street in London. Charbonnel et Walker was founded in 1875 and has been a favourite of a range of royals ever since, including Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and King Edward VII.
A box of their finest quality chocolates can cost a full £280.
The chocolate shop has been under royal commissions for years, and although they can't tell us exactly what the Queen ordered or how much she spended, they revealed some interesting details.
According to Charbonnel et Walker, our Queen Elizabeth II loves dark chocolate with aromatic floral notes, and bendicks bittermints, which are small pieces of dark chocolate filled with a clean mint flavour – a very nice flavour!
Show off the winter food of your hometown