A Brief History of Chocolate
Uncover the bittersweet story of this ancient treat and watch a VIDEO
- By Amanda Bensen
- Smithsonian.com, March 01, 2008, Subscribe
(Page 2 of 2)
In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate by removing about half the natural fat (cacao butter) from chocolate liquor, pulverizing what remained and treating the mixture with alkaline salts to cut the bitter taste. His product became known as "Dutch cocoa," and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate.
The creation of the first modern chocolate bar is credited to Joseph Fry, who in 1847 discovered that he could make a moldable chocolate paste by adding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa.
By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England. Milk chocolate hit the market a few years later, pioneered by another name that may ring a bell – Nestle.
In America, chocolate was so valued during the Revolutionary War that it was included in soldiers' rations and used in lieu of wages. While most of us probably wouldn't settle for a chocolate paycheck these days, statistics show that the humble cacao bean is still a powerful economic force. Chocolate manufacturing is a more than 4-billion-dollar industry in the United States, and the average American eats at least half a pound of the stuff per month.
In the 20th century, the word "chocolate" expanded to include a range of affordable treats with more sugar and additives than actual cacao in them, often made from the hardiest but least flavorful of the bean varieties (forastero).
But more recently, there's been a "chocolate revolution," Leaf said, marked by an increasing interest in high-quality, handmade chocolates and sustainable, effective cacao farming and harvesting methods. Major corporations like Hershey's have expanded their artisanal chocolate lines by purchasing smaller producers known for premium chocolates, such as Scharffen Berger and Dagoba, while independent chocolatiers continue to flourish as well.
"I see more and more American artisans doing incredible things with chocolate," Leaf said. "Although, I admit that I tend to look at the world through cocoa-tinted glasses."
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Comments (66)
nice
Posted by maribel on February 1,2013 | 10:20 AM
I LOVE CHOCOLATE !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by edgar ortiz on January 17,2013 | 01:00 PM
i really like this history of the chocolate because it was a great reasrech place for my project Thanks!!!!!
Posted by Ethan roy on January 17,2013 | 12:38 PM
dear author, did you do this research yourself or did you find stuff from different websites or boooks? primary or secondary souces? can you let me know? sincerly, Kendra hunter (krazykendra77@gmail.com)
Posted by KENDRA on January 16,2013 | 09:09 AM
good woork
Posted by on December 9,2012 | 09:03 AM
I'm also writing a essay on chocolate and this article provided a ton of information. Thank you.
Posted by Emerald on August 12,2012 | 01:45 PM
Are you seriuos chocolate is like a pice of heaven. its so good the way it melts in my mouth silk n creamy delicious!
Posted by koby on April 26,2012 | 03:06 PM
Are you seriuos chocolate is like a pice of heaven. its so good the way it melts in my mouth silk n creamy delicious!
Posted by koby on April 26,2012 | 03:06 PM
I'm doing a research project in language art on what i want to learn and i choose chocolate and i want to know more about chocolate
Posted by Mary on April 24,2012 | 07:05 PM
The Aztecs did not always consume unsweetened chocolate. Coe & Coe are quite clear about this: "Then, by himself [the Aztec ruler] in his house, his chocolate was served: . . . honeyed chocolate . . ." (True History, 1986, p. 89). Bee keeping was an important profession in the Yucatan. Then Columbus brought sugar on his second voyage to the Caribbean. Also, chocolate was consumed with flowers that had nectar, and with corn, which has natural sweetness.
Posted by Linda Civitello on April 9,2012 | 04:04 PM
Im doing a project on the history and invention chocolate, and was wondering how exactly it would coun't as revolution, reaction, and reformity. How would it fit that standard? I really want to do my project on this.
Posted by Sierra on February 26,2012 | 07:57 PM
I love chocolate and I'm doing a research paper on it!
Posted by Silver on January 17,2012 | 09:13 PM
Goodness i love chocolate! proof I just finished 1kg worth!
Posted by Jess on December 16,2011 | 01:39 PM
"xocoatl" ? it is a typo.it must be spelled as "xocolatl", and X sounds like english SH.
Posted by Martín Ponce on November 6,2011 | 08:05 PM
This is a well-written brief history, but I wished it had, at least, touched on the politics of chocolate. Unfortunately, the politics of chocolate is not such a sweet story, especially in West Africa.
Posted by ChocolateCentral on February 12,2011 | 10:57 AM
OMG!!!!! this helped me do a report on chocolate and i got a freaken A+!!!:) yay!!!!
Posted by jessica on January 25,2011 | 10:49 AM
Good information for home making chocolate!! I think i can make it easy. Try today...
Posted by Chocolate Lovers on January 14,2011 | 12:46 AM
chocolate is awesome.
im doing a whole project about chocolate(:
Posted by eyooo on January 11,2011 | 04:59 PM
i don't know why i;m crazy about chocolate
Posted by masi on November 17,2010 | 04:53 AM
I absolutely love me some chocolate. It is Amazing!!!!!
Posted by Alyssa on May 18,2010 | 01:53 PM
This Article was amazing im crazy about chocolate
Posted by Mairani S. on May 4,2010 | 04:47 PM
I hate chocolate but i find it cool to learn about it it is very interestin to learn how it is made and how people used back in the early 1400s i would have never known about the history of chocolate if i was not learnig about it in middle school it is very interresting i hope t learn more about chocolates history very soon and p.s. i love the websites i has helpped me learn alot about chocoalte these last few days i am glade i could learn such interresting things about chocolate thanks sooooooo much for these websites
Posted by Mikaela on April 15,2010 | 06:37 PM
Mexican cooks use chocolate in enchiladas and mole--very tasty!
Posted by Gloria on April 10,2010 | 01:47 PM
This morning we made chocolate truffles coated in nuts and a thin layer of white chocolate, the kids were super cooperative and the result - well!!!
Posted by Katya on April 9,2010 | 07:29 AM
I am doing a 5 minute speech on chocolate and this site really helped me! thx smithsonian!!!
Posted by Matt on April 3,2010 | 09:50 PM
is your chocolate goooooooooooooooood
Posted by deontae on March 30,2010 | 09:22 AM
I really really love chocolate and i will always love it
Posted by maiya hamilton on January 8,2010 | 04:46 PM
i love chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it is the best thing that ever happened to the earth
Posted by tigerkitt on November 17,2009 | 03:36 PM
Thanks you helped me on my NHD
Posted by Tyler on November 9,2009 | 01:02 PM
Chocolate is the best!!!!! Chocolate 2 de World!!!!!!
Posted by Tishy on November 8,2009 | 09:46 PM
The only thing better than chocolate is MORE chocolate!
Posted by Connie on November 3,2009 | 05:15 PM
i LOOOOOOOOOOVE chocolate!!!
Posted by ella on October 28,2009 | 04:13 PM
i love chocolate but i ain't fat
Posted by arm on October 19,2009 | 11:19 AM
This is really awesome. I'm doing a history project on chocolate and I need all the chocolate information I can grab onto. :)
Posted by on October 14,2009 | 06:55 PM
chocolate rocks
Posted by chocochick on October 13,2009 | 12:13 PM
Now i wanna ear everything that has to do with chocolate! LOL
Posted by Andrea on October 11,2009 | 08:07 PM
I really learned a lot from this article. It helped me a lot specially on making my research on chocolate and teas. And I am a chocoholic too!!!! I am fond of thinking, biting, and eating chocolates!!!
Posted by Camille on September 17,2009 | 07:58 AM
It was so hard not eating chocolate while reading this!!! I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!!
Posted by Andrea on August 30,2009 | 11:43 PM
I think chocolate is amazing!!!!!
Posted by Sydney on August 24,2009 | 07:21 PM
i like me some chocolate
Posted by on August 2,2009 | 09:24 PM
I've never had chocolate but I have heard of it. Is it good? Where can I get some? Will it make me fat?
Posted by Smoke Murphy on June 30,2009 | 03:56 PM
i am a CHOCOHOLIC person!!!!
Posted by jenn mary ariston on June 26,2009 | 07:45 AM
Chocolate the affordable SIN!!!
Posted by Brenda D. Colby on May 6,2009 | 04:30 PM
Chocolate as we know it comes from the coco tree, Theobroma Cacao. Theobroma translates from Greek into food of the gods. The coco pods are harvested from the trees and the coco beans that are contained from within them are removed and fermented witch gives the beans their flavor. Then the beans gets dried, roasted, and shelled finally the coco nib is removed from the bean and is ground into a paste to known as chocolate liquor. Then the chocolate liquor gets separated into relatively equal amounts of coco powder and coco butter or fat this is the part we like. coco butter and chocolate liquor is mixed with sugar and some times vanilla to make dark chocolate. Milk is added to make milk chocolate and to make white chocolate, the chocolate liquor gets removed completely “witch according to me hardly counts as chocolate”
Posted by Matthew Tran on March 31,2009 | 12:07 AM
thanks for providing me w/ all this wonderful info!!!
Posted by Qwert Y. Uiop on March 16,2009 | 07:32 PM
Great article! I've read the book mentioned, "The True History of Chocolate" A good read... Yes, I am a chocaholic, and proud of it!
Posted by Arvin Chaikin on December 14,2008 | 07:41 PM
great for school report!!!!
Posted by Shay on December 1,2008 | 09:37 PM
i love chocolate i get really grouchy if i don't have my chocolate. so back off my chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by JORDYN on October 30,2008 | 12:56 PM
My husband and I also love chocolate and I'd been searching for a "healthy chocolate". Most chocolates have been overheated and/or paired with not-so-good ingredients. Finally, through a friend, I was introduced to Xocai Chocolate (pronounced "show-sigh"). It is a delicious, dark chocolate, processed correctly to maintain the maximum antioxidents and we consider it an important food supplement to our daily diets. PLUS, it's great chocolate.
Posted by Peggy on September 16,2008 | 01:21 PM
when did chocolate start to get paired with things like chili powder? thanks for the very interesting history!
Posted by Bryn on July 11,2008 | 10:31 AM
my favorite chocolate is GODIVA
Posted by Kagan on May 4,2008 | 03:19 PM
Before Nestle there were: Peter Kholer, Cailler, Suchard and company who developed the smooth and creamy milk chocolate in Switzerland. The BEST chocolate is made with only cocoa butter and no vulgar vegitable fats!
Posted by Mary Croisier on April 28,2008 | 10:05 AM
I LOVE HOT CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Gabrielle Brister on April 25,2008 | 02:14 PM
i'm fat because I LOOOVE CHOCOLATE!!!!
Posted by marie on March 24,2008 | 04:15 PM
i love chocolate!..just cant stop having it
Posted by kida hadfyna on March 18,2008 | 08:34 PM
The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means "food of the gods." Not so. Theobroma is GREEK.
Posted by Kandeda Trefil on March 14,2008 | 09:00 PM
What a wonderful article. However, the BEST chocolate on our planet is currently to be found in Belgium. Once you've tried the white, the milk chocolate, and/or the dark, you'll be hooked. My wife, Naomi, is a chocolate maven, and swears by this.
Posted by TONY HOROWITZ on March 12,2008 | 02:28 AM
My daughter and I firmly believe Choclate is the answer to world peace!! : )
Posted by Susan Livesey on March 9,2008 | 10:13 AM
i don't eat chocolate very much but after reading i thought of having it.
Posted by upul on March 7,2008 | 11:52 PM
The above comments pretty well say it all. Wonderful, sometimes gooey, sometimes brittle, sometimes biteable and, most always, satisfying to the mouth and the mind. Let it melt in your mouth. Down with milk choclate!
Posted by Samuel Dean on March 6,2008 | 01:01 PM
According to some articles, the Aztecs drank the juice of the cacao fruit and discarded(?) the beans. It was described as sweet and fermentable into an alcoholic drink. Has anyone tasted the juice? In which form? Do you think that people who like cocoa would like the juice? Curious
Posted by Harry E. Moses on March 5,2008 | 06:55 PM
If you want some of the best REAL chocolate in the country (U.S.), check out Theo Chocolate in the Ballard neighbourhood of Seattle, WA (the name Theo comes from theobroma). As they proudly say on their website (http://www.theochocolate.com/), "We are proud to be the first roaster of Fair Trade Certified™ cocoa beans and the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the United States." (And, no, I don't work for them.) All their chocolate is high-cacao - 65 to 91% - and their nib brittle is to die for. These folks do the whole shooting match: they import the raw beans and roast, grind, blend and finish the chocolate right down to printing the wrappers.
Posted by Andrea Aldridge on March 4,2008 | 02:50 PM
What? No mention of the intense almost slave-labor conditions using youth in western Africa?
Posted by Valena Dismukes on February 28,2008 | 09:36 PM
Sally and I (aka Mr. & Mrs. Chocolate)have given fun talks and tastings around the country on "Chocolate - Food of the Gods" for the past 4 years. Check it out: http://www.howard-peters.com.
Posted by Howard Peters, Ph.D. J.D. on February 26,2008 | 10:51 PM
Katie, in response to your comment about wanting to grow chocolate in the US: From what I've read, cacao trees only flourish within the band of latitude roughly between 20 degrees north and 20 degrees south of the equator. Sorry to dash your dreams! However, there are many independent (or "artisanal") producers in the US who use imported cacao to make their own chocolate. I'd recommend seeking one out in your region and asking their advice if you really want to learn about making your own. (If nothing else, it might score you a free sample because they'll be so impressed with your devotion!) Thanks for reading.
Posted by Amanda Bensen on February 26,2008 | 03:01 PM
After attending 3 chocolate events in a row in February, I had my first ever chocolate hangover. Wow, never thought it would happen.
Posted by Peg Vrooman on February 25,2008 | 06:15 PM
I love chocolate and eat it at least everyday. I would love to grow it in my yard, harvest it, cultivate it, turn it into commercial dark and milk chocolate, and sell it as a business but don't know how to get started since growing it, I think, is prohibited, in the US. How does one grow and where does one get a cacao plant? I would love to buy.... I will always love it and wish to be buried with some in my hand....God knows it is second to Him.... Katie
Posted by Katie Kroutter on February 24,2008 | 01:57 AM
If you want to return to the original Mexican cacao, try the Ibarra chocolate which you can find in every Hispanic grocery store. Also a visit to Mexico, in the Yucatan peninsula perhaps, would help find the spicy, bitter cocoa drink. A good place to start for more info: http://chocoibarra.com.mx/espanol/chocolate/index.html
Posted by J.J. Lasne on February 23,2008 | 02:33 PM
lovely read for a confessed chocoholic!
Posted by Susan H. on February 19,2008 | 12:32 AM
I have been a chocoholic for most of 84 years and this was an education for me.
Posted by Clinton E. Oak on February 19,2008 | 09:13 PM
Wonderful article. I would love to see a place right under the heading telling me which museum this is in and the time peroid it will be there. Keep up the good work. T
Posted by T Huber on February 19,2008 | 11:05 AM
i love chocolate
Posted by monica simon on February 18,2008 | 12:26 AM
One thought -- we need to find out the strain of cacao bush that produced the mood change for the Aztec sacrifice people. Sure sounds like a more potent bean than what we're used to eating. One question -- based on my annual chocolate consumption I figure that someone out there is eating about four pounds of my chocolate. 'Fess up! Is it you?
Posted by Craig B on February 14,2008 | 08:35 PM
I never knew I knew so little about chocolate, but I love the stuff. Chocolate does contain alkaloids (a nitrogen compound), which can have effects on the mind ... in a good way. Maybe that's why we love people who give us chocolate.
Posted by Charles F on February 14,2008 | 02:08 PM