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The history of food is the history of civilisation.
(I don't know if that's a famous quote - but if it's not, it should be.
Not only does culinary history go hand in hand with that of Mankind, but it is often
quite interesting.
For instance, the Turkey is not from Turkey, but from the New World, as are corn
which today feeds the world; tomatoes, linked so closely to Italian food; peanuts,
potatoes, chiles... chocolate.)
Chocolate was among the treasures brought back to Spain in the 16th century, but
it had a long history prior to that.
The Maya and the Aztecs both used cacao beans as currency. Those who could
spare some cash, turned it into an enjoyable drink, flavored with chiles or
possibly honey. Those less fortunate traded theirs for turkeys or avocados.
Civilisations prior to the Maya, such as the Olmecs, may have used cacao in
similar ways.
Introduced to the Spanish, it was soon known to provide energy:
"The divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this
precious drink permits man to walk for a whole day without food." - Hernando Cortés
(1519)
When Cacao finally made its way to Europe by 1544, it remained an Iberian delight
for about 100 years. It was still enjoyed as a beverage, but sweetened with sugar,
and flavored with spices such as cinnamon. It was thought to have beneficial
properties, and was used medicinally.
"Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine
nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine." - Geronimo Piperni,
quoted by Antonio Lavedán, Spanish army surgeon, (1796)
Chocolate as a drink arrived in England and the rest of Europe along with Coffee
and Tea in the mid 17th century. It was less affordable than the other two, and
remained out of reach of most people, but was available in English coffee houses
- still only as a beverage.
For a long time people were pressing chocolate into cakes, to make it easier to
mix into a drink, but it took the Industrial revolution before chocolate became a
solid food and accessible to the common man.
A few names that are familiar to us all, Baker, Hershey, Peter, Lindt, Nestle, played
key roles in creating what we think of today as chocolate. Today new companies
such as Sharffen-Berger and Theo are once again innovating the chocolate world,
by bringing fair trade and organic chocolates to the market, and labelling the
product with its single origins and/or the percentage of cocoa mass; and
confections as well are branching out to include flavor pairings that have not
been traditionally used, including curry, tequila, basil, and rediscovering the chili
& chocolate pairing of meso-america and cinnamon from Spanish history.
learn more...
(I don't know if that's a famous quote - but if it's not, it should be.
Not only does culinary history go hand in hand with that of Mankind, but it is often
quite interesting.
For instance, the Turkey is not from Turkey, but from the New World, as are corn
which today feeds the world; tomatoes, linked so closely to Italian food; peanuts,
potatoes, chiles... chocolate.)
Chocolate was among the treasures brought back to Spain in the 16th century, but
it had a long history prior to that.
The Maya and the Aztecs both used cacao beans as currency. Those who could
spare some cash, turned it into an enjoyable drink, flavored with chiles or
possibly honey. Those less fortunate traded theirs for turkeys or avocados.
Civilisations prior to the Maya, such as the Olmecs, may have used cacao in
similar ways.
Introduced to the Spanish, it was soon known to provide energy:
"The divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this
precious drink permits man to walk for a whole day without food." - Hernando Cortés
(1519)
When Cacao finally made its way to Europe by 1544, it remained an Iberian delight
for about 100 years. It was still enjoyed as a beverage, but sweetened with sugar,
and flavored with spices such as cinnamon. It was thought to have beneficial
properties, and was used medicinally.
"Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine
nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine." - Geronimo Piperni,
quoted by Antonio Lavedán, Spanish army surgeon, (1796)
Chocolate as a drink arrived in England and the rest of Europe along with Coffee
and Tea in the mid 17th century. It was less affordable than the other two, and
remained out of reach of most people, but was available in English coffee houses
- still only as a beverage.
For a long time people were pressing chocolate into cakes, to make it easier to
mix into a drink, but it took the Industrial revolution before chocolate became a
solid food and accessible to the common man.
A few names that are familiar to us all, Baker, Hershey, Peter, Lindt, Nestle, played
key roles in creating what we think of today as chocolate. Today new companies
such as Sharffen-Berger and Theo are once again innovating the chocolate world,
by bringing fair trade and organic chocolates to the market, and labelling the
product with its single origins and/or the percentage of cocoa mass; and
confections as well are branching out to include flavor pairings that have not
been traditionally used, including curry, tequila, basil, and rediscovering the chili
& chocolate pairing of meso-america and cinnamon from Spanish history.
learn more...
matt@carterschocolates.com Satisfaction guaranteed. Please note that our chocolates are handmade using the finest ingredients, with no preservatives. When they leave our shop they are in perfect condition, but chocolates are sensitive to high temperatures, and therefore we will not ship to warm states in the summer without special arrangements and packaging, and only overnight orders will be accepted to hot locations. Please enjoy these fine chocolates within two weeks of delivery for best results. email Matt@carterschocolates.com 360-876-4424 (sorry, no phone orders) 1700 SE Mile Hill Dr #255 Port Orchard, WA 98366 |
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