chocolate lover<\/a>, always reaching for a deep, rich flavour, I needed to understand the difference behind the street names given. Let\u2019s take it right back to a little history on the tale of the cacao bean. <\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”History” module_id=”History” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” collapsed=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Content” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ link_font=”|600|||||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
History<\/h3>\n
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Long before the first chocolate bar was ever made, cacao beans were held in high esteem in the Aztec and Mayan traditions, served up as offerings to their gods and used as money for trading \u2013 almost like their local currency.<\/p>\n
Cacao beans are typically grown in tropical climates within 20 degrees of the equator, known as the \u201ccacao belt\u201d. In ancient times, the cacao beans were ground down with maize and mixed with water over a low heat, creating a decadent, rich beverage. It could be flavoured with vanilla, allspice, and even black pepper or chilli powder. The Maya believed that cacao was an important ingredient in restoring balance and our connection to the divine. <\/p>\n
Long before the first chocolate bar was ever made, cacao beans were held in high esteem in the Aztec and Mayan traditions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Spanish added their contribution by sweetening the cacao with sugar and spices. By the 17th century, this decadent beverage spread throughout Europe, selling ground cacao mass in compressed cakes. Up until the 18th century, cacao beans had been ground by hand, passed on from the Mayan tradition. By the late 18th century, manufacturers began to use a steam-powered machine to grind the beans, and in 1828, a Dutch chemist developed a method for turning cacao beans into a powder. This made it easier to produce, package and sell.<\/p>\n
The first chocolate bar was created in the 19th century by a British chocolatier, Joseph Fry. He experimented by mixing together cocoa powder, sugar and cocoa butter to make a smooth paste. This paste was poured into moulds and set into solid chocolate bars. Fry\u2019s chocolate bars were the first to be manufactured for the masses, making chocolate easily accessible to the public. From here, chocolate bars were further refined by chocolatiers such as John Cadbury and Milton S. Hershey, each adding their own flavours and creative flair. <\/p>\n
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