Exposé en anglais sur le Chocolat

Part one : Chocolate's history

Originally from the tropical rainforests of Central America, cocoa was cultivated by the Mayas and Aztecs. These people enjoyed the food which was consumed as a beverage called "chocolatl" (bitter water).This beverage was prepared using cocoa beans (cacahuatl) roasted and ground on hot stones. The resulting slurry was heated and mixed with water, were added vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, anise, etc .... This drink was known nourishing, fortifying and aphrodisiac.

The Mayans and Aztecs used cacao as currency. Tax payments and purchases of slaves in particular, to making cocoa beans.At the time, chocolate was very active in religion, for instance to birth the baby is immersed in a bath of chocolate to bless.

Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover cocoa in July 1502 (one thousand, five hundred and two )on the small island of Guanaja (Honduras current), but attached no importance to these "almonds".

In 1519, Hernando Cortes landed in Mexico and began the conquest of the country. The Emperor Montezuma offered Cortes a beverage made ​​with cocoa who appreciated and wrote when drank in, you can travel all day without fatigue or need other food.In 1524, Hernando Cortes to Charles V sent a cargo of cocoa beans. The emperor and his court of Spain made ​​their delights of this drink which they added honey. The monopoly of cocoa at this time was reserved for Spaniards.

Cocoa appeared in Italy in 1594 by Francesco Carletti.

This is Naples, a scholar NUREMBERG, named Johann VOLCKAMMER back in 1641 cocoa Germany.

France discovered the cocoa in 1615 with the marriage of Anne of Austria, daughter of Philip III of Spain with Louis XIII. The new queen of France quickly shared his taste for chocolate with all the court and the clergy, it is said that the first specialists in chocolate were the monks, the clergy had a delicate taste and is better than the military intend to culinary . On 28 May 1659, Louis XIV granted by letters patent for 29 years, David Chaillou, an officer of the Queen, Toulouse "the exclusive privilege to sell, and charge a certain composition appointing chocolate". David Chaillou Street store was dry tree in Paris. At that time, chocolate was best known and appreciated at the court, in religious and physicians.

In 1657, he entered in England and the English cultivated cacao in their colony of Jamaica.

At the same time, the Dutch in good sailors quickly realize the value of cocoa beans and provide transportation from America to Europe.

David Chaillou monopoly ended in 1693. The chocolate was then manufactured by a number of apothecaries and spice merchants.

Conclusion :

Since the discovery of chocolate has ceased to be used, it has become more present in the life of every day. If chocolate is so successful is partly because it is loved by all. The chocolate industry that has grown tremendously over the centuries, so that departing he had a sacred character. Who does not love chocolate? There are so much so that everyone has their favorite. It is also beneficial to health. There has long been and will

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