Chocolate: a drink of the gods
Only about 150 years ago, chocolate became a modern look. Before those 3000 years it existed only in the form of a drink. Everyone knows that the pioneers of chocolate were indigenous tribes of the Mayans and Aztecs. The priests in the churches prayed and sacrificed their powerful patron, the god of cacao. In the language of the Aztec drink, which is prepared with cocoa beans, it is called “cacahuatle”, and the Mayans called it “xocolatl”, which translated means “sparkling water”.
The recipe was simple: cocoa beans, ground into powder and mixed with cold water. The cocoa beans themselves are very bitter, as far as you can guess, and they represent the taste of the “drink of the gods.” However, for the noble drink prepared by the most complicated recipes, including spices – vanilla, cinnamon and even chili peppers. And an absolutely exclusive method of cooking there for the Aztec ruler Montezuma: roasted cocoa beans were ground together with corn milk beans, honey and sweet boiled agave juice were added to reduce bitterness. Then all this flavored vanilla. Apparently, at that time the exciting properties of cocoa were already known, as Moctezuma drank a cup of medicinal drink, before entering his extensive harem.
In 1517 in America, the Spanish Cortés arrived. The bitter taste of a strange dark fluid caused the delight of the conquerors, but nevertheless, they paid homage to its specific aroma and appreciated the tonic effect. Without thinking twice, they named a drink “Theobroma cacao”, which means “food of the gods” and brought their discovery to Europe. In the chocolate we began to add cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar, and now it is drunk served hot. These changes were to the benefit of chocolate, and it soon became a fashionable drink of the Spanish aristocracy. The Spanish kept the chocolate recipe strictly secret, but it did not last long: in the 17th century, chocolate was famous throughout Europe.
The high clergy will not remain indifferent to the exotic drink. Most of the Catholic Church was concerned, can I eat chocolate during Lent? The bishops concluded that the deal with this in a state of only the Pope himself. After having tasted this strange, dark and bitter drink, Pope Pius V expressed the following: “Chocolate does not violate the mail. You cannot bring this shit to someone funny!” Because the use of cocoa was officially allowed.
Strong, bitter chocolate has long been considered an exclusively male drink. Then various spices were added to the cocoa: vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, anise, almonds, and even rose water. At first the milk came up with the British to make a drink, and they added it to a glass of Madeira and raw eggs. In England, the famous chocolate houses became so popular that they even dwarfed the tea and coffee shops.
People have long seen the amazing ability of hot chocolate to improve mood and increase vitality. And when he caught the attention of scientists, he discovered that the biologically active substances in cocoa cause the human brain to produce a cascade of hormones that provide pleasure and reduce any pain.
