History of Chocolate

Uncover the bittersweet story of this ancient treat and watch a video.

Chocolate may be the “food of the gods,” but for most of its 4,000-year history, it was actually consumed as a bitter beverage rather than as a sweet edible treat.

Cacáo, cocoa and chocolate have played profond roles in history and in shaping modern globalism.

Chocolate history starts out in Latin America, where cacao trees grow wild. The first people to use chocolate were probably the Olmec of what is today southeast Mexico

The leading organization in cocoa sustainability.

Jacques Torres has opened a museum devoted to the history of chocolate in NYC. Here's what we learned.

We’ve learned things that could help today’s artisan chocolatiers improve their trade.

So how did we get from a bitter beverage to the chocolate bars of today? Deanna Pucciarelli traces the fascinating and often cruel history of chocolate.

The history of cocoa and chocolate goes back almost 4,000 years, and played an important role in the Mayan and Aztec cultures.

Chocolate. The word sends sweet shivers of craving through most of us. Whether it’s consumed as a sweet or a savory, as a solid, a beverage, an ingredient in baked goods or sauces, few foods are as beloved.

Chocolate was one of the most desired foods of Mesoamerica and was consumed by the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, amongst others.

A timeline of the history of chocolate.

If you can’t imagine life without chocolate, you’re lucky you weren’t born before the 16th century. Until then, chocolate only existed as a bitter, foamy drink.

Colonial Williamsburg - Experience life in the 18th century at America's largest outdoor history museum.

The history of chocolate begins in Mesoamerica. Fermented beverages made from chocolate date back to 1900 BC. The Aztecs believed that cacao seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, and the seeds once had so much value that they were used as a form of currency.