Why is chocolate called the food of the gods?
Chocolate: The 'Food of the Gods'. Historians believe the Mayan people of Central America first learned to farm cacao plants around 2,000 years ago. The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforests and grew them around their homes. They cooked the cacao seeds, then crushed them into a soft paste.
What is the meaning of the name of the chocolate fruit?
Chocolate is prepared from the fruit of the Theobroma cacao, a tropical tree whose name means "food of the gods" in Greek, according to " Chocolate: Food of the Gods ," an online exhibit by the Cornell University Library. Theobroma cacao trees are native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America.
What is chocolate made from?
What is chocolate? Chocolate is prepared from the fruit of the Theobroma cacao, a tropical tree whose name means "food of the gods" in Greek, according to " Chocolate: Food of the Gods ," an online exhibit by the Cornell University Library. Theobroma cacao trees are native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America.
Is Ek Chuah a god of chocolate?
He is usually depicted as a dark brown or black deity, appropriately enough as he’s the Patron of the Cacao Bean. Yes, Ek Chuah is a God of Chocolate.
Who is the god of chocolate?
QuetzalcoatlAn ancient Toltec myth identifies Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god, as planter of the cacao trees in the tropics of southern Mexico. He was called "the god of light, the giver of the drink of the gods, chocolate." Both the Mayas and Aztecs regarded chocolate as a potent aphrodisiac.
What was the name of the Mayan chocolate god?
Ek ChuajEk Chuaj, also known as Ek Chuah, Ekchuah, God M according to the Schellhas-Zimmermann-Taube classification of codical gods, is a Postclassic Maya merchant deity as well as a patron of cacao.
Who is the Aztec god of chocolate?
god QuetzalcoatlThe Aztecs associated cacao with the god Quetzalcoatl, who they believed had been condemned by the other gods for sharing chocolate with humans.
Is there a Greek god of chocolate?
The word theobroma comes from Greek θεος (theos), “god,” + βρῶμα (broma), “food.” So chocolate is literally the food of the gods. Theobroma cacao is native to the American tropical rain forest.
What is ek Chuaj the god of?
Ek Chuaj is often depicted carrying a pack and a spear, indicating transportation of goods as well as the dangerous life of a merchant. In this context, Ek Chuaj is a patron deity of travelers and journeys.
Did the Mayans have a chocolate god?
The Maya held a yearly festival to honor the cacao god Ek Chuah, which included several offerings and rituals to him; chocolate beverages, blood, dancing and other gifts such as the sacrifice of cacao-colored dogs and feathers, incense and cacao seeds (Rissolo per.
What does chocolate mean in Mayan?
bitter waterIn fact, the word 'chocolate' is said to come from the Mayan word 'xocolatl' which means 'bitter water. '
What did the Aztecs call chocolate?
xocoatlEtymologists trace the origin of the word "chocolate" to the Aztec word "xocoatl," which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means "food of the gods."
Why cocoa is food of god?
The chocolate drink they created was thought to possess spiritual qualities as it had mood enhancing properties. As a result, the Mayans worshipped a god of cacao and the chocolate was considered divine, only to be consumed by rulers, warriors, priests, and nobles during sacred ceremonies of birth, marriage, and death.
Is there a god of desserts?
Tajimamori is a Japanese legendary figure of the Kofun period, also worshipped as the god of sweets.
Is there a Greek god of sweets?
HEDYLOGOS was the god of sweet-talk. He was one of the winged love-gods known as Erotes.
Who is the god of food?
Demeter, in Greek religion, daughter of the deities Cronus and Rhea, sister and consort of Zeus (the king of the gods), and goddess of agriculture.
What is the Goddess of Chocolate?
The story of the Goddess of Chocolate is a long and complicated one. She was worshipped as a fertility goddess, with different names and different roles in the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica. We take great liberties with her story, letting her keep one name and merging her myths as she moved from one culture to the next, ...
What did the Goddess of Chocolate teach the kings?
Conspiring with the Goddess of Love, the Goddess of Chocolate taught the kings' cooks how to ferment the wine and make it intoxicating. And she would 'let it slip' that it was a powerful aphrodisiac. A period of unbridled gluttony and warfare between the various states was soon to follow.
How many goblets did Montezuma drink?
A period of unbridled gluttony and warfare between the various states was soon to follow. The Emperor Montezuma was even reported to drink 40-50 goblets a day, soaking up the aphrodisiacal stimulant of the cocoa to sustain his energy for his daily visits to his harem.
What is chocolate in ancient times?
The Ancient History of Chocolate, Gift of the Gods. In today’s society, chocolate is a popular treat, and comes in many forms, including blocks, paste and powder. Several centuries ago, however, chocolate was considered a luxury item, and came only in one form – as a drink. An Aztec woman preparing the cacao drink.
Why was chocolate important to the Mayans?
Chocolate was such an important part of life that it was used in special ancient Mayan ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and religious rituals. And a study of pictorial representations of chocolate in 2018 suggests that it may have served another purpose in the economy of the Mayan civilization – as money.
Why was cacao so popular in Europe?
This made the taste of the drink more appealing, and became popular among the Spanish nobility and officials of the Roman Catholic Church. It was only later that chocolate became popular in other European courts, as the Spanish seemed to have been keeping the secret of chocolate to themselves.
What is cacao derived from?
When the Spanish conquistadors came into contact with the Aztec civilization, they also came across the cacao drink. Incidentally, ‘chocolate’ is derived from the word xocolātl, which means ‘bitter water’ in Aztec.
Why was cacao used in trade?
Pods were used in trade to the point where they were sometimes counterfeited by filling the plant pods with soil. The ‘bitter water’ was consumed by nobles and warriors, in a ritual with purpose and solemnity.
What are the flavors of cacao?
The cacao paste would then be mixed with water or wine, ground maize and a variety of flavorings. These flavorings include chili pepper, vanilla, allspice and honey.
When was the cocoa press invented?
Then, in 1828 , the cocoa press was invented by Coenraad Johannes Van Houton. This machine removed the fat from the cacao seeds to produce cocoa powder, the basis for most chocolate products today. With this new ingredient, chocolate could be produced in the many forms we are familiar with today.
The History of Chocolate
The cacao (chocolate) tree, or Theobroma cacao (meaning food of the gods) is native to Central America and northern South America and is a member of the mallow family. Based on pottery fragments from approximately 1000 BCE, it is believed that cacao originated in the Amazon River Basin and was taken north by either the Olmec or the Maya people.
Harvesting Chocolate
Harvesting is still done by hand to avoid damaging both the soil and the branches of the trees. The pods are opened by hand with a machete especially made for the purpose.
Health Benefits of Chocolate
There has been a lot of research into the health benefits of chocolate over the past 35 years. Some researchers are looking into chocolate to help with persistent coughs, others are looking at it as an anti-inflammatory aid.
Chocolate Trivia
In the United States, we consume about 10 pounds of chocolate a year. The world’s highest consumers is Switzerland at 20 pounds per year.
Who discovered chocolate?
The explorer Christopher Columbus brought cacao seeds to Spain after his trip to Central America in 1502. But it was the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes who understood that chocolate could be a valuable investment.
What is the origin of chocolate?
The history of chocolate begins with a plant whose scientific name -- Theobroma cacao -- means “food of the gods.”. For centuries, people have been enjoying the rich flavor of chocolate, a product made from this plant.
Why did the Mayans drink chocolate?
Ruling families drank chocolate at ceremonies. And, even poorer members of Mayan society could enjoy the drink once in a while. Historians believe that cacao seeds were also used in marriage ceremonies as a sign of the union between a husband and wife. The Aztec culture in current-day Mexico also prized chocolate.
How do cacao seeds become chocolate?
To become chocolate, cacao seeds go through a long production process in a factory. Workers must sort, clean and cook the seeds. Then they break off the covering of the seeds so that only the inside fruit -- or nibs -- remain. Workers crush the nibs into a soft substance called chocolate liquor.
How much chocolate is consumed in the US every year?
Chocolate is especially popular in Europe and the United States. Americans eat an average of more than five kilograms of chocolate per person every year. Specialty shops that sell costly chocolates are also very popular.
What did the Mayans do with cacao?
The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforests and grew them around their homes. They cooked the cacao seeds, then crushed them into a soft paste. They mixed the paste with water and flavorful spices to make an unsweetened chocolate drink. Cacao and chocolate were an important part of Maya culture.
How many cups of chocolate did Montezuma drink?
The Aztec ruler Montezuma was believed to have drunk 50 cups of chocolate every day. Some experts believe the word for chocolate came from the Aztec word “xocolatl,” which means “bitter water” in the Nahuatl language. Others believe the word “chocolate” was created by combining Mayan and Nahuatl words.
Where does chocolate come from?
Chocolate is prepared from the fruit of the Theobroma cacao, a tropical tree whose name means "food of the gods" in Greek, according to " Chocolate: Food of the Gods ," an online exhibit by the Cornell University Library. Theobroma cacao trees are native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America.
Who invented milk chocolate?
Milk chocolate was invented soon after with the help of Henri Nestlé, who went on to found the major food company that bears his name. Major European chocolate brands Lindt and Cadbury also got their start in the 1800s; Rodolphe Lindt invented the conching machine, which gives chocolate a velvety texture.
Why was chocolate popular in the 18th century?
The Industrial Revolution allowed chocolate to be mass-produced and brought the treat to the masses. The popularity led to the development of cacao tree plantations. Enslaved people farmed most of the plantations.
What percentage of chocolate is unsweetened?
They include unsweetened or brute, which can be up to 99 percent chocolate liquor; bittersweet; semisweet; and dark milk chocolate. The type of chocolate depends on what ingredients are present and the percentage of cocoa, in addition to where the beans are from and the way they are prepared.
How much cocoa does the world consume?
Chocolate is the most popular sweet treat in the world. People around the world (but mostly in Europe and the United States) consume more than 3 million tons of cocoa beans a year, according to the World Cocoa Foundation.
How long has cacao been around?
Scientists debate how long humans have been using and consuming cacao beans. Chocolate's history goes back at least 2,000 years, while historians Sophie and Michael Coe, authors of " The True History of Chocolate " (Thames and Hudson, 2013), suggest that it might go back four millennia. The word chocolate can be traced back to the Aztec word "xocoatl," the name for a bitter drink made from cacao beans. This was the way chocolate was consumed until the Spanish conquistadors came to Central America.
What is fine chocolate?
"Fine chocolate," as designated by the FCIA, contains only cacao liquor, cacao butter (optional), sugar, lecithin, vanilla (optional) and possibly milk fats and solids. Additional flavors or ingredients like nuts can be added later.
