Who first purchased a chocolate drink. History of hot chocolate

Do you know who gave the world hot chocolate? It was the British who cast the first chocolate bar and created an incredibly delicious drink that is ideal for evenings of any period of the year. Despite the fact that you can now buy packaged hot chocolate, it is very difficult to repeat its original taste. And those who are lucky enough to taste real hot chocolate can be proud of themselves and brag about it to the whole world.

By the way, some semblance of hot chocolate was prepared by the Aztecs, however, at that time it was called the drink of the Gods for the simple reason that only selected individuals could taste it. For its manufacture, cocoa beans were first well roasted and only then mixed with water. After that, chili peppers were added to the production.

Of course, the British, and then the Europeans, slightly changed the recipe for the drink. Instead of chili peppers, they started adding sugar. And the drink itself began to be heated to a certain temperature in order to dissolve all the ingredients in it and bring the taste to bliss. At one time, such a drink was used as a cure for many diseases.

But, history is, of course, interesting, but still, let's get back to the present. Let's first figure out whether hot chocolate is healthy or, perhaps, it should be consumed quite rarely. Not many people know that hot chocolate is really healthy drink, which, sometimes even those who are on a diet can afford. Also found in chocolate a large number of vitamins, such as D, C, E, A. It also contains antioxidants, calcium, potassium and many other useful substances. Hot chocolate is also used as a remedy for the treatment of certain cardiovascular diseases.

In addition to all the above advantages, hot chocolate is also useful in the morning if there is either vigorous activity during the day or an active mental load. During depressions, it is hot chocolate that is considered the best remedy in order to cheer up and forget about all the bad things.

How to prepare a wonderful drink at home?

And so, for starters, you need to choose high-quality chocolate, for the simple reason that the consistency and, directly, the taste of the drink itself will depend on it in the future. Next, you need to choose the basis for the drink. It can be plain water, milk or cream, depending on your taste preferences. A 1:1 combination of water and milk is considered ideal, chocolate in such a base melts quickly and evenly, and the taste is very delicate.

As for other additions, it is worth noting that you can add everything to hot chocolate, from spices to alcohol. So experiment sweet lovers!

May 26, 2015 Marina

If the information turned out to be useful to you, please do not be greedy - share with your friends in in social networks, you will make us happy!))

The history of sweets began at least 4,000 years ago with Egyptian desserts described in extant papyri. It is established that candied fruits were sold in the markets in 1566 BC. The history of chocolate began when the ancient Mayans and Aztecs discovered the miraculous properties of cocoa. Appearing in the Amazon or Orinoco valleys, chocolate remained unknown in the Old World for a long time.

In 600 BC The Maya migrated to the northern part South America and planted the first cocoa plantations on the territory of modern Yucatan. There is a version that the Maya were familiar with cocoa for several centuries before, using wild cocoa beans for billing and as a cash equivalent. It is not known who exactly invented the first chocolate. Both the Maya and the Aztecs made xocoatl from cocoa beans. According to the Aztec legend, cocoa seeds came to earth from paradise, so it gives strength and wisdom to all who eat its fruits.

The Aztecs believed that the god Quetzalcoatl, who arrived on earth on a ray of the morning star, brought a cocoa tree as a gift to people and taught them to fry and grind its fruits and prepare a nutritious paste from which you can make a drink chocolatl (bitter water). To change the taste of a bitter drink, the Aztecs added pepper and other spices to it. modern word"chocolate" is thus derived from the May word "xocoatl" (cocoa) and the Aztec "chocolatl". In the language of modern Mexican Indians, the word "chocolatl" has been preserved, denoting foam with water.

The history of chocolate dates back many centuries, when chocolate existed only in liquid form. This drink was part of magical rituals and marriage ceremonies. Some ancient Mexican tribes believed that chocolate was patronized by the goddess of food, Tonacatecuhtli, and the goddess of water, Calciutluk. Every year they made human sacrifices to the goddesses, feeding the victim cocoa before they died.

The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who classified plants, changed ancient name cocoa in "theobroma", which is translated from Greek as "food of the gods". It is believed that Columbus was the first to bring cocoa to Europe. From my fourth trip to New World he brought cocoa beans as a gift to King Ferdinand, but against the background of other treasures, the "food of the gods" was not given due importance.

The first European to try the original chocolate was Cortez, who visited Emperor Montezuma in Mexico. Montezuma drank nothing but iced chocolate with vanilla and other spices. Montezuma's custom of drinking a cup of chocolate before entering his harem led European doctors to believe that chocolate was a powerful aphrodisiac. In 1528, Cortez presented cocoa beans to King Charles V. It so happened that the Spanish monks began to make chocolate according to an Indian recipe and kept it a secret for almost 100 years. When chocolate became known outside the walls of the monasteries, Spain began to grow cocoa trees in its many colonies and made huge profits from the sale of chocolate.

Italian traveler Antonio Carletti brought cocoa beans to Italy in 1606. In 1615, Princess Maria Teresa of Spain gave chocolate to her fiancé, Louis XIV. When Spain lost its power and monopoly on chocolate, it began to be made throughout Europe - in France, Italy, Germany and England.

The first café serving chocolate was opened in London in 1657. Chocolate was the drink of the rich and cost up to 15 shillings a pound. Like the Maya, the fruit of the cocoa tree has become a currency in some countries. In Nicaragua, you could buy a rabbit for 10 cocoa beans and a good slave for 100. Leading doctors of the 17th and 18th centuries. prescribed chocolate to their wealthy patients as a tonic and a cure for many diseases. Chocolate was commonly prescribed to children and men, adding milk, wine, spices, and even beer to the drink.

In 1674, soft chocolate appeared in the form of bars and rolls. The first chocolate bar was made by Fry & Sons under the brand name Chocolat Delicieux a Manger. The first milk chocolate appeared in Switzerland, after which the Swiss company Nestle gained popularity. In 1879, Rudolf Lindt from Bern produced chocolate that melted in your mouth. He invented conching - a method of slowly heating chocolate - and began to add more cocoa butter to his products. The first chocolate with filling appeared in 1913.

In the middle of the 18th century chocolate became cheaper and more accessible to all segments of the population due to the expansion of plantations and the mechanization of production. The invention of the cocoa butter press in 1828 improved the quality of chocolate and made it even more affordable. During the industrial revolution began industrial production chocolate. In 1765 chocolate appeared in North America.

Isaac Disraeli wrote about chocolate: “The Spaniards brought chocolate from Mexico, where it was a coarse mixture of ground cocoa beans, Indian corn and spices. The Spaniards liked the nutritional value of chocolate and improved the drink with sugar and flavorings.”

According to Nestle, chocolate owes its popularity to four events: the discovery of cocoa powder in 1828, the reduction in excise taxes, the improvement of transportation, and the invention of solid chocolate. Arthur Knapp, researcher of the history of chocolate, notes the special importance of the invention of the press for pressing cocoa beans.

In the 19th century, Venezuela was the leader in the production of cocoa beans, now half of the cocoa is grown in Brazil and Cote d'Ivoire. The United States is now considered the leader in the production of chocolate; In terms of chocolate consumption per capita, Switzerland ranks first. Around the world, 600,000 tons of chocolate are eaten every year. Chocolate production is one of the most profitable branches of the food industry.

In 1980, the world was shocked by the history of industrial espionage. A student of the Swiss company Suchard-Tobler unsuccessfully tried to sell a chocolate recipe to manufacturers from Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

Chocolate is one of the few products that has survived the transformation from the bitter drink of the Indians to the refined dessert of the nobility and the product of mass consumption, produced in the widest range. In addition to taste and commercial value, chocolate has the ability to cheer up and give strength.

Olga Borodina

The favorite delicacy of all times and peoples has come a long and difficult way before earning this honorary title. Despite the indescribable abundance of all kinds of tempting goodies, chocolate still occupies special place sweet in the hearts of the whole world.

Drink of the rulers

Chocolate first appeared in this world in the form of a hot drink made from cocoa beans about 3,000 years ago. And it was prepared by craftsmen from the Almec Indian tribe, who once lived on the territory of modern Mexico. The ready-made recipe was busily adopted by the far-sighted Maya and proclaimed to be a divine drink. Soon, cocoa beans became the most popular currency, and besides, they were sacrificed to the heavenly patron of cocoa, Ek Chuah.

The taste of cocoa was liked not only by Indian gods, but also by earthly rulers. The legendary Aztec emperor Montezuma was a big fan of the drink. Faithful submitted to the joy of the father-lord daily delivered to the palace at least 40 thousand bags of cocoa beans. And the court chefs even developed a special recipe for a chocolate drink for the emperor. Cocoa beans were lightly roasted and ground with grains of young corn. To sweeten the pleasure, honey, vanilla and agave juice were added to the mixture.

The history of chocolate creation would be incomplete without poetic legends. One of them tells of a simple Mexican gardener named Quetzalcoatl. He put all his mental and physical strength into growing lush gardens. Once a nondescript tree appeared in it, which the gardener called cocoa. And although its fruits looked like cucumbers, and their taste was bitter, a thick drink brewed from them filled the body with vigor and drove away melancholy. Cocoa fruits brought wealth and fame to Quetzalcoatl, which eventually blinded and corrupted the gardener. As a punishment, the gods deprived him of his mind, and in his rage, the proud man destroyed his beautiful gardens. Miraculously, only one ordinary-looking cocoa tree managed to survive, which continued to bring magical fruits to mankind.

Conquest of Europe

Opinions about who first brought chocolate to Europe have not yet been brought to a common denominator. According to one version, it was the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, who at the beginning of the 16th century conquered part of Mexico and discovered rich stocks of strange dried beans in the pantries of Montezuma. The trophy, along with the recipe for making the drink, was delivered to the royal court in Spain.

According to another version, the discoverer of chocolate was Christopher Columbus. Some historians claim that it was he who was the first European to try it on the island of Guyana. However, the bitter taste of the drink and the strange aroma of unknown herbs with which it was flavored disappointed Columbus, and he showed no interest in cocoa beans.

Thus, the Spaniards became the first in Europe to have a recipe for a magical drink. And since the supply of cocoa beans was more than modest, they zealously guarded the secret of the chocolate recipe from spies from neighboring countries.

The rest of Europe learned and fell in love with chocolate only in 1616, when Anna of Austria brought a whole case of cocoa beans to Paris. Soon the marvelous drink was enjoyed in the best aristocratic houses of Europe. However, only men could resist the fortress and tart bitterness, the ladies condescendingly rejected overseas treats. For sweetness, they tried to add cane sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to cocoa. But the British finally corrected the situation at the beginning of the 18th century, deciding to dilute hot chocolate with milk. It was then that the drink conquered the hearts of secular ladies with a mild taste.

Among other things, chocolate managed to become the cause of confusion of bright spiritual minds. The fact is that Catholic Church strictly followed the observance of all the requirements of fasting. Everything that gave pleasure was excluded from the list of products allowed for consumption. The mysterious chocolate became the cause of heated debate, so Pope Pius V was instructed to determine the degree of its sinfulness. ".

Happiness - to the masses

At the beginning of the 17th century, cocoa plantations began to grow, and chocolate came to the people, very quickly winning universal love. For some time, the French controlled its further fate. In 1659, David Schein launched the world's first chocolate factory, and already in the middle of the 18th century, private confectioneries began to open throughout France, where guests were offered a fragrant drink.

Surprisingly, until the 19th century, chocolate was known to the world only in liquid form. Swiss Francois Louis Kaye guessed to turn it into our favorite and such familiar tiles. He also built the first factory for the production of solid chocolate. Like mushrooms after rain, the same factories began to appear in Europe. Wanting to get around hated competitors, confectioners desperately tried to invent their own signature recipes, adding nuts, dried fruits, candied fruit, wine and even beer to chocolate.

In 1875, Swiss chocolate entered the stage with its head held high and later became a recognized standard. The secret of its preparation turned out to be very simple - cocoa mass mixed with condensed milk. At the same time, another Swiss, Rudolf Lindt, invented a special machine for rolling chocolate mass, thanks to which it acquired a thicker and more delicate texture.

Today, the technology of making chocolate has not changed significantly. But production volumes have reached a truly cosmic scale and amount to over 4 million tons annually. But the variety of varieties of delicacies defies any calculations and is constantly updated with new original ideas.

A bar of your favorite chocolate remains to this day the best way get rid of a bad mood and feel inspiring euphoria. Even extra calories cannot overshadow this magical feeling, since these are calories of happiness.

From the history of the appearance of chocolate in Europe and Russia

No chocolate - no breakfast!

Charles Dickens. Pickwick Papers

For the first time chocolate appeared in our country during the reign of Empress Catherine the Great. It is said that in 1786 this delicacy was presented to the court of Her Imperial Majesty by the Ambassador of Venezuela, Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda. But world history product is much older and more complex. The Aztec and Mayan tribes were the first to regularly consume chocolate in the form of a bitter intoxicating drink. This happened, according to historians, between 400 BC and 400 BC. e. and 100 A.D. e. From South America, he got to Europe, where also in the form of a drink, but with sugar, chocolate gained popularity in high society. It is interesting that the Indian name of the tree - cocoa, the fruits of which people used, took root in the New World as the name of the drink. It is strange that other products from cocoa beans received a different name - chocolate, although among the Indians a thick cold drink made from cocoa with vanilla and spices was called the close-sounding word "chocolatl" or "xocoatl", which translated as "foamy water". First of all, the highest nobility, clergymen and merchants drank this drink, and cocoa itself played an important role in the cultural and religious life Mayan and Aztec Indian society. Many religious ceremonies of these peoples are associated with the use of cocoa.

Some special properties are constantly attributed to chocolate: magic, mystical, healing ... For example, in Latin cocoa trees are called Theobroma Cacao, which means "food of the gods." In Greek, theos means "god" and broma means "food."

Of the Europeans, Christopher Columbus was the first to try chocolatl in 1502 and even brought the beans home. But then no attention was paid to them, because Columbus himself did not like chocolate. The second attempt to accustom Europeans to cocoa was successful - the conquistadors of General Hernan Cortez in 1519 tried it, brought the miracle beans to Europe and presented a drink that had never been seen before at the Spanish court. Cocoa liked it, and the enterprising conqueror of the New World organized a trade in it from his plantation in America.

At first, a very expensive product was inaccessible to the majority, but over time, many townspeople began to afford buying, if not the cocoa beans themselves, then the waste from their production, from which the cocoa shell drink was made, similar to cocoa, but more liquid. But the cocoa drink itself was becoming more and more popular. Its composition has also changed over the decades. Quite quickly, Europeans abandoned the use of pepper and strong spices, began to add more sugar or honey, and vanilla was used for flavor. In relatively cold Europe, cocoa began to be heated, which also affected taste preferences Spaniards, Italians and French. Chocolate came to the territory of the German states from Italy, and since 1621, Spain's monopoly on this product completely ceased to operate - cocoa beans appeared on the wholesale markets of Holland and throughout the continent. At retail, cocoa was sold in pressed slabs, from which the merchant broke off a piece of the desired weight. In a special vessel, cocoa was heated, sugar and water were added to it and poured into cups. At the beginning of the 18th century in Great Britain they tried to use milk instead of water and got a softer and tastier drink than the one prepared with water. Following the example of the British, milk was also used in other countries in the preparation of cocoa, and this soon became commonplace.

With the discovery in 1828 by the Dutch chemist Conrad van Houten, it became possible to make solid chocolate by adding cocoa butter to cocoa powder. And twenty years later, in Germany, they made up the classic recipe for solid chocolate, which is used to this day. Cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla are added to grated cocoa. The degree of bitterness of the chocolate depends on the amount of cocoa butter added. With the addition of 30% cocoa butter, milk chocolate bars are made, and with higher numbers - bitter. With the increasing demand for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, many manufacturers indicate the percentage of its content on the packaging.

We began our historical story with the fact that chocolate first appeared in Russia under Empress Catherine II, and the previously mentioned Francisco de Miranda brought cocoa from America, and the Russians discovered this product, like the Europeans, directly. For some time, chocolate, and we mean the drink, was drunk exclusively among the nobility and merchants. The main reason for this is the high price of the product delivered from across the ocean, and even through European ports. The situation began to change by the middle of the 19th century, when in 1850 the German Theodor Ferdinand Einem came to Russia to do business and opened a small chocolate production in Moscow, which became the basis of a large production, now known under the brand name "Red October". Einem chocolate was famous not only for its excellent quality and excellent taste, but also for its expensive and elegant packaging. Sweets were placed in silk or velvet cells, the boxes were trimmed with natural leather with gold embossing. T.F. Einem came up with the idea of ​​selling candy sets with surprise gifts inside. Usually these were notes of small musical compositions - songs or just Greeting Cards. In St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod and others major cities Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century, cafes and restaurants were opened where you could drink hot cocoa or enjoy chocolate own production. Gradually, the townsfolk are accustomed to drinking cocoa at home, buying cocoa powder in confectionery stores, and for people with low incomes they offered cocoa shells - waste from the production of cocoa beans. The cocoa shell drink had the same name and differed from real cocoa in a liquid consistency and a less pronounced taste. For a long time cocoa shell was very popular, but with the growth of incomes of the population, it was replaced by cocoa powder made from cocoa beans.

In our country, the industrialist Alexei Ivanovich Abrikosov was a famous chocolate tycoon, who produced such famous candies as Goose Paws, Cancer Necks and Duck Noses. The owners of the "Partnership A.I. Abrikosov Sons” was the first in Russia to come up with the idea of ​​covering dried fruits with icing - this is how prunes and dried apricots in chocolate appeared, which were previously imported to us from France. In 1900, the process of chocolate glazing at the Abrikosov factory became automated, and a year earlier, the Partnership received high rank"supplier of the court of his imperial majesty." In 1918, all the "sweet" production of the Abrikosovs was nationalized. The Abrikosovs also packaged their products in expensive and memorable packaging. Cards and labels dedicated to artists, scientists, musicians and writers were put into a box of chocolate, and chocolate kings were mainly focused on children, so they called sweets names close to the children's heart, where paws and beaks are present.

In honor of holy month Ramadan in Indonesia, a chocolate mosque was built: three meters wide and five meters high! Construction went on for two weeks. All those who came to look at this miracle could not only admire, but also taste a piece.

In the last century domestic industry produced a variety of dark and milk chocolate, chocolates and products glazed with chocolate. Historically, it has been most of consumed in

Russian products refer to milk chocolate, to a lesser extent we eat bitter chocolate. But this is due to the fact that the German Eichen brought milk chocolate from Germany, and his company quickly accustomed our ancestors to chocolate with a lower cocoa content. Of course, dark chocolate was also loved in Russia, but it was consumed in smaller volumes. Connoisseurs have always noted the products of the Moscow confectionery factory "Red October" or the factory named after N.K. Krupskaya, located in St. Petersburg. The latter even had its regular admirers - chocolate lovers were looking for exactly her products.