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Back in the days of the Aztecs, cocoa beans were valuable not only for their culinary importance but also as currency. Cocoa beans were often given as gifts during important ceremonies and festivals. Even so, they also used the roasted beans to make a chocolate drink. Their version was much different from the hot chocolate we all know today. The Aztecs actually drank it cold, flavoured with wine and chili peppers, and not at all sweet.
Chocolate was discovered and brought to Europe in the early 1500s by the explorer Cortez. After its introduction in Spain, the drink began to be served hot, sweetened and without the chili peppers. The Spanish were very protective of their wonderful new beverage, and it was over a hundred years before news of it began to spread across Europe.
After its initial introduction in Europe, hot chocolate was so rare and highly prized that the Spanish Royal Family gave it away as a dowry. Fortunately for chocolate lovers, it’s more widely available today. Signatures' Hot Chocolate is a divine mix of cocoas and sure to chase away the chill of these crisp fall days. Enjoy!
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 05 January 2010 )
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