The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.

Vessels that hold chocolate are often marked
with the Maya glyph for cacao.
Many vessels also contain chocolate residue.

The Maya of this period probably processed cacao much like today. After gathering the cacao pods, the seeds found inside would have to be fermented and dried. Then, the seeds were roasted in a griddle held over a fire.

Next, the shells would have to be removed and the seeds ground into a paste by crushing them with a small stone (called a mano [MAH no]) against a large stone surface (called a metate [meh TAH tay]).

The ground cacao seeds were ground into a chocolate paste that was mixed with water, Chile peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients. This bitter concoction was poured back and forth from cup to pot until it developed a thick foam on top. Sugar wasn't available in Mesoamerica, so any sweetener probably came from a bit of honey or flower nectar.

Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home to Spain, where new recipes were created. Eventually, the drink’s popularity spread throughout Europe. Since then, new technologies and innovations have changed the texture and taste of chocolate, but it still remains one of the world’s favorite flavors.

During his conquest of Mexico, Cortez found the Aztec Indians using cocoa beans in the preparation of the royal drink of the realm, "chocolatl", meaning warm liquid. In 1519, Emperor Montezuma, who reportedly drank 50 or more portions daily, served chocolatl to his Spanish guests in great golden goblets, treating it like a food for the gods.

For all its regal importance, however, Montezuma's chocolatl was very bitter, and the Spaniards did not find it to their taste. To make the concoction more agreeable to Europeans, Cortez and his countrymen conceived of the idea of sweetening it with cane sugar.

While they took chocolatl back to Spain, the idea found favor and the drink underwent several more changes with newly discovered spices, such as cinnamon and vanilla. Ultimately, someone decided the drink would taste better if served hot.

The new drink won friends, especially among the Spanish aristocracy. Spain wisely proceeded to plant cocoa in its overseas colonies, which gave birth to a very profitable business. Remarkably enough, the Spanish succeeded in keeping the art of the cocoa industry a secret from the rest of Europe for nearly a hundred years.