Mesoamerican Roots

The plant Theobroma cacao also known as cacao and named food of the Gods by Carolus Linnaeus originates from Central America. That much is well known, but how exactly did that wonderful plant become so popular? European encounters at first did not place much value in the small bean which served as currency until they were served it. Tribes such as the Aztec and Maya served chocolate to their nobles by adding roast cacao beans, maize, chili peppers, honey and vanilla to water by beating it to a froth. The Aztec emperor Motecuhzoma reportedly drank hundreds of cups of this early hot chocolate per day!