In the 21st century, everyone has tasted chocolate at least once. But now few people know the history of the origin of this delicacy. Initially, dessert was considered a "royal" treat. Due to the high cost, ordinary people could not afford it. But consider the history of the development of chocolate in order.

Where and when was chocolate first introduced?

The history of the origin of the first chocolate begins over three decades ago in the lowlands of the Gulf of Mexico. The Olmec Indians lived there. Scientists suggest that the etymology of the word "cocoa" originates from this people. The Olmecs first used "kakawa" in conversation. So the settlers called the cold water drink with crushed cocoa beans.

The Mayan tribes replaced the Olmec civilization. Interesting facts are connected with them. For example, the Indians attributed the cocoa fruit tree to divine creation. They also had a deity - a cocoa god. And the fruits of the tree have become currency. So 1 hare was equal to 10 cocoa beans, and for 100 cocoa beans you could buy a slave.

The Maya tribes cleared areas in the lowlands and grew cocoa trees. The drink "kakauatl" was invented. The production of chocolate was from roasted fruits, with the addition of water and spices.

To replace the Mayan people, the Toltec tribe appears. However, they also did not own the plantation for long due to internal disagreements.

Who Invented Chocolate

For children, the appearance of bar chocolate is interesting.

The first chocolate bar appeared in 1847 in England. Made from grated beans, sugar and vanilla and cocoa butter.

Having appeared, the tiles began to displace the liquid dessert.

History in the Middle Ages the conquest of Europe

The history of the appearance of chocolate in medieval Europe starts in the 16th century. E. Cortes brought cocoa beans from Latin America. All this time, the product has been a dessert of the nobility and is available exclusively to the rich and influential citizens. The price of fruits is quite high.

Appearance in France

From 1615 he began to appear in France. Development in this country was due to the marriage of King Louis XIII with Anne of Austria. Factories for the manufacture of this product began to appear.

Little was known about chocolate. So until 1732, the processing of fruits was carried out in the classical Aztec way. Crushing of fruits was carried out by the staff, kneeling. The technique did not make it possible to produce goods in the right quantity. Because of this, the cost of the product remained at a high level.

1732 was a turning point. Dubuisson designed a high table that was heated from below. This made it possible to simplify and make the work comfortable for employees. Product growth has increased.

In 1770, a specialty called "chocolatier" appeared especially for the queen. Due to this, a variety of product options appear with the addition of new ingredients.

The 19th century is famous for the innovation of bean processing methods, which makes it possible to produce bar chocolate instead of a hot drink.

Today, everyone can find out the history of the origin of the liquid product and the tiled version.

Modern history of chocolate

The chocolate bar history dates back to the 19th century. A key step in the production of chocolate drink was the discovery of Conrad in 1828. He was able to isolate cocoa bean oil in its purest form. This discovery made it possible to produce a delicacy in a solid, slab form.

The 19th century and the man who invented the extraction of oil from beans are marked by the heyday of the production of that product. Chocolate kings began to appear. Each manufacturer regularly improved the production of tiles. A. Ritter, the German owner of the production, changed the rectangular tiles to square ones. T. Tobler from Switzerland created the first chocolate bars, and Koller developed a recipe with nuts.

Chocolate and its modern history is quite fascinating. At this time, there is the origin of tiles and bars, which are known to everyone.

History of chocolate in Russia

The history of chocolate in Russia does not have a specific day and way of origin. There are many options for when chocolate appeared in Russia. One says that dessert first appeared in the state when Catherine II was the ruler. It is believed that the first chocolate was brought to the country by the ambassador from Venezuela, Francisco de Miranda.

As in other states, it was a drink of citizens who were close to the government. At the same time, only foreign craftsmen produced.

A citizen from Germany moved to Russia in 1850 with the aim of creating a chocolate workshop. A year later, he created a small production. He made various delicacies. And after 6 years, having met with the future partner Y. Geys, they opened a shop on Theater Square.

Having accumulated the required amount of funds, they ordered a new steam engine from Europe, from where it was delivered to them. This made it possible to start building a plant on the banks of the Moscow River. Initially, the name was "Einem", but after a certain period, it was renamed to "Red October".

Boxes with chocolate in Russia of the Einem premium degree were made with silk, velvet, and leather. Various surprises were invested in them.

Real Russian chocolate was invented by Alexei Abrikosov. Fruits in chocolate glaze brought great popularity to Alexei. This man was attentive to every detail.

Please note that even in the days of the USSR, when no attention was paid to exclusivity and individuality, Abrikosov's chocolate was not inferior in quality to a product from France.

Video about the history of chocolate

https://youtu.be/bN9ysPY-9yA

Chocolate museums from around the world

1. Caslano, Switzerland

Everyone who hears the word "chocolate" is the first one with Switzerland. Many mistakenly assume that this country is the birthplace of this product. However, such a judgment is erroneous.

But today the country is practically a standard. You can check the reality by visiting the amazing museum - Alprose Chocolate Country. At the entrance to the museum, visitors are greeted by a statue of a cow made of chocolate. This is the Alprose symbol. Here they not only tell and show the history of chocolate, but also give those who wish to become a confectioner. In the patisserie, you can make and taste your own invented creation.

1. Bruges, Belgium

Belgian tiles are in no way inferior to Swiss goods. Check out the Choco-Story Museum. It is located in the building of the castle of the 17th century. During the tour, you can watch the chocolate sculptures, which are built with jewelry fineness. Get acquainted with the history of the formation of chocolate in this state. There is also a chocolate bar where you can try a real Belgian dessert.

1. O. Jeju-do, South Korea

The only chocolate museum in Asia. It is located in a building built of basalt. The external image resembles castles from the Middle Ages. Here are recipes from around the world. In this museum, adults will taste chocolate with the taste of ginseng or green tea, get acquainted with the amazing chocolate art gallery. And children will be pleased to see a real chocolate tram.

1. Brselona, ​​Spain

The city is famous for its private chocolate museum: Museudela Xocolata. It is not the secrets of creating the product that are amazing, but the talents of the chocolate masters. They create amazing sculptures from ordinary delicacies. The museum has many famous sculptures made of chocolate. During the tour, visitors can try to create a sweet figurine.

1. Jespolceme, France

The museum called "Lessecrets duchocolat" gives visitors the opportunity to plunge into the refined era of the state during the time of the Marquise de Sevigne. On the tour you will be told who invented chocolate, the first recipes, the role of the marquise in the spread of goodies. Here you can try chocolate vinegar, beer. And for children there is a chocolate workshop.

1. Moscow, Russia

Do not forget about Russia. The capital is also popular for its chocolate museum. Famous confectionery factories 9 years ago opened a chocolate museum called "BEAR" for their visitors. It tells the full story of the origin of the delicacy since the Maya, when the first bar of chocolate appeared. Visitors can watch the production and taste the sweets.

1. Mexico City, Mexico

There is a chocolate museum in the birthplace of cocoa beans. Created by Nestle in 2007. The museum is located in a building of bright red color and original shape. The interior of the building is unique. Cozy seats are created in the form of tile cubes.

1. Lititz, USA

Wilbur Museum. The story begins with a hobby. The confectioner's wife was a collector of items related to chocolate. Buying these items from various merchants, I have accumulated more than 1000 copies. And in 1972 the museum opens. Uniqueness is created by the presence of 150 porcelain pots from around the world, which are hand-painted with chocolate. Since then, the museum is still popular.

Surprisingly tasty and not difficult to create, the product is popular on the planet. But unlike ancient times, where bitter water or a bar was the dessert of the rich, now everyone buys chocolate. Visit amazing museums, where they will tell you everything about chocolate: history, various facts, and let you try to create a tile yourself.

Chocolate is a delicious treat not only for children, but also for most adults. Today, its taste and aroma can be recognized with closed eyes, but, as history shows, chocolates were not always distinguished by pleasant taste qualities. Chocolate has come a long way to win the hearts of aficionados all over the world. In short, this amazing product has gone through a transformation from a tart and bitter drink to an exquisite sweet dessert, which today is produced in the widest range - bitter, dark, ruby, milky, white, porous ...

Who invented it?

According to one of the hypotheses of linguists, the name "chocolate" comes from the Aztec "xocolātl", which is pronounced "chocolatl" and means "bitter or foamy water". At the same time, the chocolate tree was named by the Swedish naturalist K. Linnaeus and other Greek. translated as "food of the gods".

Ancient chocolate

Chocolate history began more than 3 thousand years ago in Central America. The local Indians, first the Olmecs, and then the Mayans who replaced them, prepared a drink from cocoa fruits, which was considered sacred and was an integral part of sacred rituals, marriage and funeral ceremonies. Cocoa beans are also widely used for medicinal purposes. This cold, bitter and rather spicy, due to the addition of hot pepper and spices, the drink was first whipped to a high foam in special jugs, and then immediately drunk or allowed to brew and ferment. Drinking such a drink was allowed only to the highest layers of one of the most mysterious world civilizations - shamans, leaders, noble men and worthy warriors.

The Aztecs, who had the largest army at that time, and in the XIV century. who imposed their supremacy on the Maya, adopted the established tradition of preparing and consuming chocolate, and valued the fruits of the chocolate tree no less. In addition to gold and silver, cocoa beans were brought as tribute, which had already become a monetary unit and were considered a symbol of wealth, in connection with which they were even forged. During this era, the first chocolate tree plantations were established.

According to historical data, the wealth of the Aztec rulers was estimated not only by jewelry, but also by the number of bags of cocoa beans. They were mainly consumed as a drink with various ingredients on which the taste depended. Although in some cases the fruits were consumed raw or fried. Moreover, men who could afford a cocoa drink drank it in large quantities, because it was believed that it had a positive effect on communication with the female sex. In addition, the Indian peoples believed that cocoa beans, from which spiritual insight, wisdom and strength come, are a sacred gift from the gods. There are many stories and legends about chocolate.

Chocolate in Europe

During the period of great geographical discoveries, the navigator and discoverer Columbus, in search of "India", discovered the "New World" (1502). Here, among the indigenous people, he tried exotic cocoa, which did not make much of an impression on him. Nevertheless, from his fourth trip, the traveler brought mysterious grains to Europe as a gift to the Spanish monarch. But among many other treasures and curiosities, modest-looking cocoa beans have not been given due attention.

The Spaniards, or rather the conquistador Fernando Cortes, who led the conquest of Mexico, were the first to appreciate the taste of a chocolate drink. An interesting fact contributed to the invader. According to one version, the Aztecs believed that the god Quetzalcoatl or the Winged Serpent, who gave people a cocoa tree, should come to them. When, in 1519, Cortes landed on the shore along with his warriors, whose armor sparkled in the rays of the sun like the scales of a snake, the locals decided that the prophecy had come true and received the guests with great honors. At the feast of the leader Montezuma, a foamy, thick, red drink was presented in golden bowls with the greatest reverence. Although Cortez did not really like its taste, he noted how refreshing, invigorating and energizing chocolate is.

Literally six months later, the Spaniards attacked, destroying the centuries-old Aztec empire to the ground, but having received the most valuable thing - the secret of making an exotic drink. After the establishment of Spanish domination on the island of Haiti, Cortes founded the first cocoa plantation belonging to Spain. Soon, upon returning to his homeland, the conquistador personally treated the Emperor Charles V to the exotic, and after scientific confirmation of the value of the product, the manufacturing secret was equated with a state secret and many people were executed for disclosure. Regular imports of valuable cargo under guard from the "New World" to Europe began. And at first, English pirates, capturing Spanish ships, thought that the beans were sheep dung and simply threw it overboard.

The Spaniards, or rather the Jesuit monks, under pain of death, began to experiment - heat the drink, add cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, honey, but when it was supplemented with cane sugar, a real turning point occurred in the history of the appearance of chocolate, because its popularity soared to heaven. The noble drink was first appreciated at the Spanish court, while the secret of its preparation and recipe was kept in great secret.

Chocolate drink appeared in Europe when coffee was not yet popular, and Chinese tea was fabulously expensive.

chocolate boom

From the 17th century the fame of the hot and sweet drink spread throughout Europe. Florentine traveler Francesco Carletti learned about it during a trip around the world and published a recipe, and the Italians soon established chocolate production. From Venice, the chocolate mania spread to other European countries. At the same time, the French court learned about the delicacy thanks to the wife of Louis XIII, the daughter of the Spanish monarch, Anna of Austria.

A little later, the "Chocolate House" opens in the capital of England, giving rise to hundreds of cafes that treat visitors to an exquisite dessert. Drinking a cup of a noble drink was considered a sign of good taste. In addition, doctors advised chocolate as a tonic and aphrodisiac. European confectioners prepared various delicacies from it with milk, nuts, dried fruits, flower petals and added it to pastries. Expensive sweetness remained the privilege of the upper strata. In the 18th century there were attempts to mechanize production, reduce costs and expand the circle of dessert admirers.

According to modern statistics, one inhabitant of the Earth accounts for at least 5 kg per year.

chocolate industry

Until the 19th century sweetness was offered only in liquid form. But thanks to the Dutchman Konrad van Guten, who designed a special device, it was possible to squeeze out enough fatty oil from grated cocoa. Confectioners began to add it to hot chocolate, which made the liquid mass harden. The powder remained in the press, which was perfectly soluble in water or milk.

The first chocolate bar was officially created in 1847 at the J.S. Fry & Sons (England), which was later taken over by the larger company Cadbury Brothers. In the future, tiles began to be produced at other enterprises, and chocolate as a drink lost its relevance. Due to high competition, manufacturers came up with new forms and tastes with different fillings.

In Sweden, Daniel Peter, one of the founders of the Nestlé factory, succeeded in making the first milk chocolate bar by adding powdered milk. In the 1930s under the brand name "Nestlé" released a white kind of delicacy.

With the onset of the industrial revolution, chocolates and sweets became available to almost everyone, and chocolate production became one of the most profitable areas in the food industry.

Today they produce chocolates with the most unusual flavors, for example, with salt, bacon, hay flavor and cologne smell, with wasabi and algae for those who want to lose weight.

Chocolate in Russia

Catherine II was a great admirer of chocolate, who became a trendsetter in the St. Petersburg courtyard to start the morning with a cup of hot drink. His recipe was brought by Venezuelan Ambassador Francisco de Miranda. By the middle of the XIX century. Russian factories began to appear in Moscow, though they were opened by entrepreneurs of foreign origin. One of the founders was the Frenchman Adolphe Siou, who opened a confectionery business under the brand name “A. Sioux and Co., as well as the German Ferdinand von Einem, the owner of the Einem Partnership, who conquered the capital with a wide range of confectionery.

A talented merchant A. Abrikosov opened the first domestic chocolate production. At the same time, he launched a powerful advertising campaign, independently made packaging and colorful wrappers for products dedicated to cultural and scientific figures, as well as on children's topics. The creations of the confectioner are known to many - "Crow's feet", "Cancer necks", sweet New Year's figurines. Abrikosov proudly bore the title of "chocolate king" of Russia.

In the Soviet era, many large chocolate enterprises were nationalized until the middle of the 20th century. did not pay due attention to this industry. But since the 1960s, a new program has been adopted, with which milk chocolate became available to every Soviet person, and several generations of Russian children grew up with Alyonka chocolate.

The history of chocolate does not end today. Talented confectioners and chocolatiers continue to create the most attractive sweets from the chocolate mass according to classic and original recipes. There are several museums in the world and a monument dedicated to chocolate, and September 13 marks the most delicious holiday - World Chocolate Day.

The history of chocolate: from ancient civilizations to the present day. Aztec legends, the birth and flourishing of the chocolate industry in Europe, interesting facts from the history of chocolate.

The history of the appearance of chocolate is inextricably linked with the birth of the first civilizations. The oldest delicacy has gone from a bitter Aztec drink to a sweet European dessert, which in the 19th century took on a solid state familiar to us, and today is one of the most popular confectionery products in the world.

The oldest history of chocolate

The history of chocolate began more than 3 thousand years ago in the fertile lowlands of the Gulf of Mexico, where civilization was born. Very little evidence has been preserved about the life of this people, but scientists believe that it was in the Olmec language that the word “kakawa” first appeared. So the ancient Indians called a drink made from crushed cocoa beans diluted with cold water.

After the disappearance of the Olmec civilization, the Maya Indians settled on the territory of modern Mexico. They considered the cocoa tree to be a kind of deity, and magical properties were attributed to its grains. The ancient Mexicans even had their own patron - the cocoa god, to whom the priests prayed in the temples.

This is interesting! The Indians used cocoa beans as a bargaining chip: for 10 fruits of a cocoa tree, you could buy a rabbit, and for 100 - a slave.

The first cocoa plantations

Cacao trees grew in abundance, so for a long time they were not cultivated by the Maya. True, a drink from their seeds was considered a luxury available only to the elite - priests, tribal fathers and the most worthy warriors.

By the 6th century AD Mayan civilization reached its peak. It is hard to believe that this small nation managed to build entire cities, with pyramid castles, which surpassed the monuments of the Ancient World in their architecture. At this time, the first cocoa plantations were laid.

Ancient history of chocolate

By the 10th century AD the Mayan culture was in decline. And two centuries later, a powerful Aztec empire was formed on the territory of Mexico. Of course, they did not leave cocoa plantations without attention, and every year the cocoa trees gave more and more crops.

At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, the Aztecs conquered the Xoconochco region, gaining access to the best cocoa plantations. According to legend, about 500 bags of cocoa beans were consumed in the Nezahualcoyotl palace per year, and the warehouse of the Aztec leader Montezuma contained tens of thousands of bags of cocoa.

Aztec legends

The legend of the Garden of Eden of the wizard Quetzalcoatl

The history of the origin of chocolate is covered with many secrets and legends. The Aztecs believed that cocoa seeds came to them from paradise, and the fruits of the sacred tree are the food of the celestials, from which wisdom and strength come. There are many beautiful legends about the divine drink made from cocoa beans. One of them tells about the wizard Quetzalcoatl, who supposedly lived among these people and planted a garden of cocoa trees. The drink, which people began to prepare from the fruits of the cocoa tree, healed their souls and bodies. Quetzalcoatl was so proud of the results of his labor that he was punished by the gods with deprivation of reason. In a fit of madness, he destroyed his Garden of Eden. But one single tree survived, and since then gives people joy.

The legend of Montezuma's favorite drink

This legend says that the leader of the ancient Indians loved the drink from the fruits of the cocoa tree so much that he drank 50 small cups of this delicacy daily. For Montezuma, chocolatl (from choco - “foam” and latl - “water”), as the ancient Indians called it, was prepared according to a special recipe: cocoa beans were fried, ground with grains of milk corn, sweet agave juice, honey and vanilla. Chocolatl was served in gold glasses adorned with precious stones.

Destruction of the Maya civilization

The Indians believed in these legends so much that they accepted the prudent and bloodthirsty Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, that in 1519 he came to Tenochtitlan (the ancient capital of Mexico), for the god Quetzalcoatl, who had returned from heaven. Gold and other treasures gave Cortes Montezuma. But the cruel Spaniard walked with bloody footprints on Mexican soil. The Spaniards plundered Montezuma's palace, and tortured the Indian chiefs to teach them the secrets of making a chocolate drink. After that, the insidious and cruel Cortes ordered the destruction of all the priests who knew this secret.

The history of chocolate in the Middle Ages. Conquest of Europe

Spanish introduction to chocolate

Returning to Spain, Cortes went to the king, who had heard about the atrocities of the cruel conquistador. But Cortes managed to appease the monarch with a drink made from an outlandish overseas product. It must be said that the Spaniards changed the recipe for chocolate that existed for centuries: they began to add cinnamon, cane sugar and nutmeg to the too bitter Aztec chocolatl. For more than half a century, the Spaniards kept the recipe for making a chocolate drink in the strictest confidence, not wanting to share their discovery with anyone.

Italian acquaintance with chocolate

Thanks to smugglers, the Netherlands learned about chocolate. And the Florentine traveler Francesco Carletti told the Italians about a drink made from cocoa beans that they were the first to invent licenses for the creation of chocolate production. The country was gripped by a real chocolate mania: chocolatiers - as chocolate cafes were called in Italy, opened one after another in different cities. The Italians did not zealously guard the recipe for an exquisite delicacy. Austria, Germany and Switzerland learned about chocolate from them.

Acquaintance of the French with chocolate. History of chocolate in France

It should be noted that the Spanish princess, who became the wife of the French king Louis XIII, made a great contribution to the spread of noble sweetness in Europe. The queen introduced cocoa beans to Paris, where she brought a box of cocoa fruit in the early 17th century. After chocolate was approved by the French royal court, it quickly conquered all of Europe. True, the fragrant drink, although it was more popular than coffee and tea, remained so expensive that only the rich could afford this rare pleasure.

In medieval Europe, a cup of hot chocolate for dessert was considered a sign of good taste. Among the fans of chocolate was the wife of Louis XIV Maria Teresa, as well as favorites of Louis XV Madame du Barry and Madame Pompadour.

In 1671, the Duke of Plessis-Praline created the sweet praline dessert - grated nuts with lumps of chocolate and candied honey. And in the middle of the 18th century, every Frenchman could enjoy his favorite drink: chocolate confectioneries opened one after another in the country. In Paris, by 1798, there were about 500 such establishments. Very popular "Chocolate Houses" were in England, so much so that they overshadowed the coffee and tea salons.

Interesting facts from the history of chocolate!

male drink

For a long time, bitter and strong chocolate was considered a masculine drink, until it acquired the lightness it lacked: in 1700, the British added milk to chocolate.

Lovely "Chocolate"

The Swiss artist Jean Etienne Lyotard, inspired by the divine drink, in the mid-40s of the 17th century painted his most famous painting - "Chocolate Girl", which depicts a maid carrying hot chocolate on a tray.

Queen's Chocolatier

In 1770, Louis XVI married the Austrian Archduchess Marie Antoinette. She came to France not alone, but with her personal "chocolatier". So a new position appeared at the court - the queen's chocolatier. The master came up with new varieties of noble delicacy: chocolate with orange blossoms to calm the nerves, with orchids for vivacity, with almond milk for good digestion.

ancient medicine

In the Middle Ages, chocolate was used as a medicine. A striking confirmation of this is the experience of the treatment of Cardinal Richelieu by the famous healer of that time, Christopher Ludwig Hoffmann. And in Belgium, the first producers of chocolate were pharmacists.

Modern history of chocolate

Until the early 19th century, chocolate existed only in the form of a drink, until the Swiss chocolatier François-Louis Caille came up with a recipe that allowed cocoa beans to be turned into a solid, oily mass. A year later, a chocolate factory was built near the town of Vevey, and after it chocolate factories began to open in other European countries.

First chocolate bar

The turning point in the history of the emergence of chocolate was 1828, when the Dutchman Konrad van Houten managed to get cocoa butter in its pure form, thanks to which the royal delicacy acquired its usual solid form.

In the middle of the 19th century, the first chocolate bar appeared, which consisted of cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter and liquor. It was created by the English firm J.S. Fry & Sons, which in 1728 built the first mechanized chocolate factory in Bristol. Two years later, a similar product was launched on the market by Cadbury Brothers, which in 1919 absorbed the creator of the first chocolate bar.

The rise of the chocolate industry

The middle of the 19th century was marked by the flourishing of the chocolate industry. The first chocolate kings appeared, tirelessly improving the recipe of solid chocolate and the technology of its preparation. The German Alfred Ritter replaced the rectangular shape of the tile with a square one. Swiss Theodor Tobler invented the famous triangular chocolate bar "". And his compatriot Charles-Amede Kohler invented chocolate with nuts.

Creation of white and milk chocolate

The turning point in the history of noble sweetness was 1875, when the Swiss Daniel Peter created milk chocolate. His compatriot, Henri Nestlé, at the beginning of the 20th century began to produce milk chocolate under the Nestlé brand according to this recipe. Serious competition for him was Cadbury in England, Kanebo in Belgium and the American Milton Hershey, who founded a whole town in Pennsylvania, where they did nothing but make chocolate. Today, the city of Hershey is a real museum, which is reminiscent of the scenery of the movie "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

In 1930, Nestlé began producing white chocolate. A year later, a similar product appeared in the American company M&M's.

It is not known for certain when Imperial Petersburg learned about chocolate. Historians do not name the exact date. It is only known that during the reign of Empress Catherine II, the recipe for a wonderful delicacy was brought to Russia by the Latin American ambassador and officer Francisco de Miranda.

In the middle of the 19th century, the first chocolate factories appeared in Moscow, although they were controlled by foreigners: the Frenchman Adolphe Siou, the creator of A. Sioux and Co. ”and the German Ferdinand von Einem - the owner of“ Einem ”(today -“ Red October ”). Boxes with sweets "Einem" were decorated with velvet, leather and silk, and notes of specially written melodies were put into sets with surprises.

Aleksey Abrikosov, a talented merchant and self-taught marketer, was the first to establish domestic production of chocolate. His factory, established in the 1950s, produced chocolate in exquisite collectible packages: the cards that were inserted inside had portraits of famous artists. Abrikosov also came up with children's wrappers with ducks and gnomes. The famous caramel “Goose paws”, “Cancerous necks” and “Duck noses”, beloved by all chocolate Santa Clauses and hares - all these are the signature creations of a talented confectioner. In the 20th century, the brainchild of Abrikosov turned into the Babaevsky confectionery concern.

Today, a royal delicacy with a centuries-old history is available to everyone and is probably the most attractive sweet in the world. The history of chocolate does not end. Talented confectioners tirelessly improve their skills in order to give us a piece of such a simple, familiar happiness from childhood every day.

Some people call chocolate the hormone of happiness, others call it an addictive drug. Someone says that chocolate is harmful, and someone cannot live without it even a day..

The Mayan civilization believed in a god of cocoa beans.

Chocolate, or rather "chocolatl" - bitter water, traces its history back to the ancient civilization of the Olmecs. It was they who were the first to master the art of making a chocolate drink. They prepared it from the fruit of a wild cocoa tree. The discoverers were replaced by the Mayan civilization, which continued to use already domesticated cocoa trees. In the Mayan culture, there was a god of cocoa, and the chocolate drink was sacred. By the early 7th century AD, the Maya had established cocoa plantations. After some time, they began to experiment with the preparation of chocolate, adding various components to it.

In Aztec times, a hundred cocoa beans could buy a slave.

Later, the achievements of the Maya in the chocolate industry passed to the Aztecs. By that time, chocolate had already become an analogue of money. For example, a hundred grains could buy a slave. The largest purchases were paid for with unopened bean pods. However, there were those who tried to keep the valuable chocolate, but at the same time make a profit. Such people took cocoa beans out of the pod, stuffed it with earth, sealed it and sold it.

At the court of the last Aztec emperor, a new recipe for making a chocolate drink appeared. Cocoa beans were roasted, ground with corn grains and mixed with honey, agave juice, vanilla. In the palace itself there was a huge storehouse with a supply of cocoa - about forty thousand bags.

In 1502, Christopher Columbus tasted the bitter water (chocolate) of the American Indians. It is worth noting that she seemed unpleasant to him. But the seeds, then still unknown to Europeans, he took the plant. In 1519, Hernán Cortés attacked the Aztec empire and, among other things, seized boxes of cocoa. It is he who is considered the discoverer of chocolate for the peoples of Europe.

Cortes is credited with discovering chocolate for Europe

Since then, the Spaniards began to prepare this miraculous drink. They made it hot, cold, warm, but always added chili to it. The Spaniards claimed that the drink is very good for health. In particular, with fever, for the stomach and relieves well-being in the heat. Meanwhile, some disputed the usefulness of chocolate, believing that all the merit is in the various spices that are added to it.

Later, disputes of a religious nature began. The question was whether the given product breaks the fast or not. In 1569, the Catholic bishops of Mexico came together specifically to consider the dilemma that had arisen. It was decided to send a messenger to holy Rome. To everyone's surprise, Papa had never even heard of chocolate. When they prepared a cup of chocolate drink for him, after tasting it, he said: “Chocolate does not break the fast, because such disgusting things cannot bring pleasure to someone.”

For a long time, chocolate seemed disgusting to many.

For a long time, chocolate seemed to taste nasty to many. Despite this, his popularity increased. This product had a special commercial value and was prohibitively expensive. Only the rich and noble could afford this fragrant drink. Gradually, chocolate came into fashion and began to penetrate into Italy, France, England, Germany and Switzerland.

Thanks to Anna of Austria, the chocolate wave finally covered Europe. After all, it was Anna who brought a box of cocoa beans to Paris in 1615. Under Louis XIV, a fashionable drink began to be served at all court ceremonies. This was influenced by the king's wife Maria Theresa of Spain. Interestingly, at the beginning chocolate in Europe was considered a drink only for adults and purely masculine. For women and children, it was quite strong and bitter. Only over time did they learn how to sweeten chocolate.

Until 1674, chocolate was exclusively drunk. And only in the second half of the 17th century they began to make chocolate rolls, cakes, sweets and dragees. Cocoa beans were roasted, ground to a paste, powdered sugar and spices were added. Briquettes of various shapes were molded from the warm plastic mass. Before use, the briquettes were placed in a special vessel with a lid, poured with hot water and beaten until foam appeared.

In the 18th century, Marie Antoinette came to Paris with her personal chocolate maker. Almost immediately, a new position was approved at the court - chocolatier. New varieties of chocolate began to appear: with orchids to give strength, with orange flowers to calm the nerves, with almond milk for better digestion. Ads for chocolate desserts have found their way into newspapers, magazines, and posters.

In 1819, the Swiss Francois-Louis Caille invented a new type of chocolate - solid. In 1828, the Dutch scientist Konrad Van Houten decided to make chocolate really tasty and easy to make. He invented the hydraulic press, which pressed cocoa butter to produce cocoa powder. This powder was mixed with water and had a dark color. Milk chocolate was invented by Daniel Peter in 1875. Instead of ordinary milk, he added the dry milk created by the pharmacist Henri Nestlé. The production of milk chocolate required much less expensive cocoa, which made it possible to significantly save money.

In 1911, the American firm of Frank Mars was founded. In 1923, the company launches the Milky Way bar, and seven years later, Snickers.

Peter the Great is the discoverer of chocolate in Russia

In Russia, the discovery of the chocolate drink is attributed to Peter the Great. The king introduced the rank of kofishenka - a person responsible for quality control of coffee, tea and chocolate at court. And only with the beginning of the nineteenth century opens the real history of chocolate in Russia. Moscow chocolate factories were the first to add liquor, cognac, almonds, candied fruits and raisins to chocolate. The largest Russian factory for the production of this product was opened by a serf Stepan Nikolaev. Subsequently, he became known as Abrikosov, and the company - Concern Babaevsky. Also, the “Trading House of the Lenovs” became domestic. However, the main production of bar chocolate was under the supervision of foreign masters. Particularly significant firms were the German Einem Partnership and the French family business. Later they became known as "Red October" and "Bolshevik".

I continue my tour Museum of the History of Chocolate in Kirov.

The ancient civilization of the Aztecs was considered one of the most developed and richest. It is not surprising that trade flourished there, and commodity-money relations developed. The Aztecs used cocoa beans as money, not coins.
The dishonest Aztecs wanted to trade no less than the honest ones, and therefore began to come up with ways to cheat their tribe comrades. The first counterfeiters they faked cocoa beans no worse than any other currency: they cut cocoa pods, took out beans from there, filled the pods with clay or earth, glued them together and passed them off as full-fledged ones.

Cocoa beans money and shackles of the first counterfeiters

The first Europeans, who tasted cocoa were members of the Columbus expedition, who noted the special attitude of the Indians to cocoa beans.
Christopher Columbus gained immortal fame thanks to the discovery of the American continent in 1492. This discovery changed the way of life in the Old World. Tobacco, corn, potatoes, spices, exotic fruits are just a small part of what Native Americans gave to Europeans.
Cocoa, which never got to Europe during the time of Columbus, was one of the curiosities that the expedition members managed to taste on the land of the Indians, but Columbus turned out to be less perspicacious than his follower Hernan Cortes, and never tasted cocoa ...

Portrait of Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506)

The situation was as follows: in search of a new route to India, which the great traveler started for the fourth time, the ships of Christopher Columbus approached the shores of an unknown land near present-day Honduras. In July 1502, from a small island, which since then to this day has been called Saint Salvador, several well-equipped ships with welcome gifts came out to meet the sailors. The hospitable inhabitants of the island gave Columbus all the best that their land could give. Among the gifts, as the adopted son of Columbus, who participated in the expedition, wrote in his diary, were strange nuts that looked like almonds - a product not new to Europe. Neither Columbus nor his team appreciated the taste of bitter offerings, but drew attention to the reverent attitude of the Indians to this "almond": if the nut fell, everyone rushed to pick it up in order to carefully put it in its place. The sailors marveled and forgot. They were so interested in the search for a waterway to the shores of distant India that the strange exaltation of the "ordinary nut" by the population of the whole island did not interest anyone ... On the ships of Columbus, pineapples, cassava, corn, and capsicum went to Europe. Cocoa was not brought on board. It is still not known for certain whether Columbus was the first European to taste cocoa. But from the records of his son it is known that in appearance he compared the "divine" grains with almonds.

17 years after the indigenous people treated Christopher Columbus with cocoa, another great navigator and conquistador was awarded the same fate Hernan Cortes.

Portrait of Hernan Cortes (1485 - 1547)

In November 1519, in one of the regions of the Yucatan Peninsula, where the Mexican state of Tabasco is located today, Cortes and 700 people of his team landed on land with one single goal - to conquer the new land, to make it part of great Spain .. at any cost. The locals greeted Cortes as a god. And there was a reason: according to one of the legends, the god Quetzalcoatl, who gave cocoa to humanity, once went on a voyage towards the sun. And did not return. Shining with armor, carrying a wooden cross in front of him, Cortes, who arrived from the direction of the sun, was immediately mistaken by the natives for the returned god. As befits the gods, Cortes was greeted with all honors and taken to the palace of the mighty ruler of the Aztec king Montezuma. What else to treat the cocoa god if not the fruits of his favorite tree? In a golden goblet, Cortes was served a bitter drink, chocolatl. The taste of Cortes was not impressed, but he described the invigorating properties of the drink in his letter to King Charles V, noting that this drink satisfies hunger and allows you to go without food for a whole day, remaining energetic and full of strength.

Meeting of Cortes and Montezuma. Unknown artist, second half of the 17th century

Despite the warm welcome, Cortes soon did what he came to the American continent for: he ruthlessly destroyed numerous Indian tribes, killed King Montezuma and proclaimed himself Governor General of New Spain. Forgot about cocoa for a few years ..
It wasn't until 1524 that Cortés finally decided to send a few cocoa beans as a gift to his king, but history is silent on whether the monarch liked the American curiosity. One thing is known: even court botanists did not show the slightest interest in cocoa beans.
Only a few years later, when the ship Veracruz landed in Seville with a cargo of cocoa on board, Europe finally became interested in the bitter gift of the Indians. Cocoa and the wonderful tonic chocolatl impressed Charles V himself so much that he agreed to the Spanish monopoly on the production and trade of cocoa - a monopoly that lasted for almost a century.

Model of the ship "Santa Maria", on which Columbus discovered America in 1492

Thus, Spain was first European country recognizing the taste of chocolate. Not surprisingly, the American drink did not cause delight in the royal court. After all, "hot chocolate", as the Indians drank it, was heavily peppered, spicy and consumed cold. The first experiments with the taste of the drink began to be made by Jesuit monks, loyal subjects of the Spanish monarch.

Scholar-monk of Italian origin Benzoni, 1565

In 1565 a native of Italy monk Benzoni, working on the issue of improving the supply of the army, he suddenly discovered the high nutritional value of cocoa, which he immediately reported to the court. Realizing what a gold mine was in his hands, the Spanish king made everything related to cocoa a state secret, so both the recipe of the drink and the results of experiments on cocoa remained hidden from the rest of Europe for a long time. At one time, about 80 people were executed for breaking the "chocolate" secret!

At the beginning of the 17th century, the first revolution in the cocoa world took place within the walls of the Spanish monasteries.

Postage stamp with a portrait of the historian José Acosta

Back in 1604, the Jesuit historian Jose Acosta writes that cocoa is used "predominantly in the preparation of a drink, which, without reason, was revered by the Indians as divine, although it tastes disgusting to the one who tastes it for the first time." And now hot pepper disappears from the recipe of the chocolate drink, with which the Aztecs abundantly seasoned the drink, but honey appears, which was very quickly replaced with sugar, and vanilla is added a little later. So, in Spain, the recipe for the prototype hot chocolate was as follows: 1 ounce of cocoa, 8 ounces of water and 2 ounces of sugar were mixed, brought to a boil and whipped into a foam. The drink is still very oily, but its taste is already approaching modern.
In 1631, some medicinal properties of a chocolate drink were experimentally discovered. The first doctor who dared to put them into practice was Antonio Colmenero de Ledesma, the most popular doctor of the Spanish nobility. A little later, in 1653, the scientist Bonavertura di Aragon described his own method of healing the body with the help of hot chocolate, which he used to relieve irritability and improve digestion.
Fashion for chocolate arose quickly in Spain, despite its high cost. In the 16th century, the Spanish historian Oviedo wrote: "Only the rich and noble could afford to drink chocolate, as he literally drank money." The Spaniards so jealously guarded the secret recipe for the miraculous drink that when a British ship captured a Spanish ship loaded with cocoa beans in 1587, the cargo was destroyed as useless.
When hot chocolate became incredibly popular among the Spanish aristocracy, a serious discussion broke out in the world about whether it was possible to drink it during fasting. Those in whose hands the trade in cocoa beans was concentrated - the Jesuits, insisted on the harmlessness of this drink. Others were against it - after all, the Catholic Church has always forbidden during fasting everything that brings sensual pleasure.
In 1569, the bishops of Mexico held a special meeting on this occasion, at which they decided to send Father Girolamo de San Vincenzo to the Vatican so that the Pope himself would resolve the dispute, for which chocolate was prepared (it is worth noting again that in those days the drink was odorous , viscous and rather bitter).
Pope Pius V was in some confusion. He had never tasted chocolate and didn't even know what it was. Having taken a sip of the drink, the Pope frowned and uttered the historical phrase: "Chocolate does not break the fast, such filth cannot bring someone pleasure!"
A hundred years later, the Catholic Church, under the pressure of a new secular custom, was forced to allow the use of hot chocolate even within its walls, so as not to lose noble and wealthy parishioners. As I wrote later Alexandre Dumas son: "Ladies rave about chocolate, it's not enough for them to drink it at any time of the day or night in their living room, they carried it to church! This habit at first brought the wrath of the confessors on them, but they soon became addicted to drinking chocolate."

Bags of cocoa beans in the museum

Having got their hands on the "chocolate" secret, the Spaniards for a long time remained monopolists in the cocoa trade and processing market. But you can’t hide cocoa in a bag, and already in 1606, after the trip of an Italian Francesco Carletti to the shores of America, Europe it becomes possible to get cocoa directly from the New World.
Second after Italy residents learn about cocoa Netherlands, either stolen or bartered for the secret of cocoa from the Spanish monks. At the beginning of the 17th century, having captured Curaçao, the great Dutch navigators brought cocoa fruits to Holland. Cocoa is hailed as a valuable product and is recommended by doctors as a cure for all diseases.
At the same time, the cocoa bean trade began to spread.
In 1615 Anna of Austria- the daughter of the Spanish king Philip, marries the king of France, Louis XIII. Anna presents cocoa to the spoiled French public, who enthusiastically welcomes the new drink.
Thanks to travelers from Italy, chocolate reaches Germany, Poland And Belgium. In the pharmacy price lists of that time, you can find the following information: chocolate is a means that strengthens the body.
In 1650, the secret of a fragrant chocolate drink reaches England. Very soon chocolate becomes the most popular drink of King Charles II.
Chocolate immediately has supporters and haters. Among the latter was the famous English pharmacist John Parkinson, who did not call the drink anything other than "pork swill". The pirates who hunted in the Caribbean did not appreciate cocoa either. For example, the famous English corsair Francis Drake, attacking merchant ships, ordered cocoa beans to be thrown overboard, mistaking them for sheep dung.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the first chocolatiers appeared, but chocolate is prepared and sold exclusively in pharmacies, since for a long time it has been considered a strong aphrodisiac. The first chocolatier who did not have pharmaceutical skills was La Molina, the maid of Queen Maria Teresa. She got her nickname from the word "molinello", which meant a special stick for making cocoa drink.
Molinillo- hot chocolate frother. According to one version, molinillo was invented by the Spanish conquistadors in the early 1700s, based on a French whipping tool called "moulinet" (miller, stirrer). The tool was dipped to the bottom of a vessel with a chocolate drink and began to rotate rapidly, holding one end between the palms, and the carved cloves on the other end, rotating, turned the cocoa into a thick foam. Molinillo is used in the same way to this day.
The second, less common and unproven version of the origin of molinillo connects the history of this instrument with the preparation of a drink from cocoa among the Aztecs, who actively used the prototype of molinillo - a simple wooden instrument called "holzquirl", notched at one end, but less refined. It is he who can be considered the ancestor of the molinillo conquistadors.

Molinillo - hot chocolate frother

In the 18th century, a cup hot chocolate for dessert, it became a sign of good taste in high society throughout Europe, a sign of prosperity and respectability. Various medicinal properties were attributed to it, including the properties of an aphrodisiac. The divine drink inspired poets and artists. The symbol of the chocolate mania of that era is still the painting "Chocolate Girl", created in the mid-40s of the 18th century by the Swiss painter Jean Etienne Lyotard.
At the same time, confectioneries began to open all over Europe, where everyone could enjoy a drink. At first, the drink was strong enough, but later they began to add milk to it (the British did it first in 1700), which gave chocolate the necessary lightness and pleasant taste for women and children. Since then, chocolate has become much cheaper and has become available to many. They prepared hot chocolate in a special vessel with a short spout, a long wooden handle and a lid with a hole for a beater to foam the drink well.
The drink was served first in ordinary cups, gradually moving to special ones - porcelain. A Marquis of Manser even invented a special set - a cup on a saucer, which seems to wrap around the bottom of the cup and prevent the precious drink from spilling.

Raimundo de Madrazo and Garreta (1841 - 1920) - Hot chocolate

Jean-Étienne Liotard (1702 - 1789) - Lady with chocolate, 1744

Pietro Longhi (1702 - 1785) - Morning chocolate, 1775-1780

Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841 - 1919) - A cup of chocolate, 1878

"A Cinderella Story"

The legend of the creation of the painting "Lovely Chocolate" is this: in 1745, the Austrian aristocrat Prince Dietrichstein went into a Viennese coffee house to try a new chocolate drink, which was so much talked about at that time. His waitress was Anna Balthauf, daughter of the impoverished nobleman Melchior Balthauf. The prince was captivated by her charm and, despite the objections of his family, he took the girl as his wife. "Chocolate Girl" became a wedding gift for the new princess, ordered by the newlyweds from the fashionable Swiss artist Lyotard. The portrait painter portrayed the bride dressed as an 18th century waitress, immortalizing love at first sight. (It is this version, the real Cinderella story, that was popularized in the Walter Baker booklets).
According to another version, the future princess's name was Charlotte Balthauf, her father was a Viennese banker and the painting was painted in his house - this is the inscription preserved on a copy of the painting, lined in London. There is also a variant according to which it was not a custom-made portrait, but a picture painted at the artist’s own request, struck by the beauty of the girl, from the maid of Empress Maria Theresa, called Balduf.

Jean-Étienne Liotard (1702 - 1789) - Chocolate, 1744-1745