What is Chocolate?

The chocolate It is the product of cocoa beans, or (Theobroma cacao). Many believe that it comes from South America, from the Orinoco river basin or the Amazon river, extending to southeastern Mexico. But its consumption occurred in what is now the Mexican territory.
The oldest vestige of chocolate appears in Mexico between 1900 to 900 a. C. Apparently its consumption began as a liquor or "beer"; a fermented drink.
Chocolate comes from Nahuatl (xocolatl). Olmecs, Mayans, and Mexica (among other Mesoamerican civilizations) are considered to have consumed the ground chocolate with chili, corn or honey, in jicaras (special vessels).
Following Mayan mythology, Kukulkán provided the seeds to the Mayans after the creation of men, made of corn (Ixim), by the goddess Xmucané.
The Mayans celebrated with a festival in the month of April, honoring the God of cacao, Ek Chuah, sacrificing dogs and giving offerings of cacao, feathers and incense.
The Aztecs used the seeds as currency in commerce. And as a tribute to the monarch or "tlatohani".

 In 1502 Christopher Columbus, met Guanaja chocolate (today Honduras on the island of Pinos); Returning to Spain I present the seeds to the Catholic Monarchs; but they rejected it because of the bitter taste and bad appearance. And it is Hernán Cortés, the one who introduces him to Spain in the time of Carlos I, in 1528, thus formally introducing itself to Europe.
It is attributed to the religious orders in Mexico, (Oaxaca), the incorporation of sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
They were invented chocolate making machines. By drying, roasting, selecting, peeling and grinding the seed. With the shell the cocoa is made, similar to chocolate but of low quality.
In order to create the chocolate by grinding the seeds at a temperature of 60 to 80 ° Celsius, for 18 to 72 hours. The cocoa butter is detached, liquefying by means of the heat of friction, resulting in a dense and fluid paste.
It expands and presses at 600 atmospheres, forming chocolate platelets, the shine and crunchy texture are due to its own fat; from there it is mixed with sugar, leaving it with a smooth texture.
Vanilla, cinnamon, and soy lecithin can be added as an emulsifier and texture stabilizer.
The call White chocolate It is made with cocoa butter, milk and sugar. It is extremely energetic and sweet (it does not have a bitter aftertaste), and it is widely used in confectionery.