A Delicious Treat... CHOCOLATE!!!!

A long time ago, about 2,000 years ago, the Maya discovered the sweet, tasty secret of the cacao tree. It was a treasured Mayan treat and so important that there were pictures of people pouring and enjoying chocolate. The Maya were supposedly the first ones who drank chocolate. But instead of a really sweet confection, it was a spicy drink. It was first ground into a chocolate paste that they mixed with water, Chile peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients. Then, they pour the bitter mix back and forth from a cup to the pot until it developed a thick, foamy top. Then, they would’ve probably sweetened it with honey or flower nectar. Mayan people of all social levels, rich or poor, savored the occasional drink of chocolate. But the rich had special, elaborately detailed vessels decorated by special artist. The vessels show different ways that Mayans use it. It showed kings, or even animals and gods, drinking chocolate. It wasn’t just a drink, though. It was also used for ceremonial purposes. Couples drank chocolate as part of their marriage ceremonies. And because the Maya think that blood was the best sacrifice, Maya priests drip blood onto cacao pods. After the Maya were taken over by the Aztecs, it was not only a luxury drink, but it was also used as money, offerings to gods, and payment to rulers.

Janice Lee, Michelle Cuotrona, Bianca Tolentino