The Elite World of Chocolate: Cultural Significance in Early Europe

Across time and space, from the Aztec Empire to Baroque Europe, chocolate has been associated with upper class culture. While chocolate was first introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century as a medicine with strong curative powers, it evolved into an elite drink during the grandiose Baroque Age. Chocolate was popularized throughout Europe and came to occupy a distinctive place within upper class society because of the complex material and social culture that the aristocracy and nobility created around it.

“It was during the Baroque Age that the beverage [chocolate] made its major journeys, and it was in the Baroque palaces and mansions of the wealthy and powerful that it was elaborated and consumed.” – The True History of Chocolate (Coe and Coe 125)

Europeans crafted specialized objects to enhance the quality and presentation of chocolate. By creating intricate paraphernalia and drinking processes, they elevated the consumption of chocolate to elite ritual ceremony. The development of objects including chocolate pots, cups, and saucers for the preparation and serving of chocolate in Baroque Europe indicate the extent to which the consumption of chocolate was a show of extravagance. The Spanish, Italians, and French developed their own varieties of specialty chocolate-pots in copper, gold, and silver, such as the one in the image below, (Coe and Coe 156) for the stirring, frothing, and serving of chocolate.

Chocolatiére (1774), made of silver and amarath wood

Particularly in France, these chocolatières were prized by the nobility, and the Dauphin Louis XIV himself received chocolatières as gifts from foreign guests, such as the King Narai of Siam in 1686. A body of literature surrounding the correct usage of chocolatières and other objects involved in the chocolate consumption process emerged, and the French debated chocolatière design in cookbooks and culinary treatises. For example, an issue of contention was whether there should be a hole in the chocolatière lid, to allow for the passing of the handle of the moulinet, used to stir the liquid chocolate, or if the lid should not be pierced, as with a caffetière, to avoid the “cumbersome” opening and closing of the pot with a moulinet passing through it (Grivetti and Shapiro 91).

With an elaborate material culture surrounding it, chocolate emerged as a fundamental element of royal and high society across countries including Italy, France, England, and Spain. Chocolate was served at public functions and levees at royal courts across Europe, such as Versailles (Coe and Coe 156).

Social gatherings offered individuals the opportunity to display their collection of objects relating to chocolate as well as their innovative methods of chocolate preparation. Esteemed recipes came to be associated with particular places, such as Francesco Redi’s jasmine chocolate at the Tuscan Court (Coe and Coe 143). These recipes were time-consuming and complex, requiring ingredients unavailable to most individuals. Redi’s chocolate, for example, required ten days to prepare and 250 jasmine flowers per kilogram of cocoa nibs a day for each of these ten days.

 

The Family of the Duke of Penthievre or The Cup of Chocolate (1768) shows a noble family drinking chocolate in a salon, illustrating the type of individuals who consumed chocolate in Baroque Europe.

The upper bourgeoisie class also consumed chocolate in increasing amounts. In England, chocolate was served in traditional coffee-houses, which functioned as important social institutions within English society, by the mid seventeenth century (Coe and Coe, 167).

Chocolate consumption flourished in Baroque Europe because of the extensive material and social culture that developed around it. The luxury item grew in popularity not simply because of its taste or perceived medicinal qualities, but because it offered the European upper class an opportunity to construct a set of customs and social practices around its consumption. Indeed, chocolate became a symbol of wealth, and a vehicle by which one could exhibit his or her privilege. Chocolate was expensive to begin with, and the construction of an extravagant world around chocolate made it even more inaccessible to the lower classes.

 

Ultimately, mass production technologies transformed chocolate from an elite privilege into a European staple food. However, even today, chocolate remains linked to notions of opulence and luxury.

 

Works Cited

Charpentier, Jean Baptiste. The Penthievre Family or The Cup of Chocolate, 1768. Digital image. PBS Learning Media. Web.

Coe, Sophie D., and Michael D. Coe. The True History of Chocolate. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1996. Print.

Grivetti, Louis, and Howard-Yana Shapiro. Chocolate: History, Culture, and Heritage. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2009. Print.

Presilla, Maricel E. The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes. Berkeley: Ten Speed, 2009. Print.

Van Cauwenbergh, Joseph-Théodore. Chocolate Pot. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Mar. 2012. Web.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF: The presidential connection of cacao with Thomas Jefferson

JFK sipping coffee at NATO summit 1961

Thomas Jefferson was a lover of coffee, but who would know that he owned a priceless possession that stored this addictive beverage. This afficiado considered coffee to ‘be the favorite drink of the civilize world.’ Jefferson owned a platinum silver coffee urn designed by J.L.A. Leguay in Paris France in 1789. (Monticello 2016) His urn symbolizes how cacao helped to create important legacies and partnerships. While serving in French embassy after the United States was founded in the 1780s he met with Benjamin Franklin at Café Procope a popular destination for scholars. Dinner tables at his Monticello Estate accommodated large crowds since his extended visited there often. (Stephenson 2014) At least one pound of coffee was consumed daily, and frequent orders were made to Bourbon

E. India. (Lucas 1994, 2016)

Jefferson Portrait by Sully 1821

 

The colorful story behind the purchase of the Leguay urn involved a mix up with a friend. Jefferson purchased a silver urn for French architect Charles Louis Clerisseau in gratitude for his help in designing the Virginia State Capital. (Monticello 2016) He paid 309 livres and kept the urn for himself, commissioning a replacement for Clerisseau. In June 1789 with similar dimensions to original. Jefferson’s Laguey urn was made from silver, and designed with an oval shape with dimensions of 13 ¼” x 6 x 7 3/8”. (Monticello 2016) It has elegant pedestal feet and winged handles. It has insignia symbolizing hospitality, and the Jefferson family coat of arms of a lion atop a shield of silver fret on blue. ‘Hatching’ ribbon adorn the seal, which is typical of Neoclassical style. (McMillan 2008, p.5)

Jefferson Urn made by J.L.A Leguay circa 1788

The Leguay urn helped to create important legacies with its use and purpose. Coffee urns which are hot dispensers of coffee were invented in 1760s. The urn contains an inner chamber that dispensed the coffee and outer jacket of hot water which kept the coffee warm. Coffee was dispensed through spigot jutting out of the vase. (Books 2016) Design of urns became more elaborate throughout the 18th century. The urn was important for its distributive quality in accommodating multiple guests, and its connection to France with the invention of the chocolatier a silverware teapot. (Coe 2013, p.158)The Urn helped make cacao important through its social purposes. Jefferson purchased the urn while he was serving as an ambassador to France. His exposure to coffee as a diplomat is reminiscent to Native American embassies visiting the Spanish court of Phillip II. Kelchi Natives with the chieftan seated in a hammock gave the king luxuriant gifts which included painted gourds and cacao beans. (Prescilla 2009, p.26)

The design and inscription of the Laguey Urn is an additional reason it helped to build legacies. The inscription of Jefferson’s family shield is similar to guild work by the Ancient Maya and Spanish colonists. Mayan nobles drank cacao from panted ceramic vessels that resembled tree gourds (Cresentia aujete). (Prescilla 2009, pp.12,24) In upper class Spanish colonial households drinking vessels were hollowed out coconut shaped goblets called coco cholatero decorated with carved motifs and sgraffito designs. Some were adorned with elegant silver rims and handles, and most had engravings of the owner’s name. (Prescilla 2009, p.32)

The design of the Laguey urn was similar to contemporary models made during that period. President John Adams who was Jefferson’s colleague purchased coffee urn while ambassador to England in 1785. The urn produced by the silverware company Sheffield has a neoclassical design of drum base and trophy handles popular during the late 18th century. The urn is monographed with John and his wife’s Abigail’s initials. Like Jefferson the urn was kept in their family for a long period of time time until purchased by the White House in the 1960s.

John Adams coffee made by Sheffield circa 1785

In conclusion, the J.L.A. Laguey urn of Thomas Jeffersn is a great example of how cacao and cacao vessels help to build lifelong partnerships and legacies. The urn is a symbol of prestige serving distinguished guest while Jefferson served as a diplomat and president. It serves as a showcase of French craftsmanship with silverware design, and it gives homage to the French chocolatiere as a dish of the French elite. Most importantly the urn represents family legacy with Jefferson’s coat of arms. Jefferson’s Laguey and coffee drinking habits show how important coffee is in shaping the American presidency with leaders before and after Jefferson having important meetings and instruments centered around coffee.

 

 

 

Sources

Books, Web. 2016. “INTRODUCTION OF COFFEE INTO NORTH AMERICA- Chapter 12.” Web-Books. http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B701/17MB701.html.

Coe, Sopie & Michael D. 2013. The True History of Chocolate. 3 ed. New York Thames & Hudson.

Lucas, Ann M. 1994, 2016. “Coffee.” Monticello Accessed February 17, 2016. https://http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/coffee.

McMillan, Joseph. 2008. “The Arms of Thomas Jefferson.” The American Herald (3):8.

Monticello. 2016. “Coffee Urn.” Monticello Accessed February 17, 2016. https://http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/coffee-urn.

Prescilla, Marciel E. 2009. The New Taste of Chocolate, Revised: A Cultural & Natural History of Cacao with Recipes: Ten Speed Press; 1st Revised edition.

Stephenson, Tristan. 2014. “Title.” Facebook, February 16, 2016. http://www.thecuriousbartender.com/ – !Thomas-Jefferson-Coffees-secret-Godfather/c8cv/F772B460-7708-434A-888D-874C4FD733E6.

Image Links

 

https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/coffee-urn

 

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/treasures-of-the-white-house-adams-tea-or-coffee-urn

 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2014/09/11/presidential-history-coffee/Wv2SfehMBGi8uyAGcMP6tN/story.html

 

https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/portrait-jefferson-thomas-sully

 

 

The Pot That Changed History

Rio Azul, an archeological dig site in Guatemala, is home to an incredible discovery. In 1984 a dig here unearthed artifacts that changed the history of chocolate forever.[1] Hershey’s Labs tested pots found in a tomb at Rio Azul, and several came back positive for traces of cacao. The pots were found in a burial tomb. People had prepared and left chocolate drinks for the dead to take into the afterlife. Prior to the discovery of the tomb where the pots were discovered there was little written evidence to tell us how cacao was used and consumed. Rio Azul gave us a written record of cacaos important history. This discovery improved our understanding of funeral rituals in this culture as well as the origins of chocolate as we know it today.

Chocolate has a very rich history.  Our first records of it date back to 4,000 years ago in Mesoamerica with the Mokaya and other pre-Olmec people, who drank their chocolate cold and with many spices.  The link has been made between the Olmecs and chocolate because the Olmecs spoke Mixe-Zoquea and the word cocao, the plant that people use to make chocolate, is Mize-Zoquean. You can listen to a leading expert, Michael D. Coe, speak here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPjQ8[2]  This is one of the major reasons Coe believes that the tradition of drinking chocolate dates back to at least the Olmecs, if not further.  The Mayans have a lot of written records about chocolate, so we know it was heavily relied upon for rituals, from sacrifices to births.  Chocolate was also given a medicinal value in the Mayan culture.  It was only in later years that chocolate became the sweet and for-fun drink and food it is today, as the conquering Europeans turned what they saw as a “drink for pigs” into a sweet nectar they could consume when they ran out of wine and did not want to drink water[3].

One really interesting fact that makes chocolate so historically significant is its use in funerals. For instance, the archeological site that made chocolate famous in Mesoamerican history was, in fact, the house of a tomb. It was in this tomb that archeologists first found a chocolate pot, and in fact the inscriptions on the pot gave us huge clues about the language itself as well as the significance of chocolate in the culture. For instance, from the written glyphs it is known that the use of chocolate in ceremonies and in general dates back to pre-Olmec groups[4]. This has really aided our understanding not just of the history of chocolate, but the history of these Mesoamerican cultures.

Overall, this is a really integral part of history; food always has and always will be at the center of cultures. By studying not just how food is made but what ceremonies, festivals, and rituals included food, but also what types of food were used, we can better understand how cultures form and cross-pollinate. The discovery of the pot revolutionized chocolate history. “‘This reopens the whole debate about who first invented chocolate’ said Jonathon Haas, curator of the mouth-watering ‘Chocolate’ exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago”.[5] It also is important to study food within a culture because we can better trace the history of the food. For instance, chocolate started as a bitter drink, then the Spanish turned it into a sweet drink, and, after several iterations, it is what we know best today: the chocolate bar.

 

http://www.authenticmaya.com/cacao.htm

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

[1] Michael D. Coe and Sophie D. Coe, The True History of Chocolate, 3rd ed. (n.p.: Everbest Printing Co. Ptd., 2013), [Page 46].

[2] Michael Coe, More Than a Drink: Chocolate in the Pre-Columbian World, youtube, 2012.

[3]Mihai Andrei, “Chocolate History: The early days, Mesoamericans, culture, and ritual,” ZME Science, last modified August 12, 2015, accessed February 16, 2016, http://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/chocolate-history-the-early-days-mesoamericans-culture-and-rituals/.

[4] Martha Macri, “Nahua Loan Words from the Early Classic Period,” Ancient Mesoamerica.

[5] Bijal P. Trivedi, “Ancient Chocolate Found in Maya ‘Teapot,'” National Geographic News, last modified July 17, 2002, accessed February 19, 2016, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/07/0717_020717_TVchocolate.html.

The Adaptive Rhetoric of Chocolate

Chocolate and cacao began as a source of food for the people in Mesoamerica and was introduced to early Europe under the guise of medicine. Since then, chocolate has enjoyed the status as medicine, as a dessert treat, and now even as a social justice instrument. The many hats chocolate has worn spanning such a long period of time and across many cultures is its ability to change discourse and rhetoric. The story of cacao and chocolate is a dynamic one, but centered on the idea that people will find a justification to eat and drink cacao and chocolate by whatever cultural means they must. The most important and earliest example of this idea is portrayed through the history of how chocolate found its way to Europe from Mesoamerica under the category of “medicine” (Dillinger).

Early Europeans were skeptical of the mysterious cacao and chocolate drink the Aztecs imbibed in. The Mesoamericans associated cacao and chocolate with gods and the spirits, a practice Europeans decried at the time. It was only when the Europeans became aware of the Mesoamerican and Aztec use of cacao and chocolate as medicine did they begin to look at the cacao and chocolate drink as of potential use in their modern society.

The use of cacao and chocolate as medicine was not adopted by the Europeans at first and it was a slow process. Fernandez de Oviedo of Spain was the first account of European’s using the new cacao/chocolate as medicine, albeit not ingested. Oviedo had cut his foot on a rock and cured the wound by covering it was bandages soaked in a cacao by-product, cacao butter (Coe & Coe 112). For cacao and chocolate to truly become a part of pre-modern Baroque European medicine practice, they needed to fit into the framework of medicine at the time, or the practice of “humoral theory.” The Classical Greek invention of humoral theory by Hippocrates and taken up by Galen, focused on the notion that the body contains four humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. The right proportion and mixture of the humors would result in good health and an imbalance would cause disease (Coe & Coe 121). Furthermore, humors, diseases, and drugs to cure the diseases and imbalances were categorized as “hot” or “cold” and “moist” or “dry” (Coe & Coe 120). It was Royal Physician to Philip II, Francisco Hernandez who first categorized cacao and chocolate using Galenic analysis and is who exposed the Europeans of the time to the medicinal uses of cacao and chocolate. Hernandez concluded that cacao was “temperate in nature… but leaning to the cold and humid” and drinks made from it would cure fevers. He goes on to suggest that adding the mexaxochil, a “hot” cacao spice, flavoring to chocolate “warms the stomach, perfumes the breath… and combats poisons, alleviates intestinal pains and colics” (Coe & Coe 122). It is in these Galenic theory medical terms that much of the Baroque commentary on chocolate and cacao is couched in. From 1570 on, the year when Francisco Hernandez made the rhetoric of cacao and chocolate relevant to European society and medical practice of the time, chocolate and cacao have adapted to fit into various cultures and time periods.

This advertisement for Milk Chocolate in London demonstrates how important the medical rhetoric of chocolate truly was at the time. The ad mentions the benefits of chocolate on the stomach and in consumptive cases. 

The story of how Mesoamerican cacao and chocolate came to find it’s place in European society under the guise of medicinal use illuminates the importance of cultural framing and cultural rhetoric for adaptation of new things. It seems of recent that American chocolate eaters are returning to these early debates on the medicinal uses of cacao and chocolate to justify chocolate consumption and perhaps create a new market of “healthy” chocolate. Chocolate advertising and rhetoric of the near future may differ from the chocolate marketing of today, with language such as “creamy” and “rich” being familiar and approachable to a past generation and replaced by contemporary buzzwords such as “antioxidant,” “heart healthy,” and “fair trade” that are more comfortable and important to the modern chocolate buyer. Just as the Europeans of the early 16^th century were averse to the language of chocolate and cacao as “the food of gods” and its Mesoamerican spiritual discourse, there may exist a paradigm shift in the future of chocolate language focused on popular buzzword language. The history of chocolate and it’s ability to prosper in European society due to Francisco Hernandez’s humoral analysis, rather than as a treat or a drink to honor gods, teaches us a valuable lesson in how cultures adapt to one another over space and time.

These chocolate advertisements display the changing rhetoric of chocolate in our society today. On the left, a Dove ad uses the terms “delicious” and “rich,” words that are being used less and less in current chocolate advertisements. On the right, an ad for IQ Chocolate shows how the chocolate ads are adapting to that buzzword language and cultural relevance, as the terms “superfood,” “antioxidant,” and “bean to bar” all appear to be the main focus of this modern chocolate. 

 

Works Cited:

Coe, Sophie D., and Michael D. Coe. The True History of Chocolate. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Dillinger, Teresa. “Food of the Gods: Cure for Humanity? A Cultural History of the Medicinal and Ritual Use of Chocolate.” The Journal of Nutrition 130.8 (2000): n. pag. Print.

 

Images:

Sloane the Chocolatier: A Tasty Myth

http://welovetypography.com/post/12698

iQ Chocolate Bean to Bar Superfood

 

Proving Early Consumption of Cacao

In a book titled The True History of Chocolate, authors Sophie Coe and Michael Coe used linguistic history to make the argument that the Olmec were the first people to consume cacao. Recently studies have been performed in an effort to confirm this argument using physical evidence.

As such, an analysis of 156 pottery sherds and vessels was completed in conjunction with the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan Archaeological Project. The reason such vessels were tested was because cacao was said to have been consumed by the Olmec in liquid form, and would have the best chance of offering evidence of cacao residue, as they were served in such apparatuses (depicted below).

Cacao is composed of more than 500 different chemical compounds, archaeologists have identified theobromine as the substance to look for that indicates the presence of cacao. Thus, the study consisted of testing these Mesoamerican artifacts to see if there theobromine residue is present.

The results of the study proved to be fascinating, as theobromine was identified in several of the vessels tested in the analysis. This therefore supports the argument that Sophie and Michael Coe put forth in their book – meaning that the Olmec were consuming cacao starting around sometime between 1800 to 1000 BCE.

 

WORKS CITED:

Powis, Terry G., et al. “Cacao use and the San Lorenzo Olmec.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108.21 (2011): 8595-8600.

A Royal Indulgence: The Elite Origins and Introductions of Chocolate

Hundreds of years before Cadbury, Hershey and the like transformed chocolate into a mass-produced and affordable dietary staple, chocolate was a royal indulgence. Reserved for the most prestigious social classes in Mesoamerica, sumptuary laws in New World governed who was able to consume it and, according to some accounts, consumption of chocolate without sanction by commoners was punishable by death (Presilla, 18). The value and reverence the Aztecs had for chocolate made a strong impression on early travelers, who readily shared the frothed-beverage with their commissioners in the Old World, making the ruling elite of the 16^th century among the first Europeans to regularly imbibe.

Elite Origins in Mesoamerica

Chemical analysis has allowed researchers to place chocolate over 38 centuries back, although not much is known about the drinking habits of early cultures such as the Olmecs and Mayans (Coe, location 464-578). The only surviving written evidence for classic Mayan use of cacao has been found on elegantly painted and carved cylindrical vases and vessels in the tombs and graves of the elite (Coe, location 578). Some of these excavated vases are externally marked with Mayan hieroglyphs denoting cacao, and internally bear chemical traces of alkaloids found in cacao and dark rims on the interior that suggest the contents were once liquid (Coe, location 625). There is not enough evidence to concretely conclude that chocolate was chiefly drunken by the ruling class, but the inclusion of chocolate provisions for the afterlife of the elite suggests Mayans placed a high level importance on the drink.

A Mayan lord sits raised above a servant on a platform next to a frothing pot of chocolate, forbidding the servant from touching the container. (Mayan Civilisation)

Much more is known of the chocolate consumption habits of the Aztecs than the Mayans. Aztec emperor Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina (c. 1398-1469 AD) issued a series of laws stating that “he who does not go to war, be he son of a king, may not wear cotton, feathers or flowers, nor may he smoke, or drink cacao” (Coe, location 1372). Only members of the royal house, the lords and nobility, long-distance merchants who endured dangerous lands and battles with foreign groups, and warriors were allowed to drink chocolate in Aztec society (Coe, location 1324). In Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España by the Franciscan friar Bernardino de Sahagún, Sahagún describes how stringently this hierarchical framework for chocolate consumption was followed by the Aztecs; cacao was very valuable and rare, and was proverbially referred to as “Yollotli eztli”, or the “price of blood and of heart”, because if people of the working class drank it without permit, it would cost them their life (“si alguno de los populares lo bebía, costábale la vide si sin licencia lo bebían”) (Moreno, 500).

Chocolate’s link to luxury and power in Aztec culture is further enforced with the cacao bean’s role in the economy. The Aztecs used cacao beans as currency: a rabbit cost about ten beans (Coe, location 832). When the elite drank chocolate, they were quite literally drinking money. This did not go unacknowledged by the Europeans, who quickly realized that cacao was as valuable to this group of people as gold and gems (Presilla, 18). Watch this video to learn a little more about cacao beans in Aztec culture and the introduction of chocolate to Europeans (Youtube).

Royal Introductions in Europe

In 1544, chocolate made its first documented European appearance in Spain. Dominican friars brought Mayan nobles to the courts of Prince Philip, who presented some of the wonders of the New World to the king: quetzal feathers, painted gourds, and containers of beaten chocolate (Presilla, 24). Forty years later in 1585, the first official cacao bean shipment reached Seville from Veracruz (Coe, location 1848).

A Spanish mancerina with a metal tray. Mancerinas were also made with porcelain trays to match the cup. (Tamorlan)

The Spanish altered the chocolate recipe slightly – preferring it hot as opposed to cold, as the Aztecs had taken it. The Aztecs would add ingredients they were familiar with such as vanilla, herbs, flower petals, and honey, and the Spanish did the same with sugar, cinnamon, hazelnut, anise, and almonds (Presilla). The Spanish sipped it out of mancerinas, a plate or saucer with a ring in the middle to hold a small cup and prevent it from slipping, rather than jícaras. One thing that didn’t change, however, was the elite ties of chocolate; making and drinking chocolate “involved special pains and paraphernalia” (Presilla, 25).

During the 17^th century, chocolate spread throughout Europe. It was highly valued as an exotic, tasty alternative as well as a health-promoting drug and was treated differently than other foods. During the reign of Charles III of Spain, chocolate was sent directly to the “royal keeper of jewels” rather than the kitchen (Presilla, 32). France mimicked Spain’s royal consumption of chocolate, reserving it strictly for the aristocracy while England allowed it to hit the free market (Coe, location 2412). Any Englishman or woman was able to consume it so long as they had enough money to pay for it.

A woman drinks chocolate. Notice her elegant clothing and the chocolate paraphernalia on the tray next to her. (Raimundo)

Sources

Castriocto, Alessandro. “File:João V – Duque de Lafões.Jpg – Wikimedia Commons”. 1720. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Coe, Sophie D., and Michael D. Coe. The True History of Chocolate. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1996. Kindle edition.

Mayan civilisation. “File:Mayan People and Chocolate.Jpg – Wikimedia Commons”. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Moreno, Wigberto Jiménez and Sahagún, Bernardino de. Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España: Libros I, II, III, y IV. Linkgua digital, 1938. Online.

Presilla, Maricel E. The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes. Berkeley: Ten Speed, 2001. Print.

Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta. “File:Raimundo Madrazo – Hot Chocolate.jpg – Wikimedia Commons”. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Salvor. “File:Chocolate-house-london-c1708.jph – Wikimedia Commons”. 2006. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Tamorlan. “File:Macerina-Barcelona-03.Jpg – Wikimedia Commons”. 2010. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

YouTube. “This Is México – Cacao”. Royal Channel Cancun, 2009. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Better with Chocolate?: The complexities of a relationship

Chocolate and health. photo: http://www.pixabay.com

Introduction

In modern day society, the imagery and consumption of chocolate is most associated with romance, sensuality and emotional stability. With a coveted title of the most craved food in the world, the idea of consuming chocolate creates expectations of being transported into fantasy and relief. Yet, unlike the Mesoamerican civilization of the 17^th century, who used cacao [chocolate] for joyful consumption and healing vast afflictions-its supernatural healing abilities have since been veiled by the complexity of retail romance, fear, guilt and shame. Although the social context on chocolate consumption varies, the root of fear, guilt and shame surrounding chocolate is weight gain and judgment. Overall, historical data supports that life is better with chocolate. However, the social narrative around chocolate consumption unconsciously rejects this data. Are we allowing our fear, guilt and shame to get in the way of a better life?

History

Cacao tree with cacao pods. photo: http://www.wikipedia.com

Fresh cocoa bean from cacao pod. photo: http://www.omanhene.com

As the validity of chocolate’s power to create positive mental, physical and spiritual results are disputed by psychologists, historical data and literature validate the ancient Mesoamerican practice of cacao as a primary healing agent. The history of cacao, originally pronounced “kakaw,” originated in 17th century Mexico and Central America. However, it was later discovered that the original cacao name was given by the Olmec Maya’s in the 15^th century (Coe, 2013, 33). Cacao, a seed birthed from a tree (named the “chocolate tree”) (Coe, 2013, p. 18), was also anointed/named as “food of the gods” by Carl Linnaeus, a well-known Swedish scientist, in 1753 (Coe, 2013, 18).  The processing of cacao seeds produce “xocolatl” the Mayan name for chocolate. Chocolate was heavily enjoyed and celebrated primarily by the Mexica Aztecs and Olmec Maya’s as treasures of tasty treats. However, chocolate was also consumed and used in many other forms-to include medicinal (Lippi, 2015, 9936).  Medically, the use of chocolate was applied and ingested to correct and heal afflictions and ailments. Over the period of the 16^th through 20^th century, “Europe and New Spain produced 100 medicinal uses for cacao/chocolate” (Dillinger et al., 2000, 2057S). Additional medicinal uses of chocolate treated anemia, poor appetite, mental fatigue, fever, exhaustion and reduced or poor sexual appetites (Dillinger et al., 2000, 2057S). Moreover, chocolate paste was used to counter ingestion of pungent tasting medicines; while “cacao beans, cacao bark, oil (cacao butter), leaves and flowers… treat[ed] burns, bowl dysfunction and skin irritations” (Dillinger et al., 2000, 2057S). Ancient Maya also stored high amounts of chocolate to consume for pleasure, which resulted in a longer life span that those who avoided consumption (Coe, 2013, 32). Considering the rich history and healing attributes of chocolate, why are the messages we receive about something so good, countered with guilt and shame?

Research

 

The guilty pleasure.  photo: http://www.pixaby.com

Proven in medical and nutritional literature of the past ten years (Coe, 2013, 30) to be good for you (specifically dark chocolate), the consumption of chocolate is still plagued with bites of negativity. According to the research of Rozin, Levine & Stoess (1991), though beloved, chocolate “evokes mixed reactions in many women” (as cited by Durkin, Hendry and Stritzke, 2013, 95). These complex reactions are shown to be rooted in body image and appeal. Routinely the standard advertisements pitched for chocolate engage a narrative of a slim model-type figure, with perfect hair and makeup, which can perpetuate feelings of guilt and shame through comparison.

In my workplace, there is a candy jar filled with chocolate. Daily I witness the comments that people make to themselves and others about their choice to consume chocolate. Moreover, if one returns for an additional piece, it is never without guilt and shame-based comments, like: “I really shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself.” Or, the quintessential “I’m going to gain five pounds from eating this – more time on the treadmill tomorrow!”  M-Dominguez, R-Ruiz, Martin & Warren (2011) confirm this narrative stating “an individual can… [be] drawn to chocolate, but also anxious to avoid it and experience[e] feelings of guilt is she consumes it” (as cited by Durkin, Hendry and Stritzke, 2013, 95). Nevertheless, we still find great comfort in chocolate, even through modern medicine warns against both its indulgence and overindulgence to avoid weight gain (Durkin, Hendry and Stritzke, 2013, 96-7).Thus, the complexity of our relationship with chocolate are mixed with feelings of guilt and shame–overshadowing the healing properties and comfort practiced in ancient civilization.

Conclusion

Chocolate love.  photo: http://www.torange.us

In spite of the conflicting and complex emotions attached to chocolate consumption, as in Ancient Maya and Aztec civilization – chocolate will forever be hailed as a necessary goodness. It is proven that the presence of chocolate has created a legacy of multifunctional benefits. While we may not fully acculturate to the beliefs or Mesoamerican uses of chocolate, the creation and history of chocolate are an undeniable influence on modern day society.  Although researchers continue to argue that more studies are needed to determine if the tasty, alluring benefits of chocolate are good for us long-term; what is clear-is a better life-at least for today-is just one bite away.

Sources:

Coe, S., Coe M.D. (2013). The True History of Chocolate. London:L Thames & Hudson Ltd.

Dillinger, T.L. et al. (2000). Food of the Gods: Cure for Humanity? A Cultural History of the Medicinal and Ritual Use of Chocolate. American Society for Nutritional Sciences, 130, 2057S-2072S. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/130/8/2057S.full.pdf+html

Durkin, K., Hendry, A., Stritzke, W.G.K. (2013). Mixed selection. Mixed selection. Effects of body images, dietary restraint, and persuasive messages on females’ orientations towards chocolate. Elsevier, Appetite, 60, 95-102. Cited work: Moreno-Dominguez et al., (2011)
S. Moreno-Dominguez, S. Rodriguez-Ruiz, M. Martin, C.S. Warren. Experimental effects of chocolate deprivation on cravings, mood, and consumption in high and low chocolate cravers. Appetite, 58, 111–116. http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/science/article/pii/S0195666312003960

Lippi, D. (2015). Sin and Pleasure: The History of Chocolate in Medicine. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 63, 9936-9941. http://pubs.acs.org.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b00829

Rozin, P., Bauer, R., & Catanese, D. (2003). Food and Life, Pleasure and Worry, Among American College Students: Gender Differences and Regional Similarities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 132-141. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c0023ac6-447e-49df-ba40-58c56944ba1b%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=123

 

Expansion of Chocolate to Europe.

 

Just like Mesoamerica itself, the cacao bean and its products were unknown to the European continent. This would all change following one of Christopher Columbus’ subsequent voyages to Europe. Columbus’ crew upon receiving the cacao beans believed them to be almonds, and were somewhat bewildered to the value in which was placed on them. Ferdinand Columbus mused “…I observed that if any of these almonds fell, they stooped to pick it up, as if an eye had fallen”. As the crew were without translator they were unable to understand the why such value was placed upon the “almonds” or what they even were.

Much of this would change as time went on, with the Spanish explorers taking notice of the value which the Mesoamericans placed upon the beans, they however unable to appreciate the product in the same way. Unlike modern day chocolate which is highly processed and loaded with various additives and sweetness to make it’s taste palatable, 16th century chocolate was very bitter and foreign to the European tongue. Benzoni harshly referred to it as a “drink for pigs”.

The first major appearance of chocolate in Europe is believed to be in 1544 when a group of Dominican nobles took a delegation of Mayans (Kechi Maya) to meet the then Prince Phillip of Spain. Upon meeting him they would serve him his first taste of chocolate. This began the so called chocolate craze around the country which would not spread to the rest of the country for about a hundred years. They preferred to consume their chocolate warmed up as opposed to the “Indian” method of having it cold. This was believed to have been done because the cold chocolate was said to result in stomach aches. Also chocolate cold was more appropriate for the climate in the Americas than in Europe. As the desire for chocolate proliferated more and more slaves were acquired in order to work on the plantations in the New World .

The introduction of chocolate into Italy is even more unclear than Spain. The most accepted theory is that Francesco d’Antonio Caretti a businessman from Florence encountered chocolate in Spain to returned with it to Italy, from where it would eventually expand towards the rest of Europe. In France under the reign of Louis XVI chocolate was seen as a luxury item with it being served to guest at the palace. It was around that period that the first chocolatière were reported to appear (Although similar apparatus had previously been present in Mexico). The luxurious appearance of this pot enhanced the reputation of chocolate as a object of luxury and privilege, giving it similar status to what it was regarded with in the Americas.

 

Strasbourg Chocolatière (source)

 

Works Cited.

1. Coe, Sophie D., and Michael D. Coe. The True History of Chocolate. London: Thames & Hudson, 2013. N. pag. Print.
2. “A CONCISE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE.” A CONCISE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE. N.p., n.d. Web

From Cacao to Chocolate

 

“Imagine walking through an orchard unlike any other you have ever seen – a jumbled community of trees, vines, and other growth shrouded in the sweltering green chiaroscuro of the South American lowlands…The vengeful sunlight of the tropics pierces the great canopy of towering shade trees, slivering into a thousand rays as it hits the leaves of other small, slender trees around you in the dusky understory. These graceful trees are the real heart of this unlikely orchard. This is cacao, the source of every chocolate bar and truffle ever made” (p.43).

-Maricel E. Presilla The New Taste of Chocolate

The past is too far complex to assume that cacao just transforms into chocolate. The botanical and natural history of cacao is so deep-rooted into the South American lowlands, we’ll need to take a look at the logical green anarchy in order to make the connection from cacao to chocolate. From choreographing life on a plantation to the passing of quality tests, cacao must undergo an extensive journey before finally arriving to a chocolate factory.

Cacao trees are no exception to the tedious farming of crops. Farmers don’t just plant the trees, they also choreograph their surroundings. “Some plots simply make use of existing forest cover, but there comes a time when new cover trees have to be created from scratch” (p.46). The beginning stages of a cacao tree’s establishment in its sector are imperative to its growth success. The blossoming and bearing of fruit depend on the tree’s healthy habitat. Everything from proper shading to the insect life that helps pollinate are imperative in this stage.

Once a blossom is successfully pollinated, the fruit will mature and harvesting can begin. “The trick is to sever the stem and retrieve the heavy pod without disturbing the cushion like area that it grows from, and without damaging any flowers or mature fruit” (p. 52). One could imagine how careful this process would need to be handled. Cacao trees are already susceptible to diseases and in comparison to blooms, pods are in small quantities. The pods are then split open and the baskets are weighed. It’s at this point that the farmers are paid for their product and harvest is complete.

Fermenting is another important step in the cacao to chocolate process. After picking out anything that doesn’t belong, the pulp is placed on wooden bins to begin an interesting transformation. “The temperature of the mass rises while the pH goes down, which cause the hulls and the germ tip to soften and allow acid to penetrate. These factors together kill the germ or embryo within the bean. Meanwhile, the semisolid baba spontaneously melts into a liquid vinegar that drains off of its own accord to leave the slightly darkened beans free, though still full of moisture” (p. 55). The cacao beans are now experiencing a chemical process that changes the flavor from bitter to not so harsh, which is important for quality’s sake.

After proper aeration of the fermented beans has completed, the drying stage begins. Since rain is typically expected at some point during this time, drying on mobile wooden shelves or platforms is encouraged. “During this period, they are periodically turned with wooden rakes. At night they are pulled into sheds for protection or covered by clear plastic roofing materials. In about five to six days, the chemical changes within the beans gradually slow down and then stop when the moisture content has dropped to less than 8 percent by weight” (p. 56). How scientific! With the lack of technology to handle such intricate details, one could conclude these farmers knew their stuff.

We’re not finished yet. Classification according to size for trading begins after the beans have fermented and dried. “This is an important moment in the life of chocolate. The trade classifies beans according to size and quality. Only specialty or high-quality beans are sold at premium prices. The assorted beans are then placed in burlap bags and weighed” (p. 59). The burlap bags will then eventually make their way into the hands of prospective buyers who will sell them to a chocolate company to produce their version of chocolate.

There are several steps involved when converting cacao to chocolate. Each step, from plantation placement, harvesting, to fermenting, drying and trading of cacao, are important preliminarily to the success of chocolate. One must learn to appreciate the botanical and natural history of cacao in order to fully appreciate chocolate. “The life of the cacao bean is perilous from beginning to end. Each step cacao takes toward the chocolate factory has a bearing on the ultimate quality of the final product” (p.60).

 

Works Cited:

 

Presilla, Maricel E. The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes. Berkeley: Ten Speed, 2001. Print.

Cacao: The Uses of Today and the Uses of the Past

This past weekend I was in New York City. There is so much to view; the tall buildings within the city, the amazing flashy lights from the teleprompters,and a lot of stores. There are two stores in Times Square that caught my interest and they were right across the street from each other. M&M World and the Hershey store. The last time I was in those stores was about eight years ago. I remember drooling over the enormous amount of chocolate available. Back then I didn’t know how chocolate was made of where it came from. Then 3 years later it became clear to me that all foods have a source and origin and I learned that chocolate came from the cacao tree, but alas my knowledge only went so far. Now, with my interest and participation in this course I am noticing things and remembering facts about chocolate.  
Now, as I walk in the stores as an adult, and having the knowledge I have, I am amazed by how much chocolate they sell. Then I think about the amount of work the farmers have to do, the process of how chocolate is taken from the pod, to bean, to nibs, to paste, to the current process for making M&M’s and Hershey’s. How it’s now ready to be purchased and there is a 5-pound bar of Hershey’s chocolate that looked very good. Thankfully a,axon provides an image of big the bad is in comparison.

  

When it comes to the idea of consumerism of chocolate or cacao, I feel like things may not be that different from now compared to the Olmec, Mayan, and the Aztec civilization. The obvious differences would be that chocolate consumerism alone brings profit of about $50 billion. There is also current controversy of slave trafficking and child labor to pick the cacao pods. What is similar is that we still like to consume chocolate, and chocolate is still a form of income. Just now it’s actual income like gold for money versus the currency of the cacao beans. 
According to archaeologists, the Olmec civilizations were the first to use cacao in the form of drink. One of the vessels that was found to acquire this information is also noted that it dates from pre-Olmec period which can be from 1750 BCE. The chocolate drink was used for rituals or medicinal drinks. The use of the cacao by the Mayans can traced by 400 BCE. The Mayans believed that the cacao was food for the gods and they thought that people in high society should be the only ones able to access to cacao beans and their products like the frothy drinks.
  

By the 1500s the cacao beans migrated their way to the Aztec civilization. Since the Aztec’s land could not produce chocolate they became huge importers for the cacao beans for their empire. This is how the cacao beans began to be used as currency. Those of high authority begin to charge the citizens of the Aztec civilization a tax which could be paid in the form of cacao beans. Soon other items such as turkey and avocados were given in exchange for a certain amount of to cacao beans. Some citizens of the Aztec civilization tried really hard to commit fraud by using counterfeit cocoa beans or rather they would take the empty shells from the beans and fill it with mud on the inside so they could stick together. 
The Olmecs, the Mayans, and the Aztecs each had their own uses for cacao beans and definitely changed the world when they began domesticating the trees as a food source. The Aztecs advanced themselves by creating a currency that they all used. From trade between the Mesoaericas to Europe, cacao has expanded globally and is no longer consider a luxury but can still be considered a delicacy. I know that M&M’s and Hershey’s don’t contain that much to cacao but they are still making profit from others. 
Sources

Coe, Sophie D., and Michael D. Coe. The True History of Chocolate. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1996.
Presilla, Maricel E. “The New Taste of Chocolate.” Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2009. 1-59. Print.

Multi-Media Sources 
Amazon.com. “5 pound Hershey Bar.” Hershey’s Inc. Image retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Hersheys-Milk-Chocolate-Candy-5-Pound/dp/B000IW68YC
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mayan_people_and_chocolate.jpg#mw-jump-to-license