The History of Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is one of the best drinks to up the cosy level on a cold winter day. Whether you top it with marshmallows, whipped cream, or nothing at all, it is always delicious nonetheless. Although the different methods of making it are interesting (we guess?), the most fascinating part about hot chocolate happens to be its history. The Mayans were the ones who developed the first version of the hot chocolate around 500 BC. They would mix cocoa seeds, water, and chilli peppers until it reached a thick consistency and then drank it. The drink was enjoyed by both rich and poor alike, but the rich favoured it so much that they would drink it from huge pitchers that would later be buried with them. Many years later in the 1500s, Spanish explorers in Mexico discovered cocoa beans and the drink and decided to present it to King Charles V. The king loved it so much that it was brought over the other side of the ocean with a small tweak, replacing the chilli with sugar. By the 1700s, the hot chocolate craze swept Europe and chocolate houses started popping up everywhere. It had become widely acknowledged that hot chocolate was a hangover cure, making chocolate houses incredibly popular destinations for the morning after having a few too many. In the following decades, hot chocolate evolved from being made in a lengthy process to being made through a powder mixed with milk. This was thanks to the Dutch in 1800s, who developed cocoa powder and other chocolate treats. Since then, hot chocolate has been an easy-to-make treat that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world every year, and has become one of the most popular holiday drinks!