The first people clearly known to have discovered the secret of cacao were the Maya. The Maya and their ancestors took the tree from the rain forest to create a spicy chocolate drink. Like the earlier Maya, the Aztecs also consumed their bitter chocolate drink seasoned with spices.

Many people in Maya society could drink chocolate, although it was favored for royalty. But in Aztec society, primarily rulers, priests, decorated soldiers, and honored merchants could partake of this sacred brew. Chocolate also played a special role in both Maya and Aztec religious events.

Chocolate is a confection made from cacao beans. Cacao beans grow in large pods which are harvested once they ripen and then allowed to ferment. After fermentation, roasting and shelling occurs which helps to develop the flavor of the beans.

Once cacao nibs are extracted, they must be ground into a chocolate liquor. This liquid is then pressed to create press cake. Once press cake has been created, they can squeeze it even more or blend some of the cocoa butter back in, along with sugar and other ingredients, to produce eating chocolate.

Chocolate quality is affected by many factors including cacao percentage, selection of cocoa beans, processes (roasting, grinding, blending, and chonching), technology used, quality of other ingredients, and experience in chocolate making.

Below are some noteworthy quotes associated with chocolate.

"Life is like a box of chocolates ... you never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks)

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" - Lucy Van Pelt (Peanuts)

"Chocolate is nature’s way of making up for Mondays." - Author Unknown

"Exercise is a dirty word... Every time I hear it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate." - Author Unknown

Chocolate Liquor
The ground up center of the cocoa bean in a smooth, liquid state, containing no alcohol.

Cocoa Beans
Seeds from the pod of a Theobroma tree. Native to the Amazon rain forests.

Cocoa Powder
The cocoa solids resulting from pressing cocoa butter out of chocolate liquor.

Tempering
A process of preparing chocolate that involves cooling and heating so that it will solidify with a stable cocoa butter crystal formation.

Chocolate should be wrapped tightly and kept in a cool, dry place with a temperature ranging from 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

If the storage temperature exceeds 75 degrees Fahrenheit, some of the cocoa butter may appear on the surface, causing the chocolate to develop a whitest cast, known as bloom. The chocolate is still fine to eat.

In hot climates or during the summer, chocolate should be stored in the refrigerator. However, you should keep in mind that chocolate may absorb odors from other foods. Also, dark chocolate actually improves with age.

Although chocolate originated in the Americas, West Africa now produces the largest amount of cacao in the world. Each year, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Ghana produce as much as 70% of the world’s supply.

Unfortunately, cacao is so valuable as an export that most African farmers prefer to make money from their crop rather than process it into chocolate.