The True History of Chocolate

Comments:

1. The first people that were known to discover the cacao were the Mayans.
2. They took the tree from the rainforest and grew it in their backyards.
3. That's were they hardvested, fermented, roasted, and ground the seeds into a paste.
4. To make the spicy chocolate drink they mixed water, chile peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients.
5. For these people chocolate wasn't only a drink or food, it also played an important role in their religious and social lives.

Questions:

1. How did the spicy drink taste?
2. How did chocolate play an important role in their religious and social lives?
3. How long did it take for the cacao to grow?
4. Did this drink help them with any health problems?

Vocabulary:

1. fermented- Something, such as a yeast, bacterium, mold, or enzyme, that causes fermentation
2. cacao- A small tropical American evergreen tree
3. frothy- Of, like, or having froth; foamy.

Overview:

The Mayas were known to be the first to discover the tree. They took they tree from the rainforest and re-grew it in their own backyards. They made the drink by using water, chile peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients. Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seed to Spain, where the new reipes were created. The popularity of the drink grew and spread throughout Europe. Ever since the new technology changed the texture and taste of chocolate. And is still one of the world's favorite flavors.

The True History of Chocolate

Comments:

1. Chocolate came from a tree called " The Caco Tree".


2. The tree was discoverd 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforest of the Americas.


3. The pods of the tree has seeds that can produce into chocolate.


4. Chocolate grew from local Mesoamericans.


5. Mesoamericans drank chocolate as a beverage.

Questions:

1. How did they discover the tree?
2. How did they know what was in the pods or if they were poisonous?
3. Who were the first to discover the tree?
4. What else did they use chocolate for besides a beverage?

Vocabulary:

1. pods- A dry, several-seeded, dehiscent fruit.
2. encompasses- To form a circle or ring around; surround
3. Mesoamerican- A member of one of the various peoples inhabiting Mesoamerica

Overview:

Chocolate was basically discovered 2,000 years ago. It was seed of pods that came from a tree called the cacao tree, in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. Back then chocolate was mainly used to drink. The Mesoamericans mixed ground cacao seed (chocolate) with a lot of seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.