Chocolate has an important role in Mayan and Aztec culture. Known as chocolatl to the Aztecs and Xocolatl for the Mayans, they are believed to be the first cultures to discover and domesticate cocoa pods in 1900 BCE. Chocolate was very prominent in their societies and it was present in their marital celebrations and, even funeral rituals. Cocoa beans were so valuable back in this era. It was a form of currency which was mainly used by the Aztecs for exchanging food, clothing, taxes, and even offerings to their gods.
The Mayans and Aztecs both had gods they gave offerings, thanks, and stories on how the great cocoa pods were given to them. Mayans had a festival where they celebrated their cocoa god, Ek Chuah. The Mayan myth of Cucumatz giving them cocoa from a mountain after the creation of humans from maize and water. The Aztecs version of this story is their god Quetzalcoatl, God of Vegetation, was excluded from paradise for sharing the sacred drink with humans. Quetzalcoatl came to earth with a cocoa tree and taught humans how to cultivate cocoa and make a drink from them. …show more content…
There was no sugar in Central America so instead of making confections similar to present times, they made xocolatl which translates to bitter water. The name may not be appetizing but to them, it was considered the food of the gods. Xocolatl was made using a very similar (if not the same) process we use to make chocolate liquor. Though cocoa butter and other sugary additives aren’t added to the liquor, instead Mayans’s mixed it with water, chili peppers, and cornmeal. Then they would swish the mixture back and forth between containers until a foam is created at the top. It was often times served in an elaborately painted cup or
The Mayans and Aztecs both had gods they gave offerings, thanks, and stories on how the great cocoa pods were given to them. Mayans had a festival where they celebrated their cocoa god, Ek Chuah. The Mayan myth of Cucumatz giving them cocoa from a mountain after the creation of humans from maize and water. The Aztecs version of this story is their god Quetzalcoatl, God of Vegetation, was excluded from paradise for sharing the sacred drink with humans. Quetzalcoatl came to earth with a cocoa tree and taught humans how to cultivate cocoa and make a drink from them. …show more content…
There was no sugar in Central America so instead of making confections similar to present times, they made xocolatl which translates to bitter water. The name may not be appetizing but to them, it was considered the food of the gods. Xocolatl was made using a very similar (if not the same) process we use to make chocolate liquor. Though cocoa butter and other sugary additives aren’t added to the liquor, instead Mayans’s mixed it with water, chili peppers, and cornmeal. Then they would swish the mixture back and forth between containers until a foam is created at the top. It was often times served in an elaborately painted cup or