Throughout the modern era, hot chocolate was considered one of the most expensive drinks in Europe; it is with its appearance that the tradition of serving a cup on a special saucer is connected, so as not to spill a drop of valuable liquid. Cocoa is made from the seeds of the tree of the same name, belonging to the mallow family, native to tropical America. The Indians have used this drink since the first millennium AD, the Aztecs considered it sacred, with mystical properties. In addition to cocoa seeds, maize, vanilla, a large amount of hot pepper and salt were added to the water during cooking, in addition, it was drunk cold. It was in this composition that the first Europeans, the conquistadors, tasted this drink – “chocolatl”.
In continental Europe, cocoa came to the taste of the aristocracy, Spain had a monopoly on its distribution for a long time, but soon it appeared in France, Great Britain and other countries. Over time, the technology for making cocoa has changed significantly: instead of salt, pepper and maize, they began to add honey, cinnamon and vanilla. The chefs who were engaged in the manufacture of chocolate soon came to the conclusion that for a European such a drink in hot form is preferable to cold, they began to add milk to it or serve it with a glass of water. However, the most interesting discovery was made in the middle of the XNUMXth century, when the Dutchman Konrad van Houten was able to squeeze out butter from cocoa powder using a press, and the resulting residue was perfectly soluble in water. Adding this oil back to the powder formed a hard chocolate bar. This technology is used to this day for the manufacture of all types of hard chocolate.
As for the drink itself, there are two main varieties:
Hot chocolate… When cooking, melt a regular slab, add milk, cinnamon, vanilla, then beat until foamy and serve in small cups, sometimes with a glass of cold water. Chocolate is usually served in restaurants and cafes.
Cocoa drink made from powder. As a rule, it is brewed in milk, but sometimes it is simply dissolved as granulated coffee in the same milk or warm water at home.
Any cocoa-based product, be it hard chocolate or instant drink, contains a unique combination of substances valuable for the body, primarily natural antidepressants: serotonin, tryptophan and phenylethylamine. These elements improve the state of the nervous system, relieve apathy, a feeling of increased anxiety, and increase mental activity. In addition, cocoa contains the antioxidants epicatechin and polyphenols, which prevent aging and tumor formation. In percentage terms, 15 grams of chocolate has the same antioxidants as six apples or three liters of orange juice. Recent studies by Münster scientists have confirmed the presence in cocoa of substances that prevent the destruction of the skin surface and promote the healing of small wounds, smoothing wrinkles. Cocoa is unusually rich in magnesium, contains potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, vitamins B1, B2, PP, provitamin A, helps to normalize the activity of the heart, increases the elasticity of blood vessels.
It should be borne in mind that in addition to elements useful for the body, the seeds of this plant contain more than 50% fats, about 10% sugars and saccharides, therefore, excessive consumption of chocolate can lead to obesity. A drink made from cocoa powder is much more harmless: most of the fat is contained in the oil and goes away with the extraction. The use of cocoa with skim milk is the basis of many diets, since, on the one hand, it replenishes the body’s needs for trace elements, and on the other hand, makes the skin and blood vessels more elastic, which saves a person from the unpleasant consequences of rapid weight loss: veins, folds, spots on the skin , general deterioration of health. Food restrictions combined with moderate consumption of cocoa products stimulate brain activity.
The world leader in cocoa sales is Venezuela, the most common varieties of it are Criolo and Forastero. “Cryolo” is the most famous elite variety of the drink, it does not feel bitterness and acidity, its soft taste is combined with a delicate chocolate aroma. Forastero is the most widespread variety in the world, primarily due to its high yield, but it has a bitter and sour taste, more or less pronounced depending on the processing method.