…. that Charles V, together with his court, was the first to taste the chocolate drink that Cortez brought to Toledo in 1528. In the 17th century, in the streets of Madrid one could drink cocoa at street vendors’ – the chocolateros. Smugglers brought the drink to Italy, Flanders and Amsterdam, and it subsequently reached France, Germany and Switzerland.

….that the 17th century Austrian physician, Rauch, was of the opinion that cocoa stirred up passions? That is why he believed chocolate was a completely unsuitable drink for monks, but was invalidated after church debates on the matter.

…. that the Spanish historian and writer Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo wrote the book “Historia general y natural de las Indias” in 1530? A natural and general history of the Native Indians. The book asserts, amongst other things, that the Indians paid ten cocoa beans for a rabbit, one hundred for a slave and ten for a prostitute. It was currency for everything in pre-Columbian America.

….. that in 1699 a royal bill forbade the serving of chocolate in Antwerp?

…. that in 1774 in Seville a pound of fine chocolate cost four times the price of a pound of Dutch cheese, or twice the daily wage of a labourer?

…. that the chocolate drink consumed France because of its astonishing properties? It was said that chocolate stimulated both the mind and desires. In the court of Louis XV chocolate became a ‘must-have’, especially as a result of his famed mistresses. Madame du Barry was of the habit of serving her numerous yearning lovers a cup of warm and frothy chocolate. Madame de Pompadour also indulged in chocolate to “warm her blood”!

…. that the chocolate that we eat today is not the same as that which the emperor Montezuma and his court had served when the new cocoa harvest started. After 13 days a huge, orgasmic feast followed, where the fresh chocolate was served in two thousand fine golden cups, by equally fine and naked virgins ….

…. that Napoleon, Sir Edmund Hillary and both Russian and American astronauts never left home without chocolate? Soldiers were also armed with chocolate in both the World Wars.

…. that the feast of St Mathias, the patron saint of the chocolatier, is celebrated on 14 May?

.... that Gianduia is typical Piedmont chocolate containing hazelnuts. The term "Gianduia" is derived from the eponymous dramatic character from Turin. Gianduias were the first chocolates to be wrapped in foil (around 1850).

.... that the first name for the cacao tree was AMYGDALA PECUNSIARIA (almond coin).

The current scientific name is THEOBROMA, coined by Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778). So the genus Theobroma, from Greek (Theos = God) and (broma = food) actually means food of the gods and comes from the family Sterculiaceae, consisting of 20 varieties.

.... that there are two types of Grand Cru cocoa.

• the CRIOLLO, which grows on the Panamanian isthmus.
• the FORESTERO, which comes from the Amazon basin of Brazil.