My Dark Love's Beginning

You have to know where you have been to know where you are going. I love chocolate but I don’t know much about it. I wanted to learn it all - where it came from, secret chocolate making techniques, meet people who share my passion and learn how it took over the world. This blog is about learning everything I can about my dark love. My favorite dark love is my Jamaican husband and chocolate is a close second. He happens to be allergic to chocolate, which is a huge bonus for me. Meaning, I don’t have to share. He supports me in my quest and I love him for it. Prior to starting my journey through the chocolate wonderland of the Bay Area, I began researching the history of chocolate. It has been said to originate 2,000 to 4,000 years ago. The cacao beans were grown in the rainforests of the Americas. The Maya and Aztec people mixed the ground cacao seeds with spices to make a spicy, frothy drink. Interesting, hot chocolate was where it all began. Christopher Columbus encountered the beans on his journeys to the Americas and dismissed the beans. He didn’t realize the value they held in the society, often being used as currency, at least the beans were safe from his pillaging. Oceans were crossed, wars were fought and slaves were traded over the luscious bean. The Spanish conquistadors did recognize the value of the cacao bean and brought them back to Spain. The popularity of the drink spread through Europe. Eventually, the chocolate flavor was developed and spread throughout the world becoming one of the most craved sweets worldwide.