Chocolate - All About Chocolate - History of Chocolate

Chocolate: A European Sweet | 1521—1600

A SPANISH Conquest

Although it's likely that other early explorers encountered cacao in the Americas, it wasn’t until Hernán Cortés conquered Mexico in 1521 that the Spanish began to learn about the delicious flavor of chocolate.

Contact between Spaniards and Aztecs opened a gateway for the exchange of ideas and technology—and a new European market for foods like cacao.

Continue to Obtaining Cacao

Chocolate was one of many native American foods the Spanish explorers fancied. Sailing home, they filled their ships not just with cacao, but also with corn, chile peppers, vanilla, and tomatoes. Later, potatoes from the new world also caught on. Soon Europeans were cooking with ingredients from all around the globe!

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