On January 31, in some countries, this drink made with cocoa powder, whose origin dates back to the XNUMXth century, is honored.
Hot chocolate has its day, and it is every January 31 to remember the origin of this ancient drink elaborated with cacao in powder that we like so much and enjoy in the colder seasons.
The original recipe had nothing to do with the taste it us we enjoyed this drink. The Mayans and the Aztecs they prepared with water and seasoned with spices that were only found in Central America, such as aromatic flowers, vanilla, chile or hot pepper, wild honey and achiote or onoto.
This first recipe for the chocolate drink was frothy, bitter and sometimes spicy.
But years after the conquest, and after learning about this exotic drink made mainly with cocoa powder, the Spanish began to add their own ingredients that did not exist in America, such as sugar, cinnamon, clove, anise, almond, hazelnut, vanilla, rose water and musk.
And it is in Spain, around 1580, that the first spiced chocolate paste factories were built, which they exported to other European countries such as Italy, France and England, where they also changed their flavor.
It is believed that it was the English who added milk to this drink in their "chocolatiers" at the end of the XNUMXth century.
Hot chocolate in Venezuela
As for Venezuela, only wealthy families could take this drink Just like the recipe made in Spain and improved in other European countries.
On the cocoa plantations, the slaves and workers dissolved the cocoa in water and served it in totuma. It was known as a cerrero, they didn't add sugar or any other sweetener.
But already in the XNUMXth century is when the way of drinking chocolate in the country began to change with industrialization and the installation of the chocolate factory. The India.
For decades, the cup chocolate that was taken in Venezuela was from India, considered for more than a century one of the best in the country and the world.
