From Bean to Bar

A look at the history of chocolate

John Mark Johnson, Staff Writer

Chocolate is a staple of Valentine’s Day, as well as a year-round favorite internationally, with the world’s population consuming an average of 2 pounds per person. Companies such as Hershey’s, Godiva, and Cadburry make millions by producing the confection.

While it may be rich in taste, chocolate is also rich in history. Chocolate takes its roots in Mesoamerica, where the cacao tree is native. Its seeds, when pollinated, form a sheath which hangs from the trunk of the tree. Inside these sheaths are about 30 to 40 brownish-red almond shaped beans submerged in a sweet and viscous pulp. While the beans have a bitter taste, the sweet pulp may have been the first element consumed by humans.

Evidence suggests that the beans may have been fermented and served as a type of beverage. The culture that first domesticated the cacao tree is debated but, the use of the fermented beans in a drink can be traced to North America. This has been confirmed by scientists through studies of “chemical footprints” in residues. Ceramic vessels that contain such residues have been found at archaeological sites of the Olmec, dating preparation as early as

1750 BC. Studies have shown that the Olmecs used it for religious rituals and as medicinal drinks, with no recipies for personal use. Little evidence remains on how it was processed. There were also many uses for cacao among the Mayans. It was used in official ceremonies, religious rituals, funerals, and for medicinal purposes. The Mayans also used cacao beans as a form of currency. By 1400, a large portion of Mesoamerica was taken over by the Aztecs. The Aztecs had not cultivated cacao themselves and were forced to import it. The areas conquered by the Aztecs that did grow chocolate were ordered to pay them as a tax or “tribute.” The Aztecs associated chocolate with their god Quetzalcoatl, who they believed was condemned by the other gods for sharing chocolate with humans. Unlike the Maya, the Aztecs drank chocolate cold, and used as a treat for men after banquets.

The cacao tree was unknown to Europeans until the 16th century. Christopher Columbus first encountered cacao beans on his fourth expedition to the Americas in August of 1502, when he as well as his crew took over a large

Shows Coming Out In 2023 2023’s tracklist of show releases

Juan Fuentes, Staff Writer

Loki: Season 2 canoe belonging to the natives that contained cocoa beans as well as other goods. When Columbus took cacao beans back to Spain, it made no impact until Spanish friars introduced chocolate to Spanish court. In addition, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés may have been the first European to encounter chocolate, when he observed it in the court of Aztec emperor Montezuma in 1519.

The first season of Loki came to Disney+ in June of 2021 and was one of the best shows of the year. With a 92% score on the Tomatometer and reviews like “The centrality of the romance in Loki makes it stand out within the MCU-and signals how much potential there is in this kind of storytelling, should Marvel choose to mine it” and “Tom Hiddleston once again proves why Loki remains the MCU’s standout villain, while also holding together a truly masterful multiverse story that hits upon themes of identity and agency that have always felt core to the character,” it was only a matter of time before Disney came out with a new season.

The Mandalorian: Season 3 StarWarsfans have plenty to look forward to in 2023. Ahsoka , StarWars: TheSkeletonCrew , and, of course, another season of TheMandalorian. With both of its first two seasons both receiving a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, anticipation for the next season is high. Pedro Pascal, who also stars in TheLastofUs,returns as the Mandalorianon March 1 and fans could not be any happier.

Chocolate was imported to Europe after the Sapnish conquest of the Aztecs. The Spanish originally used cacao as medicine to treat illnesses due to its bitter taste. Within the next hundred years, chocolate spread across Europe, creating a growing slave market, due to the manual processing of the cacao bean. With more and more Mesoamerican laborers dying mostly to disease, the production of the beans was often the work of poor wage laborers and African slaves.

New processes and inventions largely aided the production of chocolate, such as the first mechanical cocoa grinder invented in 1729. In addition, mills powered by horses or wind were used to speed up production. Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten intro- duced alkaline salts to chocolate in 1815, which reduced its bitterness. A few years later, in 1828, van Houten also created a press that removed about half the natural fat from chcocolate.

The innovations of many others also aided in the methods of producing chocolate as we know today. For example, in 1847, the J.S. Fry and Sons company learned to make a moldable chocolate by adding back melted cacao butter. In addition, Daniel Peter mixed chocolate liquor with powdered milk to create milk chocolate, as well as Rodolphe Lindt improving on chocolate’s taste and texture with his invention of the conching machine.

These new innovations led to new companies producing chocolate in their own way. Companies such as Cadbury began to manufacturer boxed chocolates in England by 1868.These companies with their new takes on chocolate paved the way to chocolate as we know it today. Today, roughly two-thirds of the world’s cocoa is produced in Wesern Africa. In addition, the companies whose inventions pioneered chocolate production are still widely successful today.

TheLastofUs

TheLastofUsis a 2023 show based on the video game bearing the same title. The show focuses on Joel and Ellie, portrayed by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, as they try to survive in the post-apocalyptic world they live in. So far on the episodes released, The LastofUshas received a 99% on the Tomatometer but there are more episodes to be released and fans are shaking with anticipation.

Velma

The only outlier of the list comes in the form of Velma . The anticipation and excitement for a new ScoobyDoo show did not live up to fan’s expectations. Fans online had plenty to say about the new show: “This show is nothing like the cartoons we all grew up with. If they wanted something this different they should have made a new show not ruin an old one”, “Made it to the part where the body falls out of the locker in the opening 2 minutes and the “jokes” were already old by then. Who got paid to write this?” and “True Scooby fans deserve better. The concept of an adult Scooby was exciting. Only to find out it’s based on teenagers who have 0 of the OG characters traits. It’s laughable how bad this show is.” Needless to say, the show was overall a disappointment for audiences.

New Episodes of PhineasandFerb

Disney recently announced that they’re revivivng Phineas and Ferb with 40 brand new episodes to be released. The news comes as Disney and Dan Povenmire came together and made a deal. That deal also included another season of Hamster&Gretel , another one of Pvenmire’s more recent works. Speculation had surrounded Phineas andFerbwhen Disney announced that the show would be airing its last episode back in 2015. Nevertheless, fans will be excited and looking forward to the drop of the new episodes