The Yummy History of Hot Chocolate (National Cocoa Day)

The Yummy History , of Hot Chocolate .

That cold winter night staple has a long and intricate history.

The Mayans, in what is now Mexico, were likely the first civilization to drink chocolate cold way back in 500 BC.

Made from ground cocoa seeds, the frothy Mayan chocolate drink also included cornmeal and chili peppers mixed in water.

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The Spanish conquistador, Hérnan Cortés, brought cocoa beans and the recipe back to Europe.

There, the Spanish removed the chili power and began to drink the chocolate warm.

Served to mostly the upper class, the drink remained in Spain for a century.

In 18th century London, the sweetened drink was a hit, inspiring chocolate houses — the precursor to today's coffee house — to spring up all over the city.

Though Jamaicans had been mixing chocolate with milk for sometime, Hans Sloane introduced the practice to Londoners.

This beverage became a popular after-dinner drink.

From the American powder-based drink to Spain's thick chocolate a la taza, hot chocolate remains popular in different forms all over the globe today