chocolate

The industrial revolution spurred a great many technical advances. A clever Dutchman named Hendrick Van Houten made his mark on the chocolate industry. He refined the grinding process and began making a tempered version of chocolate, giving us the smooth, crisp finish we know today.

Then a dashingly handsome Italian named Antonio Carletti mysteriously came into possession of the coveted drink. The secret was out, and Europe was hooked.

The tale continues when the Spanish arrived in the New World. Cortes began exporting cocoa beans from the New World in 1528, and they became the fancy of the Spanish court. Spain so loved the stuff that they kept it to themselves for 100 years.

chocolate