Posted on 11/12/2007 2:43:03 PM PST by blam
Ancient beer pots point to origins of chocolate
22:00 12 November 2007
NewScientist.com news service
Jeff Hecht
Earlier long-necked pots would have been used for beer making. Chemical evidence in a pot such as this is seen as proof that beer brewing involved fermenting cacao (Illustration: PNAS/National Academy of Sciences)
Chocolate was first produced by the ancients as a by-product of beer, suggests a new archaeological study. And evidence from drinking vessels left by the Mesoamericans who developed chocolate suggests that the source of chocolate, cacao, was first used 500 years earlier than thought.
Mesoamericans – who flourished in central America before it was colonised by the Spanish – developed chocolate as a by-product of fermenting cacao fruit to make a beer-like drink called chicha still brewed by South American tribal people.
The Mesoamericans before Columbus’s time, developed a taste for the chocolate better, but their cousins down in South America stuck with the beer, says Cornell University archaeologist John Henderson, who led the new study.
Unsweetened chocolate drinks became a central element of Mesoamerican cultures including the Aztecs, from whom Europeans learned of chocolate in the 16th century.
Archaeologists have found pottery made to serve the frothed chocolate drink preferred by the pre-Columbians in earlier sites, and have found traces of chocolate in pots dating back to 600 BC. But the origins of the drink had been unclear.
Chemical clues
Chocolate's unique flavour develops only when the watery pulp of raw cacao fruit and seeds are fermented together, colouring the seeds purple. Grinding the seeds yields the chocolate.
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
One headline; three addictive substances!
Alcohol and Chocolate were definitely made to go together. Actually the Four Foods Group requirement can be met with and Irish Coffee and a Chocolate Donut: Caffeine, Alcohol, Sugar, and Chocolate.
Chocolate' beer targets women:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1834232.stm
John F Kerry developed chocolate while in Cambodia during his Christmas sojourn in '68. He was sent there by President Nixon and whiled away the time killing babies and mimicing Jengis Chan.
Beer? Chocolate?
M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m.
If it’s love, give chocolate beer.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/03/news/companies/valentines_choc_beer/index.htm
Corn beer, made by masticating corn then fermenting the result.
Ted Kennedy owes them Mesoamericans two...
Beer Ping!
A low to medium ping list aimed at all of us who, well, love our beer…
FReepmail rzeznikj at stout or GOP_Raider to be added or struck from the list…
Love it! :)
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Note: this topic is dated 11/12/2007. |
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