Once used as a form of currency, hailed as an aphrodisiac, claimed to be an anti-depressant, cacao has had a long and fascinating history. And it all began in Mesoamerica with the Aztecs and the Mayans. The first evidence of Mayan chocolate use was found in Colhá in Northern Belize, and dated back to around 600 BC. The word cacao itself originated from the Maya word Ka’kau’. Mayan preparation of cacao started with cutting open the seed pods to expose the beans and the fleshy pulp. The beans were left out to ferment for a few days. In some cases, the beans were also roasted over an open fire in order to add a smoky flavor to it. The beans then had their husks removed and were ground into a paste. Since sweeteners were rarely used then, they flavored their paste with additives like flowers, vanilla, and chillies. Even today, it is customary for Mayan families in Belize to have a cacao plant in their garden.

The word cacao itself originated from the Maya word Ka’kau’. 

When I was in Belize, I got a chance to make chocolate from the cacao plant from scratch. Lanai Chocolate farm on the Hummingbird highway gives a great insight into traditional Mayan way of making chocolate. They make the chocolate using the ancient Mayan way, which includes the fermentation of the cacao beans in banana leaves, subsequently dried in the sun and roasted over a fire, followed by grounding the beans on a stone pestle with all of the cocoa butter, natural vitamins, and minerals intact. This raw and organic form of chocolate was so strikingly different form the processed forms of chocolate – and oh so filling!

If you are in Belize, I highly recommend checking out how the Mayans have been making chocolate for hundreds of years. It will surely give you a travel high!

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About Praveen Maloo

Praveen is currently based out of Seattle, United States. He loves coffee, conversations, micro-brews, and intimate jazz music scenes. When its not raining in Seattle, he can be seen enjoying the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific North-West.

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