France Travel And Food.com

Botanists say that wild cocoa trees likely grew in the Amazon and Orinoco valleys of South America thousands of years ago.  The history of chocolate shows that it was first the Mayas who cultivated the plant of the cocoa tree.

The Aztec royalty thrived on the bitter chocolate drink concocted by mixed ground cocoa beans with fermented corn or wine, which was served in golden cups.  It is said that the Aztec Emperor Montezuma drank more than 50 cups of chocolate a day.

Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez or (Hernan cortes) (1485-1547) was seduced by chocolate drink for the main reason that he was told that it had aphrodisiac properties.  He sent loads of chocolate beans to Spain.

The ladies of the Spanish court loved to secretly sip their spiced beverage before chocolate bean was introduced throughout Europe.  Europe loved