History of Chocolate and Strawberries

The history of chocolate is as delicious, as suspicious and as mysterious as the chocolate itself. Though, no one knows the exact date but researchers believe that chocolate was enjoyed by ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations in Central America. It is believed that in the tropical rainforests of the Americas cacao beans were discovered around 2,000 years ago. A few sources claim that the first recorded use of cocoa beans in written form go back to 1100BC to a settlement of pre-Mayan origins. Some people say cocoa beans were discovered as early as 4000 years back.

However, it is also true that it wasn't used as it is being used nowadays but chocolate beans were used to make several types of spicy and frothy drink or beverage from cacao beans. It is strongly believed that the way we eat chocolate now was evolved after many years. Sources say that it was only an English doctor called Sir Hans Sloane who traveled extensively South America who later focused on cocoa beans as food values and added milk in cocoa beans to develop the chocolate bar. Over the period of time, centuries after centuries, years after years, different types of drinks, cookies and bars were evolved made out of chocolate.

One thing was same-the cocoa beans were considered to be pricey and valuable so they were given as gifts on many special occasions, such as child birth, religious ceremonies and even social rituals. Even in the old barter system, cocoa beans were exchanged for other commodities, such as clothes, ornaments, jade and other ceremonial as well as day to day items/commodities. Even as of today, cocoa beans are one of the most sought after food items that are being used to prepare several food items around the world. There is hardly any country where chocolate is not present in some form or other. That shows the popularity of chocolate amongst young and older, women and men, kids and adults.

Another most sought after food item is strawberry. Let's see a brief introduction about the history of strawberries. Researchers believe that the history of strawberries dates back to around 2200 years back, and they are known to be grown as a wild fruit in Italy around 234 B.C. It is also believed that strawberries were first discovered by Europeans in Virginia when their ships were landed there in 1588. Other undocumentary sources claim that strawberries were enjoyed by early settlers in Massachusetts grown by local American Indians who cultivated this amazing fruit as early as 1643 or even former.

No matter, where this juicy, aromatic and tasty fruit was grown first, but in today's' world you can find strawberry in many different varieties around the world. National agricultural stats show that in the modern America over 25,000 acres of strawberries are planted each year in California. Not only this, but California is the only state that produces the major part of strawberries (over 80%) and supplies not only other states in America but many parts.

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