There's an interesting story about the early history of chocolate over at Smithsonian. Many people think of Belgium or Switzerland when they consider the history of chocolate, However, chocolate has it's origins in Mesoamerica with the Olmecs of southern Mexico. It might date back as far as 1500 BC. The way they consumed chocolate would not be recognizable today.
On a sunny morning in San Francisco's Mission District, half a dozen men and women scoot around a tiny chocolate factory, wrapping bars, checking temperature settings, sorting beans. Cacao beans that have been fermented, dried, roasted, shelled, and ground tumble with sugar in a row of shiny metal mixers. After three days of gentle mixing, the buttery smooth results will be transferred to a tempering machine to shape the cacao’s natural fat molecules into stable crystal structures.
Currently, there is a shortage of chocolate in the world. Demand is up. For an interesting podcast on the modern economics of chocolate, check out this Planet Money podcast from NPR.
