This past month has been a delight in all things chocolate. But while it’s easy to associate chocolate with a simple sugar fix, this decadent treat has a deep and fascinating past that spans continents, cultures, and centuries, winding through ancient jungles, royal courts, and revolutionary kitchens before arriving, finally, on your dessert plate at Belthazar.
Long before it was sweet, chocolate was sacred. The cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, meaning “food of the gods”, was first cultivated deep in the Amazon and carried north by early Mesoamerican civilisations. The Olmecs of present-day Mexico were the first to turn its beans into drink – a bitter, energising potion used in ceremonies and medicine. Later, the Maya would refine the brew into xocolatl (pronounced “sho–ko-LAH-tl” and translating to “bitter water”), a foamy mix of roasted cacao, chillies and water. In Mayan culture, chocolate wasn’t reserved for the wealthy, but available to all households as a standard drink alongside every meal.
Then came the Aztecs, who revered cacao as a divine gift and currency more valuable than gold – archaeologists have even found counterfeit beans made of clay. Warriors drank it before battle; nobles toasted with it at feasts. Even the Aztec emperor greeted Hernán Cortés with a ceremonial cup of chocolate – a gift that would, in time, transform the culinary landscape of Europe. When Cortés brought cacao beans back to Spain in 1528, the drink was still bitter – until Europeans added sugar and honey. Chocolate evolved from ritual to luxury, reserved for the courts and the cloisters. Monks drank it to sustain long fasts; aristocrats sipped it in gilded salons.
Then, innovation took over. The Industrial Revolution brought chocolate to the masses, with English makers like J.S. Fry crafting the first solid chocolate bar. Later, in Switzerland, Rodolphe Lindt perfected the creamy texture we now find so irresistible with a technique called conching. What began as a spiced, gritty drink became the melt-in-your-mouth magic we know today.
Beyond its irresistible taste, quality chocolate – particularly dark chocolate – boasts a surprising array of health benefits. Brimming with antioxidants, it’s been shown to support heart health, blood flow, and even brain function. Flavanols found in cocoa are known to protect skin against sun damage, while theobromine and caffeine offer a mental boost. It turns out that a little indulgence can be both delicious and good for you.
At Belthazar, we honour chocolate’s incredible journey with desserts that are anything but ordinary. Try our Ferrero Rocher Chocolate and Custard Fantasy, a luscious collision of velvety custard and nutty indulgence, and the Dark Chocolate Ganache, which offers a moment of silky decadence. Our desserts honour centuries of craft and culture. Join us and rediscover the depth, richness and quiet pleasure of chocolate done right.
