The Soconusco region of Chiapas was once famous for having the best cacao—the Aztecs conquered the region and collected over five tons of cacao in tribute and later the Spaniards also collected tribute in cacao. Even the King of Spain preferred Soconusco cacao for the royal table. It is fascinating to think about how the indigenous people of Mexico figured out over four thousand years ago that a tasty drink that acted as a stimulant could be concocted from the seeds of the cacao fruit. People today still grow, harvest, and process cacao in much the same way their ancestors did—except they now have machetes instead of stone tools and they have seed grinders instead of grinding stones.”
As an expert on cacao,
Dr. Gasco was interviewed on a recent report on National Public Radio, “1,000 Years Ago, Caffeinated Drinks Had Native Americans Buzzing”. Read More
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ANTHROPOLOGY
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