Epicurean Travel: Central America’s Chocolate Plantations

Although chocolate is most often associated with Switzerland and Belgium, the delicious substance is believed to have originated in Mesoamerica. The Aztecs used cacao pods as a form of currency, although it’s likely that the coveted plant played an important role in regional trade for much longer. Chocolate was traditionally consumed with only spices to offset its naturally bitter taste; the practice of softening the flavor with sugar and milk originated in Spain, after 16th century explorers brought cacao pods back to Europe. While the majority of cacao today is grown in Africa, there are