Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World Reviews
Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World
Before Columbus’s fateful voyage in 1492, no European had ever seen, much less tasted, tobacco or chocolate. Initially dismissed as dry leaves and an odd Indian drink, these two commodities came to conquer Europe on a scale unsurpassed by any other American resource or product. A fascinating story of contact, exploration, and exchange in the Atlantic world, Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures traces the ways in which these two goods of the Americas both changed and were changed by Europe.
Focusing on the Spanish Empire, Marcy Norton investigates how tobacco and chocolate became material and symbolic links to the pre-Hispanic past for colonized Indians and colonizing Europeans alike. Botanical ambassadors of the American continent, they also profoundly affected Europe. Tobacco, once condemned as proof of Indian diabolism, became the constant companion of clergymen and the single largest source of state revenue in Spain. Before coffee or tea became popular in Europe, chocolate was the drink that energized the fatigued and uplifted the depressed. However, no one could quite forget the pagan past of tobacco and chocolate, despite their apparent Europeanization: physicians relied on Mesoamerican medical systems for their understanding of tobacco; theologians looked to Aztec precedent to decide whether chocolate drinking violated Lenten fasts.
The struggle of scientists, theologians, and aficionados alike to reconcile notions of European superiority with the fact of American influence shaped key modern developments ranging from natural history to secularization. Norton considers the material, social, and cultural interaction between Europe and the Americas with historical depth and insight that goes beyond the portrayal of Columbian exchange simply as a matter of exploitation, infection, and conquest.
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Cocoa and Chocolate: Their History from Plantation to Consumer (1920)
Cocoa and Chocolate: Their History from Plantation to Consumer (1920)
A reproduction of the original book published in 1920. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
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Categories: chocolate products Tags: 1920, CHOCOLATE, cocoa, Consumer, from, History, Plantation, Their
Cocoa and Chocolate History from Plantation to Consumer – Arthur W. Knapp
Cocoa and Chocolate History from Plantation to Consumer – Arthur W. Knapp
A passage from the book… Although there are several excellent scientific works dealing in a detailed manner with the cacao bean and its products from the various view points of the technician, there is no comprehensive modern work written for the general reader. Until that appears, I offer this little book, which attempts to cover lightly but accurately the whole ground, including the history of cacao, its cultivation and manufacture. This is a small book in which to treat of so large a subject, and to avoid prolixity I have had to generalise. This is a dangerous practice, for what is gained in brevity is too often lost in accuracy: brevity may be always the soul of wit, it is rarely the body of truth. The expert will find that I have considered him in that I have given attention to recent developments, and if I have talked of the methods peculiar to one place as though they applied to the whole world, I ask him to consider me by supplying the inevitable variations and exceptions himself. The book, though short, has taken me a long time to write, having been written in the brief breathing spaces of a busy life, and it would never have been completed but for the encouragement I received from Messrs. Cadbury Bros., Ltd., who aided me in every possible way. I am particularly indebted to the present Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Mr. W.A. Cadbury, for advice and criticism, and to Mr. Walter Barrow for reading the proofs. The members of the staff to whom I am indebted are Mr. W. Pickard, Mr. E.J. Organ, Mr. T.B. Rogers; also Mr. A. Hackett, for whom the diagrams in the manufacturing section were originally made by Mr. J.W. Richards. I am grateful to Messrs. J.S. Fry and Sons, Limited, for information and photographs.
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Categories: chocolate products Tags: Arthur, CHOCOLATE, cocoa, Consumer, from, History, Knapp, Plantation
Chocolate The History, The Origin and The Flavour
Chocolate has been a favorite of man for thousands of years. Ancient people brewing the seeds of the cacao tree into a yummy beverage was the beginning of the wide assortment of chocolates that we enjoy today.
Once chocolate was discovered by European conquests, it became a treat only the wealthiest could afford. Not only was chocolate expensive, but it was bitter. Sugar and spices used to sweeten it were expensive too and out of the common man’s reach. It was in the 1800’s that the industrial age and mass production made chocolate candy affordable for everyone.
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Categories: chocolate videos Tags: CHOCOLATE, Flavour, History, origin
The Guardian of Chocolate?
If you are keen on reading about the long history of chocolate, you probably have read somewhere that chocolate and Aztecs come hand in hand. Aztecs have associated cacao trees with the god of agriculture, Quetzalcoatl. According to myths, Quetzalcoatl was the one who brought cacao to the Earth. But such actions didn’t exactly make his superiors happy so he got kicked out of the heavens for giving it to humans. As he escaped, he swore to return one day as a “fair-skinned bearded man” to save the earth.
The earliest Aztecs highly thought of the cacao plant. They believed it to be a great source of strength and wealth and Quetzalcoatl was its guardian, or so they say. This pretty much explains why cacao beans are so special that they were even used as their form of currency at that time.
The Aztecs were among the first ones to work around with cacao beans, but they didn’t make use of it for any culinary purpose at first. They only developed interest in its edibility after observing certain animals, particularly monkeys. Only the pulp of the cacao tree was utilized then, only after a certain stretch of time did they begin using the beans, too.
Myth has it that since Quetzalcoatl left the Aztec empire, people have been awaiting his return. While patiently waiting, they sent offerings of cocoa beans and chocolate drink. Because of their high hopes, when they saw a ship nearing their shores, they instantly thought it was Quetzalcoatl. The Europeans took this vulnerability as a chance to easily conquer their lands, and they were obviously successful with their invasion
Chocolate’s history is indeed covered in legends and myths, not to mention depressing stories. But all these stuff make chocolate all the more interesting and entertaining.
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Categories: chocolate articles Tags: Aztec Chocolate, Aztec Civilization, Chocolate History, History, Myths
Ganong: A Sweet History of Chocolate
Ganong: A Sweet History of Chocolate
Nothing says love like a box of delectable chocolates. And selling love is how Ganong, famous for its century-old Delecto brand, became one of the world’s leading candy-makers. Ganong: A Sweet History of Chocolate is an illustrated history of the family and its business, from its humble beginnings in St. Stephen, New Brunswick to its current niche in a world dominated by super-sized conglomerates. For more than 130 years, the company has amassed an impressive list of firsts: it concocted the first All-day Sucker, the five-cent chocolate nut bar, and that Maritime Christmas favorite — the Chicken Bone. Ganong was one of the first companies to sell boxed chocolates, and it was the first company in Canada to use the heart-shaped chocolate box, first for Christmas and later for Valentine’s Day. Along with the color reproductions of many of Ganong’s packaging and marketing materials from days gone by, author David Folster has selected a rich array of archival photographs of the original Ganong factory (now a retail outlet and museum) and the many loyal employees who have contributed to the sweet success of this company.
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Categories: chocolate products Tags: CHOCOLATE, Ganong, History, sweet
A Guide To History of Chocolate
A Guide To History of Chocolate
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For hundred of years, chocolates have been an integral part of the history of countless countries. And through those years, chocolates had several uses in the society. They were used as a type of money the early people could use when trading, buying or selling. Aside from being a currency, chocolates were also popularly known as indulgent drinks exclusive and available only to royalty. Today, people from all over the world enjoy chocolates which are presented in various kinds of forms and continue to play an essential role in many cultures….
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Categories: chocolate products Tags: CHOCOLATE, Guide, History
