Preface

The earliest edible cocoa was made by the Mayans, and it was first made by the Mexicans. Later, in 1528, cocoa was brought back to Spain and cocoa trees were planted on a small island in West Africa. The Spanish pulverized the cocoa beans. The drink made by adding water and sugar and heated is called "chocolate." Soon the method of making it was learned by the Italians, and it spread throughout Europe and even the world. From the cocoa tree to the finished chocolate, the production process and processing will be introduced in this chapter.