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Aztecs and Cacao. In Mexico there are trees that grow in the shade of the jungle that have strange big pods. These Chocolate Trees were believed to have been gifts from the Gods. Are you feeling clever today?. The Chocolate Tree’s correct name is Theobroma Cacao.
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In Mexico there are trees that grow in the shade of the jungle that have strange big pods. • These Chocolate Trees were believed to have been gifts from the Gods.
Are you feeling clever today? The Chocolate Tree’s correct name is Theobroma Cacao. …which means “Food of the Gods”.
The Aztecs picked the pods from the tree. When they cut the pod they found small brown seeds inside.
The cacao beans were dried and roasted. The cacao beans are then known as Cocoa.
Cacao Pods were celebrated. They were put on statues and temples.
The cocoa beans are ground into a paste, then mixed with water and spices to make Xocoatl. Xocoatl in Aztec language means “bitter water”. xoco = bitter atl = water
Montezuma said… “A cup of this precious drink lets a man walk for a whole day without food”.
Cocoa Beans were so valuable they were used as money. A slave cost 100 cocoa beans. What could you buy for 10 beans? How much did a pumpkin cost?