Sicilian Hunter
32 Cal.
Can anyone post a pic of what 18th century chocolate would look like?
Was it presented as it is today in bar form? Loaves? Lumps?
Was it presented as it is today in bar form? Loaves? Lumps?
I suspect that 18th century chocolate was probably present as some sort of paste made from ground Cacao beans or in the form of whole beans. It was likely very expensive as well.Can anyone post a pic of what 18th century chocolate would look like?
Was it presented as it is today in bar form? Loaves? Lumps?
I don't believe this is the case because we know how it was done and when things happened.It seems like one of those details that is lost only because of how common place a thing it was no one thought to record it.
Of course that raises the question of what was happening when the lady said every pound of chocolate was wrapped in paper with a logo, and how the one and a half pounds of chocolate in Tilden's pack was wrapped in brown paper. I wonder what form those were in.There were, no chocolate bars prior to the 1850's.
I would assume either ground or in whole bean form.
My impression from the vague descriptions of the item and its packaging has been that the chocolate was in some form of block or cake. I guess I just assumed it would similar to a block of our "baker's chocolate".
I suppose the ground chocolate could be pressed into cakes like sugar into cones. Whole beans would need a box, tin, or bag, more so than a wrapper, it would seem.
Chocolate required more preprocessing before it could be made into a beverage. The processing first involved fermenting the beans after harvest, then roasting the beans, shelling them, grinding them on a hot stone, and sometimes adding spices and sugar during the processing. The chocolate mass — in a semi liquid state — then was poured into molds and allowed to harden. When desired, these bars or “ chunks ” of chocolate were grated/powdered and mixed with the desired liquid, heated, and finally frothed with a chocolate mill or molinillo .
I was merely referring to its shape or form not whether or not we had evidence of the chocolateI don't believe this is the case because we know how it was done and when things happened.
I hear this quite a lot for a number of situations and am very skeptical it is even remotely correct because we do know....
I guess shape is determined by the mold....I was merely referring to its shape or form
It sounded to me that they were a round loaf or cake as Broken Nock mentioned, possibly a medallion.Of course that raises the question of what was happening when the lady said every pound of chocolate was wrapped in paper with a logo, and how the one and a half pounds of chocolate in Tilden's pack was wrapped in brown paper. I wonder what form those were in.
Spence
The chocolate mass — in a semi liquid state — then was poured into molds and allowed to harden. When desired, these bars or “ chunks ” of chocolate were grated/powdered and mixed with the desired liquid, heated, and finally frothed with a chocolate mill or molinillo
6,Here's my source, it's a good read. In pdf .
https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/Clarke_Chocolate and Other Colonial Beverages.pdf
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