"The food of the gods": Delicious indulgence or cause of migraines? Aphrodisiac or medicinal tonic? Religious symbol or Mesoamerican currency? This tale of one of the world's favorite foods draws upon botany, archaeology, socioeconomics and culinary history to present for the first time a complete and accurate history of chocolate. The story begins some 3000 years ago in the jungles of lowland Mexico and Central America, with the tree Theobroma cacao and the complex processes necessary to transform its bitter seeds into a beverage. Chocolate was consumed in generally unsweetened liquid form and used as currency by the sophisticated Maya, and the Aztecs after them. The Spanish conquest of Central America introduced chocolate to Europe as a luxury item; then industrialization made it a food for the masses. From Maya hieroglyphs to the Hershey Bar, this is a fascinating history, enhanced with quotations, illustrations and old recipes.--From publisher description.