Cocoa And Chocolate
The Tree, The Bean The Beverage

20 THE COCOA AND CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY “ the chief use of this cocoa is in a drincke which they call chocolate, whereof they make great account, foolishly and without reason ; for it is loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it, having a skumme or frothe that is very unpleasant to taste, if they be not well conceited thereof.” Some writers passed from depreciation to denuncia-tion. Thus Joan Franc Rauch, in 1624, published in Vienna a treatise condemning chocolate as a violent inflamer of the passions, and asking that the monks should be forbidden to drink it. Another writer com-plained that the very addition which had made chocolate populär, namely sugar, had destroyed its value, because sugar was a corrosive salt and a hypocritical enemy of the body. In spite of these diatribes, from being drunk chiefly by wealthy epicures and cranks, mainly as physic, chocolate became widely appreciated, and by the end of the Century its cost and rieh nature alone prevented it from becoming universally populär. It should be noted that the original Mexican beverage was a coarse mixture, generally containing no sugar and often flavoured with hot spices, and that it was served cool or as cool as the tropical climate permitted. Such a drink could never have found, favour in Europe. Served hot, with a generous helping of sugar, everyone agreed with Mr. Samuel Pepys that “ jocolatte ” was “ very good.” Many of the chocolate houses in later days became famous as clubs. Most readers will have heard of White’s Chocolate House, adjoining St. James’s Palace, and of the “ Cocoa Tree ” Club, 64 St. James’s Street, Piccadilly. Although the use of chocolate spread over Europe, Spain continued her hold on the trade. The whole of the raw cacao was obtained through Spain from tropical