Blog 7


Liam Breslin 
Dr. Esa
3/30/20
Reel Food
Blog 7
Cacao Chocolate liquor | Santa Barbara ChocolateChocolate! A food beloved by millions (except me I have a dairy allergy)! An often dark brown, soft, sweet, and delicious treat eaten on holidays, for desert, or even just as a snack. In the film, Chocolat, a mysterious arrival of a woman and her daughter bring various forms of traditional and sweet chocolate to a french town. Although deeply rooted in tradition, Lenten seasonal (christian) tradition to be exact, the french community that Vianne has moved into is ultimately impacted by her delicious treats. Chocolate is still loved by people, but often people are unsure of its origin. 
Thousands of years ago, chocolate originated from what is known as the Cacao plant, or more specifically the beans of the plant. In ancient Mayan civilization, it was said that the beans of the cacao plant were given to the people by a feathered, winged deity named Kukulkan. The beans had many various uses in ancient Mayan culture. Beans were ground and mixed with corn meal and chili peppers to make a frothy invigorating drink (Pucciarelli, 0:43). This particular drink was often consumed at royal feasts as well, signifying its importance. Aside from that, they were also used as currency between people and given to soldiers as a reward for successful battle (Pucciarelli, 1:10). Chocolate was also heavily used in rituals among the Mayan people. Some of these rituals entailed honoring the Mayan gods, with the cacao drink standing in for the “blood of the gods”. This was considered “God food” by the Mayans as well, even having a specific deity for the Cacao plant itself. 
Now that you know the origins of chocolate within Mayan culture, remember all of its importance the next time you bite into a Hershey bar or drink some warm hot cocoa (because I cannot eat either).


Sources cited: 


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