Chocolate Discovery

Did you know that cacao was first cultivated in Mexico by the Olmec culture 3,000 years ago and that the ancient Maya made a bitter drink from the beans and also used them as currency? Did you know that the Spanish conquistadores were served the frothy beverage at the court of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma and were the first to add honey to it? How is chocolate made from cacao? If you are staying with us this month, learn about this tropical crop and the story of chocolate during our new Chocolate Tasting.

Cacao is still grown in the Chontalpa region of Tabasco in the fertile lowlands along the Gulf coast, once the land of the Olmecs. There is evidence that the ancient Maya cultivated it around Chichen Itza, in Belize and in southern Quintana Roo. Farmers in the village of Cacao are reviving this tradition and one of them will show you the cacao pods and beans and demonstrate how they are processed to make chocolate. You’ll get to taste and smell the beans and even in their raw state they have a rich chocolaty smell.

Chef Guido de la Mora will let you into more chocolate secrets and of course there will be more delicious treats to sample.

Ask your Concierge for more details.