The Mayans called the drink “chocolhaa” (“bitter water”) and Aztecs called it “Xocolatl.” From those words eventually evolved the word “chocolate.” Cacao was used in special celebrations such as those for funeral rituals, war, or harvests.

“Chocolate” comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec Empire. The word “cacao” was used by the ancient Maya, but the word likely originates with the Mije-Sokean language family.

Mayan Chocolate Despite chocolate's importance in Mayan culture, it wasn't reserved for the wealthy and powerful, but was readily available to almost everyone. In many Mayan households, chocolate was enjoyed with every meal. Mayan chocolate was thick and frothy and often combined with chili peppers, honey or water.

The first step in creating the Mayan chocolate drink was to harvest the seeds from cacao trees. The Mayans then fermented, dried, and roasted the beans. They could then remove the beans from their hard outer shells and grind them into a fine paste. Much of this process remains unchanged to this day!