How chocolate and romance became linked

Valentine’s Day and chocolate — they simply go hand in hand. In recent years, the confection has been regarded as the symbol of affection with stores and major retailers selling them by the box. But in its earliest iteration, chocolate carried a completely different meaning. In fact, it was the antithesis of romance. It wasn’t until the 1860s when chocolate became synonymous with Valentine’s Day thanks to one British chocolatier.

Chocolate itself first began as Xocolatl, or “bitter water,” a spiced drink made from ground cacao beans, chiles and spices that originated with the Aztecs and Mayans. Xocolatl “was mostly an upper-class extravagance, although the lower classes enjoyed it occasionally at weddings or other celebrations,” according to History. Aztec ruler Montezuma II allegedly drank copious amounts of Xocolatl for energy and as an aphrodisiac, the outlet added. Despite his great love for Aztec chocolate, he still managed to share some of his cacao beans with his military.    

In Aztec culture, cacao beans were believed to be a gift from the gods. The beans were also regarded as the highest form of currency, even more valuable than gold, and used to purchase food and various goods.