18th Century Chocolate Making

Robert Leece and partner Edward Dirgo of The Pewter Pot showed how chocolate was made in the 18th century. The Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes discovered chocolate after he encountered the Aztecs. From Spain, chocolate would travel to Europe and then to Colonial America.

The demonstration also included grinding cacao nubs with a wide stone which was how chocolate was derived early on.
As a special treat for the audience, they also served the delicious ‘Drinking Chocolate’ – made up of cocoa powder, clove, nutmeg, ginger, honey, dried orange for this colonial 1745 recipe.