which historical figure inspired the name of a popular chocolate brand?

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Theobroma cacao, also known as “cacao”, is the scientific name for the cocoa bean. Another popular name for it is “chocolate”. These are just two of many potential words that may come to mind when you see this word, but all names for cocoa beans have their origins in a different fallen figure in history.

One such story is that of Xochiquetzal, an Aztec goddess who was probably responsible for teaching Mayans how to grow these beans and make chocolate (the primary ingredient in the drink). When the Spanish arrived on Mexico’s shores, they renamed her Our Lady of Guadalupe because she looked so similar to the Virgin Mary.

Another story is that the plant was named after Quetzalcoatl, an Aztec god who was the god of the wind and of merchants. He had a bad habit of eating too much chocolate, and was kicked out of heaven as a result.

Other myths about the plant name include that it was named after either a Mayan goddess, or the Greek god Zeus who fathered the first human (named Quetzalcoatl). Some have said that cacao was named after the keeper of the crops, or it also came from “qas,” meaning “bitter” in Quechua. These legends provide more than just naming origins, however: they reveal where it (or some other drink) was once used.

When Christopher Columbus arrived and found cacao beans growing in Cuba, he did not recognize them as such. In fact, he thought these were tomatoes grown underground! But he drank them anyway noting many positive effects on his health and his senses. The Spanish people eventually grew to love these beans as well.

One reason why cacao was good for the Spanish is because it was said to make men and women courageous, and it helped them to be fertile. The cacao drink that the Spanish drank was normally mixed with water and sugar (and often salt too), made into a hot drink, or drunk cold. The Spaniards also used the beans as currency, just like gold or silver. But they also could be grown as trees! And so when Spain planted them in their colonies in South America, Mexico, the Caribbean islands, Central America and northern parts of South America such as Colombia and Venezuela, they became very popular very quickly.

So how did the beans get to the United States? Well, it is sometimes said that they were brought here from Mexico by Columbus himself (though it is likely he would have brought them with him from Spain).

But there was a better way to get them here, as well. It was usually described by those who came after the Spaniards as being a Mexican-looking person who came into their town with a large bundle of “green beans” or “beans”. The Spanish did grow cacao on their islands in the Caribbean, and occasional shipments were made to Spain. But now that these areas were part of the Spanish empire, they became more accessible and grew in plantations. So the beans were now being grown in Europe, most notably on the Canary Islands and in South America.

The best place to see cacao growing today in one of its far-flung regions is Costa Rica. The best time to see it is during the rainy season when it is flowering (cacao flowers only during the rainy season) and you can see its red petals. Cacao trees are also popular for their bark, which can be used as a substitute for some types of cinnamon.