The literal form of hot chocolate

THE ANCIENT Mayans, who predicted the end of the world would come last December, made truly hot chocolate, by adding chilies and corn to it.

The first records of chocolate being used for drinking came from residue found in ancient Mayan pots, dating back to the 5th Century AD. The drink was made by pounding chocolate beans in to a paste, which was then mixed with water, chili peppers, cornmeal, and assorted spices. Then poured back and forth between a cup and a pot, creating a foamy head.

Drunk cold, people of all classes savoured it regularly. The drink tasted spicy and bitter, unlike today’s hot chocolate.