Exhibition traces “liquid gold”
From rain forest to supermarket

THE MILWAUKEE Public Museum this month opens an exhibit that traces the history of a delightful natural product that has been tempting taste buds for 3,000 years.

“Chocolate: The Exhibition,” opens Oct. 9 and continues through Jan. 1, 2006, tracing the history of chocolate from the ancient rain forest to the supermarket shelf.  Offering a sensory explosion of aromas and candy factory sounds, the exhibition broadens appreciation for the treat and describes the commodity’s multi-billion-dollar global market.

Presented in both English and Spanish, the exhibition highlights immersive environments – each representing a time and place relating to the ecology, production and history of chocolate. The exhibition is free with admission to the museum at 800 W. Wells St.

"If you enjoy eating chocolate, this exhibition is a must-see,” notes Dan Finley, president and CEO of the museum. “Discover chocolate's intriguing cultural and natural beginnings and see what a 'spoonful' of sugar did to give this rain forest treasure world appeal."

Liquid Gold

Bonbons, fudge, chocolate bars are all sweet obsessions, but it wasn't always so. The ancient Maya of Central America knew it as a frothy, spicy drink, made from the seeds of the cacao tree and used in royal and religious ceremonies. The Maya chocolate concoction was a drink prepared with ground meal, ground chili peppers, and a touch of vanilla. 

Since cacao grows only in the rain forest, the pod was coveted by other cultures, including the Aztecs who traded for it. In Aztec society, chocolate beans were commonly used as currency and consumption of the chocolate drink was restricted to the elite.

Spanish conquistadores in search of gold took the drink back to Europe sometime between 1519 and 1544. Because the taste was foreign to European palates, chocolate was not immediately popular. In the 1600s, sugar was introduced to chocolate and the insatiable European demand for chocolate grew. When an Englishman first blended chocolate with hot milk and sugar in 1727, demand for the beverage accelerated.