CHOCOLATE is made from the seeds of theobroma cacao (see CocoA), reduced to a fine paste in a heated iron mortar, or by a machine, and mixed with pounded sugar and spices, as cinnamon, clot-es, cardamom, vanilla, etc. The paste is then poured into molds of white iron, in which it is allowed to cool and harden. C. is sometimes made without spices. but is then more generally called cocoa. The paste is sometimes mixed with flour, and with Carrageen or with Iceland moss; and for medicinal purposes with cinchona, etc. C. is used as a beverage, and for this purpose is dissolved in hot water or milk. Sometimes the yolk of an egg is added, and sometimes it is dissolved in soup or wine. It is also employed in making certain liqueurs. In a pure state, it soon satisfies the appetite, and is very nourishing; when it contains spices, it is also stimu lating. Good C. is externally smooth, firm, and shining—not witty in the fracture— easily soluble, aromatic; not viscid after having been and cooled, but oily on the surface, and leaves no sediment of foreign substances. C. is adulterated in
many ways, by mixing it with rice-meal, oat-meal, flour, potato-starch, roasted hazel nuts or almonds, and with beuzoin, storax, etc., iu place of vanilla. The Mexicans, from time immemorial, were accustomed to prepare a beverage from roasted and pounded cocoa, dissolved in water, and mixed with maize-meal and spices. This they called chocolatl (ehoco, cocoa, and /atl, water). From the Americans, the Spaniards derived an acquaintance wills C., and by them it was introduced into Europe in 1320. C. is used in South America, Spain, and Italy, more than in other parts of -the world, although it is used to a considerable extent in Germany. Its use in Britain has given place in a great measure to that of the simpler cocoa.