The story of chocolate starts in ancient Mesoamerica, where cultures like the Olmec, Maya and Aztecs prized cacao seeds for ceremonial beverages and currency. Chocolate arrived in Europe in the sixteenth century, when Spanish explorers introduced cacao, which settled from a bitter drink to a sweet confection for the aristocracy. The development of the cocoa press in 1828 by Coenraad van Houten changed production by removing cocoa butter from cocoa solids, making smooth chocolate and cocoa powder a possibility. Joseph Fry made the first solid chocolate bar in 1847 by combining cocoa butter, cocoa powder and sugar, making chocolate an edible treat. Milk chocolate was a product of the innovations of Daniel Peter and Henri Nestle in 1875, and the creamy texture as we enjoy it today was the result of Rodolphe Lindt’s conching process. The twentieth century saw mass production (making chocolate affordable to all) and the birth of a bean-to-bar movement (ensuring an ethically sourced product of artisanal quality).