When was cocoa first cultivated?

Explanation

The use of cocoa goes back to 1300 BC and the earliest known cultures in America. The Maya were cultivating cocoa 600 BC and are thus often credited with its discovery. Later, the Aztec produced a drink they called "cacahuaatl" which consisted of roasted cocoa beans, water and different spices. In 1528 Hernán Cortés imported them to Spain, where he introduced them to the Spanish king. Chocolate in its solid form was developed in Europe in the mid-1800s. Today, the Swiss eat the most chocolate: some 10 kg/inhabitant/year.