Cacao
The cacao bean, the origin of chocolate, has a different taste and appearance in its natural state compared to the processed chocolate found in stores. Raw cacao beans have an unusual, almost alien-like appearance and lack the sweetness of chocolate.
The Aztecs began using cacao beans thousands of years ago, and their use has since spread worldwide. Initially, the labor-intensive process of making chocolate made it a luxury item reserved for the affluent. It is only in recent times that chocolate has become widely accessible to the general public.
