Chocolate cake, fudge brownies, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate truffle boxes, steaming cups of hot cocoa ? Chocolate is synonymous with indulgence, filling dessert menus and millions of hearts with ecstasy all over the world. Since Spanish explorers first encountered the magical cocoa beans in sixteenth-century South America, it has cast its spell at a global level, becoming an addictive and powerful force to be reckoned with. In Chocolate, Sarah Moss and Alec Badenoch guide readers through the remarkable evolution of this near-universal obsession. They trace its roots from the earliest Spanish accounts of how the Aztecs and Mayans used chocolate in sacrificial rituals and as currency, to Linnaeus proclaiming the cocoa tree as the ?food of the gods?, not to mention its enduring reputation as a potent aphrodisiac. Readers are invited to dive into a delectable, wondrous journey through the cobbled lanes of history, witnessing culture and commerce take shape in captivating full-colour photographs as *Chocolate *reveals the irresistible mystique of the world?s most beloved sweet.