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→European Use
==European Use==
The arrival of Spanish conquistadors, specifically Hernando Cortés, brought Europeans in contact with chocolate, who initially did not like the taste of the drink as it was bitter. Chocolate, at this time, did not include sugar so it was usually quite bitter. By the 1590s, chocolate was now mixed with honey, vanilla, and sugar, giving it a much sweeter taste and it became more favorable With the conquest of the West Indies, and beginning of the establishment of sugarcane plantations, soon the production of sugar combined with chocolate revolutionized European tastes. Soon, chocolate, still consumed as a drink, became associated with upper class tastes and the nobility in general by the early 17th century. Interestingly, the some members of the church had initially potentially considered chocolate drinks as sinful, where some even drank it to divert themselves from long services. However, this changed as the elite and noblemen supported its consumption. The 17th century was also a time for experimentation with chocolate, including the first known attempt to coat almonds with chocolate.
==More Recent Use==
