Antonio Colmenero de Ledesma

Chocolatte being this day used not onely over all the West-India's, but also in Spain, Italy, and Flanders, with approbation of many learned Doctors in Physick, among whom Antonio Colmenero of Ledesma; (who lived once in the India's) hath composed a learned and curious Treatise concerning the nature and quality of this drink; I thought fit to insert here also somewhat of it concerning my own experience for the space of twelve yeers. This name Chocolatte is an Indian name, and is compounded from Atte, as some say or as others, Atle, which in the Mexican language signifieth water, & from the sound which the water (wherein is put the Chocolatte) makes, as Choco, Choco, Choco, when it is stirred in a cup by an instrument called a Molinet, or Molinillo, untill it bubble and rise unto a froath. And as there it is a name compounded, so in English wee may well call it a compounded or a confectioned drink wherein are found many and severall Ingredients, according to the different disposition of the body of them that use it. But the chief Ingredient (without which it cannot be made) is called Cacao, a kind of nut or kernell bigger then a great Almond, which growes upon a tree called the tree of Cacao, and ripens in a great huske, wherein sometimes are found more, sometimes lesse Cacao's, sometimes twenty, sometimes thirty, nay forty, and above.

Chocolate is used today not only all over the West Indies but also in Spain, Italy, and Flanders, with the approval of many learned doctors of medicine. Among them Antonio Colmenero of Ledesma (who once lived in the Indies) has written a learned and curious treatise on the nature and quality of this drink. So I thought fit to set down here something about it from my own experience over twelve years. This name chocolate is an Indian name. It is compounded from atte, as some say, or as others say atle, which in the Mexican language means water, and from the sound which the water (in which the chocolate is put) makes, as choco, choco, choco, when it is stirred in a cup with an instrument called a molinet, or molinillo, until it bubbles and rises into a froth. And as it is a compounded name there, so in English we may well call it a compounded or confectioned drink, in which are found many different ingredients, according to the different constitutions of the bodies of those who use it. But the chief ingredient (without which it cannot be made) is called cacao. It is a kind of nut or kernel bigger than a large almond. It grows on a tree called the cacao tree and ripens in a great husk, in which are found sometimes more and sometimes fewer cacaos: sometimes twenty, sometimes thirty, even forty and more.