Peoples of Mesoamerica liked their chocolate drink frothy and spicy.
The Classic Period Maya (250-900 C.E. [A.D.]) and Aztecs (1250-1521) were early connoisseurs of chocolate’s flavorful properties. They made chocolate by mixing crushed cacao seeds with water. The result was a tepid, foamy, and quite bitter beverage.
The Aztec people spiced their drink with chile peppers, thickened it with cornmeal, or flavored it with honey, vanilla, or flower petals. Sugar wasn’t yet available as a sweetener in the Americas.