Around A.D. 600, the Mayas were the main aboriginal group in Central America. They established the first cocoa plantations and used the cocoa bean as the main ingredient in a dark, bitter drink that we would call “chocolate.” The Mayas believed that chocolate had mystical properties---but cocoa also had commercial value. In fact, cocoa beans were used as a form of currency that was worth its weight in gold!

公元600年左右，玛雅人是中美洲主要的土著居民。他们建立了第一座可可种植园，并用可可豆为主要原料，制成了一种又黑又苦的饮料，我们叫“巧克力”。玛雅人相信巧克力具有神秘的特性，也具有商业价值。实际上，可可豆曾经被当作一种与金子等值的货币形式！

(短文节选,本篇始于：浓情巧克力)