La mousse au chocolat basque

The cacao tree was first planted by the native tribes of Central America. It was introduced to the West Indies by the conquering Spanish. The method of producing chocolate from the beans was jealously guarded for many years, reaching Europe only in the 17th century when it became as popular and fashionable as a beverage as coffee or tea. The fashion died but was revived in the 19th century when it reappeared in solid form.

In Spain, chocolate soon developed as a thriving industry in