What beverage that many people enjoy drinking today was a popular drink among the Aztecs in the 15th Century?

Long before it became a sweet, solid treat, the key ingredient of this beverage was enjoyed by Mesoamerican civilizations for thousands of years. The Aztecs, in particular, highly valued the cacao bean, using it to create a bitter, frothy drink they called "xocolatl," which translates to "bitter water." Far from the sweet, milky hot cocoa we know today, this beverage was a status symbol, primarily reserved for the elite such as nobility, priests, and decorated warriors. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma II, was famously said to have consumed dozens of golden goblets of the drink each day.

The preparation of xocolatl was an art form in itself. Cacao beans were roasted and ground into a paste, then mixed with water and spices like chili peppers and vanilla. Since they did not have sugar, the drink was unsweetened, though honey was occasionally used. To achieve its signature froth, the mixture was poured back and forth between two vessels from a height until a thick foam developed. Cacao was considered a divine gift from the god Quetzalcoatl, and the beans were so valuable they were even used as a form of currency. For certain ceremonies, annatto would be added to give the drink a deep red color, associating it with blood and its sacred role in rituals.