The delicate refrains of a violin filled the Old State House, welcoming guests into the colonial atmosphere of the Revolutionary Chocolate event showcasing the sweet treat’s Beantown roots hosted by the Bostonian Society on Feb. 17.
Demonstrations of creating 18th century chocolate — from harvesting the cocoa bean to grinding it into powder and boiling a zesty drink — were presented by representatives of MARS Inc. as part of its “American Heritage Chocolate” program that has been visiting museums and historical societies across the country.
“Boston was Chocolate Central,” said Nathaniel Sheidley, historian and director of public history at the Bostonian Society. “When many other seaport cities were hurt by the war, Boston remained the center of chocolate production.”
The event’s 72 guests were rewarded with samplings of liquid chocolate infused with cinnamon, red pepper, nutmeg, anise, and orange but devoid of sugar, a scarce commodity in colonial times.
“Eating chocolate as a solid was never an option because it was so thick and bitter,” Sheidley said. “Drinking chocolate, however, was like carrying a walking stick in that it showed your place in the social hierarchy. It was also the patriotic alternative to drinking tea.”
After warming their palates with pungent cocoa, guests were encouraged to explore the landmark’s many galleries and halls, where lecturers, exhibit leaders, and tour guides explained the revolutionary act of drinking chocolate instead of tea, showed off cocoa classifieds in an original copy of the Boston Gazette, and led candle-lit tours of the historic building’s tower.
“People love chocolate,” Sheidley said, “It has a wonderful and interesting history and we wanted to use it to tell a story.”
This article is being published under an arrangement between the Boston Globe and Emerson College.