Upwards of 2,000 years ago, the ancient inhabitants of Mexico and Central America developed a chocolate drink made from the seed of the cacao tree mixed with native seasonings.

The sweet, creamy chocolate that we are familiar with today is a far stretch from this original form --- conquering Spaniards can be blamed for the departure. That being said, hints of the authentic, more earthy, well-spiced chocolate can still be found in modern Mexican chocolate.

Today, Mexican chocolate is most frequently used in hot drinks such as champurrado. Generally spiced with cinnamon, champurrados are often enjoyed with breakfast or with tamales.

Punch it up another notch with some chili peppers and a little onion or garlic and you have a delicious mole poblano suace with Mexican chocolate being the featured ingredient. A far cry from its Mayan and Aztec origins, this mole sauce is now heralded as one of the gems of Mexican cuisine.