Chocolate was discovered in Central America more than 2000 years ago, according to the Field Museum of Chicago website. The Aztecs and Maya mixed ground cacao seeds with a variety of seasonings. However, for these civilizations, chocolate was a spicy drink rather than a sweet dessert. When the Spaniards arrived in Central America, they brought back cacao seeds and began producing chocolate sweetened with sugar. In the 21st century, some of the best chocolate can be found in countries that do not produce cacao plants at all. Switzerland despite having a climate that is inhospitable to growing cacao plants, and never having colonized any regions that could produce them, Switzerland is widely recognized as a country that produces delicious chocolate. Switzerland began producing chocolate in the 1800s after solid chocolate was introduced and the practice of drinking chocolate began to decline in Europe.