One of my favorite movies is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I love everything from the conveyor belt of chocolates in the opening credits to the magic of the chocolate river. I secretly hope that one day I’ll find a golden ticket. Although I’ve yet to meet Mr. Wonka, it’s fair to say that I came pretty close to a chocolate river in México where I learned about the origins of this sweet treat.

Chocolate dates back to ancient Aztec and Maya civilizations, who considered the cacao (pronounced Ka-Kow) bean a luxury. Once used as a form of currency, a medicinal treatment for stomach pain, and a religious offering, the cacao bean was a highly valued commodity in pre-Hispanic México. It wasn’t until the 16th century that chocolate arrived in Europe.

At la Soledad y Chocolat, I persuaded factory workers to spill the beans on how traditional Oaxacan chocolate is made. The state of Oaxaca is one of the country’s largest producers of chocolate and the people in this state consume more chocolate than anywhere else in México.

In Oaxaca, cacao beans are typically ground with sugar and spices. At the shop, I was handed a bowl of roasted beans, almonds, and cinnamon. It took only 10 minutes to transform these ingredients into a chocolate paste that is traditionally used in drinks and moles.

Machines with sharp, rotating blades are used to grind the chocolate. I’m surprised that this simple process results in such sophisticated tasting chocolate - rich, earthy, and with a hint of spice.

At L’Amandine in Mérida, I learned the art of transforming chocolate into candies. L’Amandine expertly crafts candies into bite-sized versions of some of México’s famous archaeological sites. Chocolate is very fussy and there is an exact science to making it. Chocolate must to go through a process of melting, cooling, and reheating to achieve a certain texture and look. This culinary process, called tempering, arranges the compounds inside the chocolate so that it eventually cools into a shiny, breakable solid.

I tried my hand at making a Chichén Itzá shaped candy, a milk and white chocolate marbled pyramid filled with chocolate-hazelnut paste. I must admit, my first attempt at creating designer confections was not too shabby.

Tomorrow: visit Teotihuacán.

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