Researchers have found that chocolate (the drinkable form) was produced by ancient Mayans 2600 years ago, over a millennium earlier than previously thought.

This is far earlier than coffee, or any other hot drink. Only beer and wine have been devised earlier.

Source: The Economist (subscribers only) reporting on an article in Nature.

Now if only chocolate drinking places were as commonplace as they are in Spain or Vienna, serving that divine nectar rather than the insipid caffeinated swill people inexplicably seem to favor…

In my opinion, the best drinking cocoa is Scharffen-Berger, because it is not processed with harsh alkali like Dutch-style cocoa. The Dutch brands Droste and Van Houten nevertheless produce quite acceptable cocoa, specially in Europe where Scharffen-Berger is not commonly available. And if you want the ultimate liquid chocolate indulgence, try either Viennese-style Rumpelmayer “Angelina” hot chocolate from Paris or the drinking chocolate available in bottles from La Maison du Chocolat or Valrhona.

Update (2002-09-19): A funny quote about the (recently failed) takeover battle for Hershey “Chocolates” (sic), from The Economist:

In the end, the resistance of the people of Hershey may not be enough to stop their company being snatched from under their noses. After all, if the taste of Hershey’s chocolate—which, legend has it, is made with sour milk—is not enough to put off the bidders, what is?

Update (2007-11-23):

The earliest known date for cocoa cultivation has been pushed back another half millennium, to 1100 BC.

Update (2013-04-21):

Hersheey’s took over Sharffen-Berger and ruined it. If you want good drinking chocolate, get the Guittard “Grand Cacao”.