Chocolate in Colonial America
- Jax Chocolate and Coffee Festival
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, we're revisiting the familiar story of the nation's founding generation and uncovering a surprising detail: chocolate was already a popular part of life in colonial America.
Long before chocolate bars lined store shelves, chocolate was most commonly consumed as a warm beverage. Introduced through trade networks connecting the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe, drinking chocolate gained popularity throughout the colonies during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. By the years leading up to the American Revolution, chocolate had become a familiar sight in homes, taverns, and social gatherings across the colonies.
Unlike the sweet hot cocoa many people enjoy today, colonial chocolate was typically prepared by grating pressed cacao into hot water, milk, or wine and whisking it into a rich, frothy drink. Sugar and spices were often added, and many people viewed chocolate not only as a pleasant beverage but also as a source of nourishment and health. Historical accounts from the period frequently described chocolate as energizing, restorative, and beneficial to overall well-being.
Its popularity extended to some of the most recognizable figures of the era. George Washington was a regular consumer of chocolate, and records preserved from Mount Vernon document repeated purchases over many years. Martha Washington was also known for her fondness for chocolate and often preferred a lighter beverage made by steeping cacao shells like tea. In a 1789 letter, George Washington even requested that a merchant obtain "20 lb. of the shells of Cocoa nuts" for Martha's preferred chocolate drink.
By the eighteenth century, chocolate had become an established part of American culture. In 1773 alone, more than 320 tons of cocoa beans were imported into the colonies, reflecting the beverage's widespread popularity. Although widely available in major cities and among affluent households, chocolate remained a relatively expensive imported commodity.
Here in Northeast Florida, that Revolutionary-era history is closer than many people realize. During the American Revolution, St. Augustine was under British control and became part of the larger struggle unfolding across the colonies. Three signers of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Heyward Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutledge, were held under house arrest in the city, creating a direct regional connection to the nation’s founding story.
To connect these threads of chocolate, colonial America, and Revolutionary-era history, the Jacksonville Chocolate & Coffee Festival is proud to unveil a one-of-a-kind historical chocolate experience called George Washington’s Chocolate Table which features a four-foot-tall chocolate sculpture depicting George Washington on horseback, a colonial drinking chocolate experience, and unique historic exhibits highlighting chocolate history in America.
The sculpture is being hand-crafted by internationally recognized chocolate sculptor and storyteller Paul Joachim, Vice President of the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund, whose work blends large-scale chocolate artistry with education, audience engagement, and guided tastings that explore chocolate's agricultural, historical, and cultural roots in America. His work transforms chocolate into a medium for storytelling, connecting craftsmanship with historical interpretation. It serves as a tribute to both the nation's founding and the rich history of chocolate in early America.
Visitors to the Jacksonville Chocolate & Coffee Festival will have the opportunity to experience this remarkable work of edible art while exploring the rich traditions of chocolate and American history. It is a reminder that even in the earliest days of the nation, shared traditions like a warm cup of chocolate helped bring people together in daily life.
The sculpture will be on display throughout the festival on November 21 & 22, 2026, at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, Hall B, in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sources & Further Reading
Mount Vernon – The Washingtons and Chocolate
Smithsonian National Museum of American History – George Washington Drank Hot Chocolate https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/george-washington-drank-hot-chocolate
Westport Museum for History & Culture – Bittersweet: Chocolate in Colonial America https://westporthistory.org/bittersweet/
History.com – The History of Chocolate in the American Colonies
National Park Service – Castillo de San Marcos: A Change of Flags