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Drinking chocolate came to Western Europe from Spanish explorers and colonists and quickly became a
luxurious and expensive object. Drinking chocolate was prepared by melting ground cacao beans in hot
water, then adding sugar, milk and some spices, followed by bubbling the mixture with a molinet, which is
a stirring stick used primarily for whipping chocolate. Chocolate was a rare commodity and considered
exotic, therefore the only people who had access to chocolate pots were those who could afford both the
materials and servants to perform this elaborate process.