There are very few countries that can claim an assortment of candies as
broad and delicious as Mexico's. Mexican “sweets” (they
aren't actually all sweet) come in a variety of surprising textures and
exquisite flavors. Traditional Mexican candies and sweets, in general,
have a long timeline in Mexican culture—making them an even more integral
and valuable part of the nation's heritage.
Something you may not realize is that chocolate actually originated in
Mexico. The Aztec people believed that the cacao plant
was a gift from the tree of life, given to them by the god Quetzalcoatl.
They used the bean as currency. They also made a drink out of it; however,
they used spices instead of the sugar Europeans would use to make hot
chocolate. The Aztecs mixed in different spices, such as chili peppers, to
give the bitter bean mixture some flavor. Mexican chocolate to this day
still contains a variety of spices. It is also often used as an ingredient
in other dishes, rather than being consumed on its own.