While chocolate was highly esteemed in Mesoamerican where it originated, its adoption in Europe was initially slow. There is a common belief that Europeans needed to `"transform" chocolate to make it appetizing. However, while Spaniards did put sugar, which was unknown to indigenous Americans, into chocolate beverages,this additive was not completely innovative. Mesoamenricans were already sweetening chocolate with honey, and the step from honey to sugar--increasingly more available than honey because of expanding sugar plantations in the Americans-- is a small one. Likewise, although Spaniards adjusted Mesoamerican recipes by using European spices, the spices chosen suggest an attempt to replicate harder-to-find native flowers. There is no indication the Spaniards deliberately tried to change the original flavor of chocolate.