As with so many French delicacies, the national passion for chocolate originated with the aristocracy. In 1615, Anne of Austria, the intended wife of King Louis XIII, made a gift of chocolate to her future husband, who fell immediately for this exotic and aromatic product of the New World. Chocolate drinking became fashionable at the court in Versailles, where the kings drafted various chocolatiers to prepare the cocoa bean paste with water or milk and with various spices and seasonings as a special treat. King Louis XV had a particular love for this drink, and the custom spread from the royal court to the French bourgeoisie.