Monks at Florence's San Marco Monastery have uncovered a mid-19th century recipe for a drink that may represent a precursor to modern cola beverages.
The discovery was made during archival cataloguing work at the monastery. According to Dominican friar Manuel Russo, researchers found a faded document describing a tonic elixir made from coca leaves and kola nuts, ingredients that were widely used in popular stimulants of the period.
Predates Coca-Cola
The find has attracted attention because it predates the creation of Coca-Cola, which was developed in 1886 by American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton.
Pemberton's original formula combined coca leaves and kola nuts in an alcoholic beverage before alcohol was later replaced with a sweet syrup, leading to the creation of the soft drink that evolved into today's Coca-Cola.
Researchers have not suggested any direct link between the Florentine recipe and Coca-Cola, but say the document illustrates the popularity of coca- and kola-based tonics in Europe during the 19th century.
