Cola Roots Uncovered: Ancient Recipe Discovered in Italian Monastery

A previously unknown recipe for a 19th century beverage has been discovered in the pharmacy of Saint Mark's Monastery in Florence, Italy.

The recipe, which dates back to the mid-1800s, describes a drink that could be a precursor to modern cola drinks. The discovery was made during archive-cleaning work at the monastery, which is one of Florence's best-known landmarks and home to the Antica Farmacia di San Marco.

The recipe lists ingredients including 30g of cola nuts, 10g of Bolivian coca leaves, and one litre of an alcoholic mixture. According to Dominican friar Manuel Russo, the recipe is written on a faded advertisement that describes a 'fortifying wine elixir' made from coca leaves and cola nuts.

The drink was among the pharmacy's best-selling products at the time, with missionaries bringing both the coca leaves and cola nuts from South America to Tuscany. However, obtaining the ingredients for the modern-day equivalent of this recipe may be difficult due to laws prohibiting the possession of coca leaves in most countries.

The discovery predates the creation of Coca-Cola by several decades, with the company's original formula remaining one of the world's best-known trade secrets. According to Coca-Cola, only a small number of employees know the complete formula, and they are bound by strict confidentiality agreements.