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Chocolate
Pots
A chocolate pot is a container which was designed to serve hot chocolate.
The typical pot had a right-angle handle, a lid with an apature which allow
a wooden stirrer (molinet, molinillo). The earliest chocolate pots were made
of precious metals such as silver and copper. Later porcelain pots
were popularized by the Limoges factory in France.
limoges chocolate pot, 1940's
Chocolate
Pot History
Chocolate was so revered it was used by the Aztecs as both a food and currency. The
Spanish explorers were so enamored with the flavor that they took chocolate back to Spain
where it became the the Kings' Official Drink in the New Spain and Europe. Around
the end of the XVIII century(1780 - 1800) , Europeans started preparing chocolate with
milk and sugar to create what we know today as Hot Chocolate. In fact the drink
became so popular many of the leading European porcelain manufactures such as Limoges in
France began making specialized pots and cups just to serve chocolate.
photo by: tburns -
limoges, france chocolate cups and pot
The photograph above is a nice exampe of a chocolate set made by Haviland, Limoges. Sets
normally included a pot, cups, and many times matching saucers, trays. These sets
are still manufactured today. The antique and vintage pieces have become quite
collectable and valuable.
Chocolate
Pots Made of Precious Metals
silver chocolate pot, 1852. photo by:
lincolnshire
council archives
Early chocolate pots, prior
to the discovery of kaolin porcelain in France were typically made of
sterling silver and sometimes copper. Earliest pieces typically
included the chocolate stirrer but later pieces became simply pouring
vessels.
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Buy A Chocolate
Pot
Very few
chocolate pots are still made today. We've selected this Louis XVIII
reproduction chocolate pot, made in France.
To use, place the chocolate ingredients are
placed in the pot. Place the "molinillo" in the pot and
slide the cover
in place over the handle of the molinillo. With the cover in place, hold the molinillo between
your two hands and with a rubbing motion
froth the liquid. Hold
the pot from the top and side handle to pour the
chocolate into cups.
The design is simple and timeless. The pot is made of
culinary quality porcelain and holds 29 ounces.
Pot Dimensions
height inc/lid: 8 1/2" to top of lid
height: 7 1/2" to top of pot
molinet: 11 3/4"
$139.95 - Buy
Oaxacan Chocolate Pot
Traditional Oaxacan Chocolate pot
The picture above is of two dark
green glazed chocolate pots from Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca is famous for
Mexican drinking chocolate. These pots are still made and used today
for preparing chocolate. The traditional "frothing" tool is a
Mexican Molinillo.
Distinguishing A Chocolate Pot
From A Coffee Pot
It is difficult
to tell the difference between a coffee pot and a chocolate pot. The
two features to look at are the spout on the exterior of the pot and the
inside of the spout. Coffee pot spouts are typically long and
sometimes arched. A chocolate pot has a fairly short spout. The
inside of a coffee pot just before the spout typically has a filter (a small
partition with holes) that keeps grounds from getting into the cup. A
chocolate pot would not have the filter.
Chocolate Pot
Museum
View our
collection of
chocolate pot images in our virtual museum. |
