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Mexican Chocolate
Mexican chocolate is made from dark, bitter chocolate mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and
sometimes nuts. The end result is a "grainy" less smooth product.
Chocolate is frequently purchased in "disks" although it is also available in
bars and syrups.
ibarra chocolate disks
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History and Lore
The botanical name for chocolate is Theobroma,
which means "food of the gods". The name is appropriate for the importance
of chocolate in the Mexican culture. Chocolate is among the many things the
Spaniards acquired from the Aztecs. The native Aztec people made a variety of drinks
made of chocolate combined with honey, nuts, seeds, and spices. The drink was used
in rituals by priests as well as nobleman. While many historic references are made to the
Aztecs and chocolate, the Aztecs actually adopted the use of chocolate from the earlier
Mayan Culture.
European Adaptation
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.
Photo by: Museuceramica Mancerina and
jícara (chocolate cup and fitted plate)
Traditional Uses for Mexican Chocolate
mexican chocolate, formed into a disk
Hot Drinks - The most traditional use for chocolate was for hot beverages
such as Atole, Champurrado and Mexican Hot Chocolate. Learn
more about Mexican Hot Beverages. Also see the recipe links
on this page.
Atole is frequently served with tamales. Champurrado is also served as a dessert
with Churros or a sweet bread call Pan Dulce. These
drinks are whipped up using a wooden whisk called a molinillo (moh-lin-nyee-oh) (or, a
blender). The whisk is held between the palms of your hands. Then using a back and
forth motion the whisk moves back and forth in the mixture until it is aerated and frothy.
Tejate - A Oaxaca specialty. An interesting cold drink is made of dark
chocolate, corn masa, cocoa flowers, then marinated and frothed. (See photograph of a
Mexican woman making tejate).
mexican
molinillo (chocolate whisk)
Mole (moh-Lay) - A sauce that varies in
content depending on the region. The traditional red mole contains chilies, garlic,
nuts, tomato, spices and chocolate. It is important to note that the amount of
chocolate is very small and enhances but does not overpower the sauce. The sauce is
served with turkey or chicken. Mole does not use the Mexican flavored chocolate but
instead a dark bitter, unspiced version.
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Mexican Chocolate Lovers
Gift box
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With Molinllo,
Ibarra Chocolate, Taza Chocolate, Churro maker and
Michael Turback's "Hot
Chocolate" cookbook packed in our "chocolate swirl" gift box
BUY |
mexican beverage kit
This Mexican Beverage Kit is available at GourmetSleuth.com.
View All Mexican Cooking Tools in our catalog. We sell
Ibarra chocolate as well as Mayordomo chocolate from Oaxaca (as
avaialable)
How To Make Chocolate, the Old Way...
In this century most people simply buy chocolate. In some villages chocolate is
still made by hand. The cocoa beans are roasted, then ground using a metate y mano
that has been heated over coals. The crushed, heated beans melt and are combined
with sugar, spices and sometimes nuts.
We normally associate the advent of chocolate bars with the European culture. In
reality, the women of Guatemala formed ground chocolate into bars for storage, long before
the Europeans began the practice.
The picture below shows a woman making chocolate using a nice large metate y mano.
Woman making chocolate using the traditional
metate y mano. Photograph from: RCI Endless Vacation, March/April 2002. This is from an
exhibit at the Field Museum, in Chicago,
Illinois.
Recipes
Mexican
Hot Chocolate - Mexican chocolate mixed with warmed milk then frothed with a
molinillo.
Champurrado - A special hot chocolate thickened with masa
and flavored with piloncillo and aniseeds.
Atole - A warm almost porridge-like drink made thick with masa.
The chocolate version is Champurrado, other versions are flavored with fruits or nuts.
Mole - Made with chilies, garlic, nuts, tomato, spices and
chocolate.
Credits
and Resources
Mexican, Healthy
Ways with a Favorite Cuisine
Authentic
Mexican : Regional Cooking...by Rick and Deann Bayless
Ibarra Chocolate Company, Guadalajara, Mexico
Mexican Beverages - Our page dedicated to the varieties
of traditional Mexican Beverages.
Chocolate - Read more about the history, uses, and health
benefits of chocolate.
Where to Buy
Mexican Chocolate
Common brands of Mexican chocolate
include Ibarra and Nestle (Ibarra being the older brand of the two). If you are in
an area with a Mexican grocery store it will surely be there. If not, check the
"Ethnic" food section of your local grocer.
Buy Online
GourmetSleuth - We carry Mexican chocolate disks as
well as piloncillo sugar and the molinillo chocolate whisk in a convenient "beverage
kit". You can also purchase a complete line of traditional cooking items such
as molcajetes, tortilla press, metate y mano, comals, and lemon/lime squeezers.
Make Mexican Style Chocolate at Home
Zarela Martinez has perfected a method of making a homemade Mexican style chocolate blend.
The recipe uses dried cocoa beans, canela, and superfine sugar. View recipe. |
