Mexico’s gifts to the world are many: corn, tomatoes, chiles, and avocados – and of course let’s not forget tequila – but did you know that the two most popular flavors in the world, vanilla, and chocolate, both also originated in Mexico? The word chocolate, in fact, comes from the Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs) xocolatl or cacahuatl which means “bitter water”. The word cacao or cocoa is derived from the Mayan word kakaw.
The cacao bean comes from a tree, known either as the cacao or cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao), that grows best in a humid tropical climate. The beans come encased in a pod which is about six inches to a foot in length and contains some twenty to fifty seeds or “beans” surrounded by a white pulp. The beans are fermented, dried, roasted, then ground (traditionally on a “metate” or grinding stone), to create a thick paste which is then prepared as one desires. About 400 dried beans are required to make one pound of chocolate.
Cacao, almonds, and cinnamon: ingredients for Mexican chocolate
We tend to think of chocolate primarily in its solid form, but for most of its history, it was mainly consumed as a drink. It was highly prized in ancient Mesoamerica and its consumption was restricted to nobles and warriors. They didn’t have sugar, which originated in Southern Asia and wasn’t introduced to the Americas until the 16th Century, so they sweetened it with honey, or drank it bitter, flavored with spices and chile.
The earliest evidence of the use of cacao comes from the Olmec civilization. The residue of a drink made with cacao was found in a bowl dating to 1800 BC at Paso de la Amada in the state of Chiapas. The Maya and the Aztecs were both fond of the drink too. Cacao was a symbol of abundance in ancient times, and besides being sipped as a drink by the elite, it was also used in religious ceremonies and the beans were used as currency.
Today Mexico produces about 50,000 tons of cacao each year. The majority (some 70%) of it is grown in the state of Tabasco, with Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca state also contributing to the total. (Source: siap.gob.mx)
There are many ways to enjoy Mexican chocolate:
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- Drink a frothy hot chocolate. In Mexico, hot chocolate is prepared with either milk or water. Remember the movie “Like Water for Chocolate” (adapted from the Laura Esquivel novel of the same name)? The title refers to water at the boiling point ready for the chocolate to be added. So choose either “chocolate de leche” or “chocolate de agua” and enjoy!
- Taste chocolate in the local cuisine. Mole is a sauce that is made with ground chile peppers and a variety of other ingredients. Mole negro and mole poblano both contain chocolate as well.
- Get a chocolate scrub. This is the ideal way to enjoy chocolate if you’re counting calories. On your visit to the spa, request a chocolate body scrub. You’ll get a rub-down with a scrub that is made of ground cocoa beans, which has antioxidant properties and you get to enjoy the delicious chocolatey aroma as your cares are scrubbed away, leaving your skin smooth and sweet smelling.
- Have it made your way. In chocolate grinding shops in Oaxaca, they will grind the chocolate to your specifications. You can request the amount of sugar, cinnamon or almonds you would like added to the mix.
- Learn more about the history of chocolate: read The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe.
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