Chocolate Caliente, Mayan style

Now that the weather in NC has been snowy and chilly and very keep-indoorsy, I keep thinking back to my visit to Antigua where I was able to enjoy for the first time the wonderful treat of Guatemalan hot chocolate at the Choco Museo.

If you did not know, hot chocolate actually originated in Central America but which is not any hot chocolate you're familiar with, it was a whole different beast.

The concoction was made from the seeds of the fruit of Cacahuaquchtl, meaning not just the cocoa tree, but the Tree, the tree of the Mayan gods.  The seeds were roasted in earthenware pots and then crushed by rolling them between two stones to create a powder.  The powder was then whisked together with boiling water to make a beverage.  To this drink was added either chili, honey, musk, spices or ground maize (if you wanted a heartier beverage).  It was considered a sacred food and was used for royal or religious ceremonies.  It could be consumed hot or cold.

It was the Spanish conquistador, Don Hernan Cortes who, recognizing the commercial value of the product, brought the cocoa bean to Europe.  There's a whole long story to go with that as to how it evolved and changed over the centuries to become which is commonly recognized today as "hot chocolate" but that's a story for another day.

I haven't had a chance to get out and check myself yet, but rumor has it that you can buy the bars of drinking chocolate in the U.S., which are not like regular chocolate bars, but rather bars of pressed cocoa that is crumbly until mixed with boiling water.

The first time we were at the Choco Museo, I ordered a Chocolate Caliente, Mayan style with hot milk (though I had the choice of hot water), chili and honey.  It was rich and spicy (probably because I added three pinched of chili), but what I loved the most about it was the process.  As you see in the photo above, they brought each ingredient out in its own container.  You started by putting the chocolate paste in the earthenware mug, then added the honey, a pinch or two of chili and then stirred in the hot liquid.  SO GOOD!

My second visit, I tried the Chocolate Caliente, Conquistadore style with hot milk again, cinnamon stick pieces, and whole cloves.  Gotta admit, I liked kicking it Mayan style better, but the idea of being able to add other spices was intriguing and fun.

Since I've been home, I've tried a couple of K2 make-at-home adaptations. 

Faux Mayan:  since I had used cacao nibs before, I ground some up in a coffee grinder to make a base powder and then added hot water, pinch of chili powder, cinnamon stick, and honey.  Very savory, not very sweet, slightly grainy, but an interesting taste sensation. Very addictive.

So American:  the other one that you might want to try out is using Hershey's Special Dark syrup, pinch of chili powder, and honey with hot milk.  Closer to home, more on the sweet side but with a chili kick. Tasty.

If you're feeling adventurous some cold wintry night, try kicking it old-old school.  I think you'll have some fun.

NOTE

Want to send a shout out to my friend Nicole who made me the ceramic cup with the skulls that is now my official drinking chocolate cup.  Thank you!