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jennifer rose

Nov 10, 2005, 11:41 AM

Post #1 of 9 (967 views)

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Mexican Chocolate

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http://www.latimes.com/...ll=la-headlines-food

(This post was edited by tonyburton on Nov 10, 2005, 5:18 PM)

Bubba

Nov 11, 2005, 7:06 AM

Post #2 of 9 (933 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Mexican Chocolate

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The article describes how chocolate was made " in the old days". Here is a picture on how it was made at a friend 's house last year. Brigitte

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cacao beans roasting 2.jpg (80.7 KB)

Kimpatsu Hekigan

Nov 11, 2005, 1:08 PM

Post #3 of 9 (912 views)

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Re: Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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Has anyone else had the experience of buying "hand-milled" Mexican chocolate that tastes like it's been cut with powdered coffee?

Last year when I was in Patzcuaro, I bought a number of packages of fairly expensive hand-milled chocolate from a couple of shops near the Basilica. These consist of 5-6 crude disc-shaped cakes of dark chocolate, scored in a cross pattern to make it easy to break into pieces. I gave them to friends as gifts, and two different people reported that they thought the chocolate tasted like it had been combined with coffee.

Sure enough, when I took a bite of one of the raw discs, there was a distinctive coffee undertone, in addition to the cacao, cinnamon and sugar tastes I associate with traditional Mexican chocolate. Quite different from, for example, the Yaxchilan chocolate from Chiapas.

I'm just wondering if the coffee flavor is a characteristic of the chocolate made in Michoacan (and therefore I'm being paranoid), or if these merchants are pulling a fast one by cutting their product with a much cheaper ingredient (like perhaps powdered Nescafe), but not labeling it as such...

Any feedback, much appreciated.

Best,

-- K.H.

Before enlightenment: Chop wood, haul water.
After enlightenment: Chop wood, haul water.

(This post was edited by kimpatsu_hekigan on Nov 11, 2005, 1:13 PM)

esperanza

Nov 11, 2005, 3:59 PM

Post #4 of 9 (892 views)

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Re: [kimpatsu_hekigan] Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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If you bought your chocolate de metate at the shop in the portal across from the Basílica, here's why it might taste like coffee. The shop sells both chocolate and coffee and stores both in the same glass case just inside the door. It's quite possible that the taste of the coffee 'migrated' to the tabletas de chocolate. Just a guess...

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Cynthia7

Nov 11, 2005, 6:59 PM

Post #5 of 9 (877 views)

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Re: [kimpatsu_hekigan] Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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Sounds like you bought the chocolate that is used to make hot chocolate. Did you try to eat it or did you mix and mix and mix it in hot milk for hot chocolate.? I don't know about the coffee flavor??

Bubba

Nov 12, 2005, 8:25 AM

Post #6 of 9 (856 views)

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Re: [Cynthia7] Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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Cynthia:

In Oaxaca, hot chocolate is prepared with hot water, in a "jara " which is a large pitcher with a tall, narrow top. The drink is a blend of powdered cocoa beans, sugar and cinnamon vigorously mixed and foamed with a mixing implement called a "molinillo". The skill with which the foam is created is locally prized. I think Esperanza's explanation as to the back coffee taste makes sense. We have only seen this concoction made in the homes of friends in Teotitlan del Valle near Oaxaca City so there was no coffee flavoring (to the best of my knowledge since I was also drinking mescal and beer with my breakfast which may have dulled my taste buds).

I truly enjoyed the opportunity to watch the process of making hot chocolate from roasting the beans through making the final drink but, as for the final product, which is as authentic as it gets in Oaxaca, the French and the Swiss are not approached by anybody when it comes to this drink.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Nov 12, 2005, 5:10 PM)

Cynthia7

Nov 12, 2005, 1:16 PM

Post #7 of 9 (839 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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Don't you think that is what he bought..chocolate for the chocolate drink.? The Mexicans seem to have a flair for making it. Oaxaca does have some of the best chocolate in Mexico. They say that place outside of SMA in Jalapa makes 5 star truffles.

Bubba

Nov 13, 2005, 7:32 AM

Post #8 of 9 (814 views)

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Re: [Cynthia7] Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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The best cocoa beans come from the criollo cocoa beans and one of the best producer in the world is Mexico. It is the cocoa beans from the Aztecs. The other variety of cocoa is foratero widely found in Africa and the trinilario a hybrid.
10% of the worldwide production is criollo cocoa and I am not sure but I think Mexico represent 1% of that production. The Mexican cocoa is renouned to be one of the best.
Chocolate is a refined product and its quality depends first on the raw product but also on the chocolatier's skill. The Ibarra chololate is more refine but very close to the taste of the chocolate made by the indigenous people of Oaxaca and is of very high quality.
On the other hand some of the best european style chocolate is made with the addition of eggs, milk, maizena, nuts, sugar , cocoa butter, vanilla, different types of spices, and sugar etc all with their own secret recipe.
What you consider best is up to your personal taste.
The Aztec chocolate drink was spiced with pepper and chili and probably other things. The Spaniards found it too bitter and added sugar.
I do not think the " true chocolate" would be to anyone's liking nowadays except may be to my husband's.
So if people think adding coffee or anything else, is a nice thing, why not, this is what every culture and chocolatier have been doing ever since the Spaniards took the Aztecs' drink and added sugar, almonds etc...
Just enjoy whatever the chef is making and do not buy it again if it is not to your liking.
By the way what is so special about hand-milled? Do you think that port wine is better when foot treated? Nowadays many machines are superior to hands, work 24/7 , do not go on strike or vacations and have less germs.

Rolly

Nov 13, 2005, 8:19 AM

Post #9 of 9 (808 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Hand-milled Mexican chocolate cut with powdered coffee?

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While I was in Texas last week, my sister made zucchini bread with chocolate chips. Wonderful! I smuggled some through customs when I came home Friday night. Alas, it's all gone now.

Things go better with chocolate.

Rolly Pirate

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