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Filed under: HERBS and CULINARY --guest contributor, Bea Kunz —
La'NA'
Chocolate making really begins in the field, not in the factory—the farmer in me knows this!
Cacao (pronounced kah-KOW) trees supply the seed or bean that is processed into chocolate. Growing best in the tropical rainforest, the tree receives just the proper amount of rain, humidity, wind, and nutrients.
Needless to say, the global demand for chocolate will not wane. Humans have enjoyed chocolate for 2000 years, and animals, too, seem to crave the bean.
The first people known to have made chocolate are the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America, the Maya and the Aztec. They ground and mixed cacao seed with various seasonings to make a spicy and frothy drink. The Spanish conquistadors then introduced it to Spain, and there actual recipes were formulated for many different uses.
The rest is Sweet History.
If the topic of chocolate fascinates you as it does me, you’ll find a tremendous amount of research—more than enough to satisfy your curiosity. To save you a bit of time, I like to recommend my favorite resource for the history of chocolate:
www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/
And below is my favorite recipe. It’s simple, not too heavy in fat or sugar, and, oh, so tasty!
(MINTED HOT CHOCOLATE)
1/2 tsp mint flakes
4-3/4 cups of milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups water
2 tsp vanilla
Heat mint flakes with milk, only until hot. Don’t boil..
Cover and steep while making the syrup.
Mix the next 5 ingredients together in a 2-quart pan.
Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Strain through a sieve to remove mint flakes.
Add to syrup and heat only ‘til hot. Stirring to prevent foam from forming on top.
Serve hot with whipped cream or marshmallow.
There are many ways to make this recipe your own…substitute minted liquors for the mint flakes, use brandy or hot strong coffee instead of the water.
It’s one of those “make it like you like it” drinks, and will always be delicious and special.
Blessings,
Bea Kunz, Sage Hill Farms
sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com
beasbeatitudes.blogspot.com
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