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Libations

Hot Chocolate, Casanova’s Drink of Choice

September 4, 2017 by hannahabaffy No Comments
hot chocolate

 

 

hot chocolate

It boosts the mood! Enhances vitality! Combats anxiety, stress, and pain! Robust men love it!

Today when talking about chocolate we generally think of it in its solid bar form but for the majority of its long and illustrious history, it was consumed as a beverage. In fact, solid chocolate wasn’t invented until 1839.

The Mesoamericans

Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans couldn’t get enough chocolate. Considered a sacred beverage it was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength. In fact, it was common practice to give a gourd of chocolate tinged with sacrificial blood to the human offerings too upset by their imminent doom to join in the festive dancing carried out before the murderous climax of the sacrifice.

Cacao was first domesticated by the Olmecs who passed it down to the Mayans who continued the practice of cultivating the beans.  Typically mixing it with spicy peppers and wine they drank it hot, trading it to the Aztecs who also added flavorings like ground flowers and vanilla but preferred consuming it cold. Both people enjoyed the beverage frothy, achieving the desired foam by pouring the mixture back and forth from a bowl held high into another far below it.

Cacao beans were used as a form of currency among the ancient Mesoamericans. One cacao bean could get you a tamale, 100 a turkey hen, and the possessor of 1000 beans?! Ten turkey hens!  Because it was both food and legal tender, drinking chocolate was reserved only for those who could afford it and became an elite libation.

Montezuma’s Insatiable Thirst

Unable to cultivate cacao themselves the Aztec ruler, Montezuma II, kept himself well supplied by demanding cacao beans as tribute from conquered peoples. It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of the beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to drink it. Now not only did you have to be massively wealthy in order to indulge your cocoa habit but also fearless. Drinking chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs.

An excerpt from the diary of one of Cortez’s lieutenants Bernal Diaz del Castillo affirms Montezuma’s rather indulgent practice.

“Fruit of all kinds that the country produced were laid before him; he ate very little, but from time to time a liquor prepared from cocoa, and of an aphrodisiac nature, as we were told, was presented to him in golden cups… I observed a number of jars, above fifty, brought in, filled with foaming chocolate.”  

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war.  During the Revolutionary War, chocolate was sometimes even used in lieu of wages.

Chocolate in Europe

Chocolate first made its way to Europe via the Spanish conquistadors who brought it back from the America’s in the 14th century. Spain developed such an enthusiasm for the drink that the pope was asked to change the rules regarding fasting to exclude chocolate. (Today it is still common to see cups of hot chocolate at the breakfast table in Spain, a practice especially popular in Madrid.)

Unwilling to share their new discovery Spain kept hot chocolate under wraps for almost a century before news of it began to spread across Europe.  As the new drink’s popularity moved throughout the continent, variations emerged as people began to add flavors from classics like vanilla and sugar to more exotic seasonings like Ambergris, a secretion from the intestines of the sperm whale,  and Himalayan deer musk! The mutation of hot chocolate had begun.

A fashionable drink throughout Europe hot chocolate was prized not only for its taste but also for both its nutritional and medicinal properties. Rumored to be Casanova’s drink of choice, it was also said to be a potent aphrodisiac.

The Creation of Cocoa Powder and the First Instant Breakfast

By 1828 the Dutch chemist Conrad van Houten found a way to extract most of the cocoa butter from cacao nibs by dint of a hydraulic press and created powdered chocolate. In the 18th century, we find that chocolate was commonly sold as a half cocoa-half sugar cake flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. These cakes were not so much a delight, as an emergency meal.

“When one is in a hurry to leave one’s lodgings, or when during travel one does not have the time to make it into a drink, one can simply eat a tablet of one ounce and drink a cup [of water] on top of that, and let the stomach churn to dissolve this impromptu breakfast.”

The idea of having to rely on the “churnings” of one’s stomach to prepare breakfast sounds like guaranteed discomfort and I’m sure results in chronic dyspepsia. 

The Difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa

Though often used interchangeably hot chocolate and hot cocoa are two very different things. And the deciding factor rests with which form of chocolate you use.  

Hot cocoa is generally a thin mixture requiring little more than cocoa powder, (be it the natural or dutched varieties)   water or milk, and a sweetening agent, i.e. sugar, honey, maple syrup etc. Whereas hot chocolate is made with solid chocolate, shaved or chopped fine to ensure quick melting. Because of the additional fat content hot chocolate or, drinking chocolate as it is often called, is generally very rich, thicker, and often times less sweet than hot cocoa. 

To reiterate:

Hot Cocoa = Cocoa Powder + Water/Milk + Sweetener

Hot Chocolate = Solid Chocolate + Water/Milk + Sweetener

The Benefits of Consuming Chocolate

Studies have shown that dark chocolate contains three times more flavonoids than wine or green tea. Because cocoa powder is more concentrated than solid chocolate, it contains even more. However, this does not apply to dutched cocoa powder as the alkalizing process inherent to it strips 60-80% of the flavonoids. So while melting a bar of chocolate to make your cocoa may yield a thicker, richer result, cocoa powder is more beneficial health wise.

Scientists have proven that people don’t absorb all the health giving properties of chocolate when ingested alongside dairy. So using a dairy free alternative like coconut or almond milk yields the greatest health benefits. That means no more pads of butter on top of your hot chocolate!

Here is one of Italy’s oldest recipes for hot chocolate. Dating back to 1632 this chocolate has a royal background, created for the refined palates of the Bentivoglio Dukes of Bologna. This recipe is excellent on a cold autumn morning to help take the chill off the day. With a wonderful citrusy lift from the orange zest and a rich punch of chocolate, this recipe has stood the test of time, and for good reason.

 hot chocolate

“Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink

That is the finest of suppers, I think

When I’m grown up and can have what I please,

I think I shall always insist upon these.”

                                                                                                                                                                       -Christopher Morley

 

 

Italy’s Royal Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 

1/2 cup sugar

the zest of one orange

3 cups water, or milk (chef’s choice)

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% or greater)

Directions

For the quick method:

combine all ingredients but the chocolate in a saucepan. Bring the mixture up to a boil then drop to a simmer for two minutes. Take off the heat and add your chopped chocolate. Allow the chocolate to sit undisturbed for a few minutes to soften before whisking it all together. Pour through a strainer and serve it forth.

For the long method:

Being sure to use milk and not the watery alternative. Combine all ingredients, except the chocolate, in a jar and place in the refrigerator. Covered for anywhere from 12-72 hours. This infuses the milk with all those wonderful spices and really adds depth to the flavor of your hot chocolate. When ready to make, pour the ingredients into a saucepan and proceed as normal.

hot chocolate

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About Me

Hi, I'm Hannah. Creator of Milk + Honey and long time curious eater. Join me as I explore the surprising history behind some of the world's most iconic dishes, and figure out the best ways to prepare them.

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milkandhoneythebakery

"By their desserts will I judge them."
•Saveur Food Blog Award Finalist 2019: Best Baking and Sweets

Hannah | Milk + Honey Bakery
Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
-Thomas Jefferson

While not necessarily for the health reasons stated, Jefferson’s prediction has certainly come to materialize, at least in my home.
A debate I had with my husband shortly after makin A debate I had with my husband shortly after making this honey-almond “snack cake”: As we sat around “snacking,” we began to discuss what the real difference was between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes. Banal, yet relevant in the moment. 

This arbitrary mystery resulted in a lot of opinions and by the end of it, several unanswered questions. 

So I put it to you, Instagram Family, what is the real difference between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes? Are the terms so similar as to be inconsequential, or do their comparabilities hide deeper differences? 

The perimeters (at least in my mind) are these: Leftover birthday cake that becomes the next morning’s breakfast would definitely be a snack cake. Meaning a snack cake, while sounding laid-back, could be a slice of sophisticated dacquiouse or some other luxurious dessert.
Whereas a snacking cake would be something more along the lines of a sheet cake (like the classic chocolate Texas variety). More than a brownie but less than a layer cake. Something you could take a fork to but would probably just pick up with your hands. 

In short, any cake can be a snack. But not every cake is a snacking cake.

Thoughts?
When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocol When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocolate or carrot,’ which do you choose?
Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ? Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ?
Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan a Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan and pine nuts, and packing a garlicky punch, our braided pesto bread is the ideal way to use up your garden’s bounty. 

Also it looks impressive. Pull-out all the stops and impress your family and guests with this ultra-easy and rewarding loaf.
Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans are remembered as the original chocolate lovers. Considered a sacred beverage among them, cocoa was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength.

It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of cocoa beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day, decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to join him in drinking it. Chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs. 

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in US military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war. 

With piles of historical evidence it would stand to reason that chocolate must be good for me, so I’m going to start making a regular habit of indulging in it. Each bite imbuing me with strength, vim, and vigor. Don’t stay a weakling all your life, join me in making these chocolate pot de creme today and start eating more chocolate.
A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge during Prohibition, and one of our favorite forms of solace during the Great Depression. One might argue that without the aid of ice cream we might not be here today.
"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
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milkandhoneythebakery

"By their desserts will I judge them."
•Saveur Food Blog Award Finalist 2019: Best Baking and Sweets

Hannah | Milk + Honey Bakery
Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
-Thomas Jefferson

While not necessarily for the health reasons stated, Jefferson’s prediction has certainly come to materialize, at least in my home.
A debate I had with my husband shortly after makin A debate I had with my husband shortly after making this honey-almond “snack cake”: As we sat around “snacking,” we began to discuss what the real difference was between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes. Banal, yet relevant in the moment. 

This arbitrary mystery resulted in a lot of opinions and by the end of it, several unanswered questions. 

So I put it to you, Instagram Family, what is the real difference between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes? Are the terms so similar as to be inconsequential, or do their comparabilities hide deeper differences? 

The perimeters (at least in my mind) are these: Leftover birthday cake that becomes the next morning’s breakfast would definitely be a snack cake. Meaning a snack cake, while sounding laid-back, could be a slice of sophisticated dacquiouse or some other luxurious dessert.
Whereas a snacking cake would be something more along the lines of a sheet cake (like the classic chocolate Texas variety). More than a brownie but less than a layer cake. Something you could take a fork to but would probably just pick up with your hands. 

In short, any cake can be a snack. But not every cake is a snacking cake.

Thoughts?
When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocol When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocolate or carrot,’ which do you choose?
Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ? Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ?
Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan a Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan and pine nuts, and packing a garlicky punch, our braided pesto bread is the ideal way to use up your garden’s bounty. 

Also it looks impressive. Pull-out all the stops and impress your family and guests with this ultra-easy and rewarding loaf.
Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans are remembered as the original chocolate lovers. Considered a sacred beverage among them, cocoa was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength.

It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of cocoa beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day, decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to join him in drinking it. Chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs. 

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in US military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war. 

With piles of historical evidence it would stand to reason that chocolate must be good for me, so I’m going to start making a regular habit of indulging in it. Each bite imbuing me with strength, vim, and vigor. Don’t stay a weakling all your life, join me in making these chocolate pot de creme today and start eating more chocolate.
A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge during Prohibition, and one of our favorite forms of solace during the Great Depression. One might argue that without the aid of ice cream we might not be here today.
"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
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