Winter is here in Puerto Vallarta!
By Christie Seeley published in Vallarta Tribune
vallartasounds.com
Imagine yourself in Vienna this winter with piping hot chocolate and melt in your mouth pastries at the famous Démel Cafe with the ghost of Emperor Franz Joseph. Or maybe you are at Angelina’s on Rue de Rivoli on the right bank of Paris sipping her famous chocolate, l’Africain and nibbling on her renowned Mont Blanc cake. Stop dreaming. You are in Mexico where excellent cacao is produced in abundance!
While we may associate chocolate with Europe due to the fame of Swiss, Belgian and French chocolates, these countries do not produce cacao and no doubt import most of their cacao from South Africa. The earliest use of chocolate actually is seen in Mesoamerica as far back at 350BC where it was used in beverage form most probably for religious practices and medicine.
When Christopher Columbus was first made aware of the substance, he found that local people placed such a high premium on the cacao beans that they were actually used as currency. When the Aztecs, who did not know how to grow cacao, took over most of Mesoamerica, cacoa was collected as a tax on the conquered people. The beans were used principally to make beverages, hot, cold and tepid, for rituals involving the strengthening of a man’s powers in war, athletics and love. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs around 1590, chocolate was imported to Europe. Initially the Europeans used the bitter drink only as a cure for abdominal pain but once sugar or honey was added it became a favorite in the courts of Europe.
My Mexican father-in-law who traveled all over the country and loved to bring back the best products he found taught me to appreciate Mexican artisanal chocolate in the form of “chocolate con aqua” made with water instead of milk. That rich drink wins me over every time it is offered.
The chocolate should be pure, not augmented with heavy spices or an excess of sugar.
My love for hot chocolate made either with milk or water springs from my experience in Oaxaca where they produce some of the world’s best chocolate both for drinking and for cooking. According to Arcelio Gallardo Oaxaca in an article called Cacao and Chocolate in Oaxaca, “Oaxaca is the only place in the world that has such a strong and visible cacao consuming culture”. When I first came to Puerto Vallarta I was shocked to find it was not such a coveted drink here and even had some difficulty finding a great cup. Some more traditional cafés had chocolate available, but it was often the Nestle variety and I can pass on that. For selfish reasons I made it my job to find the best hot chocolate in town.
The first place I found that really did hot chocolate justice was perhaps the most obvious. The Choco Museo just off the malecon at Calle Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez 128, was a great place to start. Not only do they offer workshops and classes about everything chocolate, they also have a café on an upper floor where they will prepare for you a wonderful cup. I had them make mine with water and definitely put them on my list.
Visiting the Botanical Gardens one morning I ordered hot chocolate and was amazed at the quality. Of course since they do grow cacao, I should not have been surprised. Sipping that dark, creamy cup while looking over the canyon and river below, watching hummingbirds flit around and other exotic birds sweep by definitely made my trip worthwhile!
I was visiting a favorite coffee place of mine, Puerto Cafe on Madero #540, when I noticed one of the owners Aldo drinking hot chocolate. I knew they were dedicated to making a perfect cup of coffee, but was thrilled when he produced a wonderfully smooth cup of artisanal chocolate for me. The chocolate was made by a family in Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Chocolate Rey Amargo. Known for it’s deep and rich flavor it produced a smooth and delectable drink.
They say we are in store for a cool winter so as the temperatures continue to fall I plan to dig out a sweater and head out to enjoy much more of this luscious, very Mexican beverage.
Chocolate carefully prepared by Aldo of Puerto Cafe. Delectable Hot Chocolate at the Botanical Gardens overlooking the lush canyon and river below.
By Christie Seeley published in Vallarta Tribune
vallartasounds.com
Imagine yourself in Vienna this winter with piping hot chocolate and melt in your mouth pastries at the famous Démel Cafe with the ghost of Emperor Franz Joseph. Or maybe you are at Angelina’s on Rue de Rivoli on the right bank of Paris sipping her famous chocolate, l’Africain and nibbling on her renowned Mont Blanc cake. Stop dreaming. You are in Mexico where excellent cacao is produced in abundance!
While we may associate chocolate with Europe due to the fame of Swiss, Belgian and French chocolates, these countries do not produce cacao and no doubt import most of their cacao from South Africa. The earliest use of chocolate actually is seen in Mesoamerica as far back at 350BC where it was used in beverage form most probably for religious practices and medicine.
When Christopher Columbus was first made aware of the substance, he found that local people placed such a high premium on the cacao beans that they were actually used as currency. When the Aztecs, who did not know how to grow cacao, took over most of Mesoamerica, cacoa was collected as a tax on the conquered people. The beans were used principally to make beverages, hot, cold and tepid, for rituals involving the strengthening of a man’s powers in war, athletics and love. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs around 1590, chocolate was imported to Europe. Initially the Europeans used the bitter drink only as a cure for abdominal pain but once sugar or honey was added it became a favorite in the courts of Europe.
My Mexican father-in-law who traveled all over the country and loved to bring back the best products he found taught me to appreciate Mexican artisanal chocolate in the form of “chocolate con aqua” made with water instead of milk. That rich drink wins me over every time it is offered.
The chocolate should be pure, not augmented with heavy spices or an excess of sugar.
My love for hot chocolate made either with milk or water springs from my experience in Oaxaca where they produce some of the world’s best chocolate both for drinking and for cooking. According to Arcelio Gallardo Oaxaca in an article called Cacao and Chocolate in Oaxaca, “Oaxaca is the only place in the world that has such a strong and visible cacao consuming culture”. When I first came to Puerto Vallarta I was shocked to find it was not such a coveted drink here and even had some difficulty finding a great cup. Some more traditional cafés had chocolate available, but it was often the Nestle variety and I can pass on that. For selfish reasons I made it my job to find the best hot chocolate in town.
The first place I found that really did hot chocolate justice was perhaps the most obvious. The Choco Museo just off the malecon at Calle Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez 128, was a great place to start. Not only do they offer workshops and classes about everything chocolate, they also have a café on an upper floor where they will prepare for you a wonderful cup. I had them make mine with water and definitely put them on my list.
Visiting the Botanical Gardens one morning I ordered hot chocolate and was amazed at the quality. Of course since they do grow cacao, I should not have been surprised. Sipping that dark, creamy cup while looking over the canyon and river below, watching hummingbirds flit around and other exotic birds sweep by definitely made my trip worthwhile!
I was visiting a favorite coffee place of mine, Puerto Cafe on Madero #540, when I noticed one of the owners Aldo drinking hot chocolate. I knew they were dedicated to making a perfect cup of coffee, but was thrilled when he produced a wonderfully smooth cup of artisanal chocolate for me. The chocolate was made by a family in Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Chocolate Rey Amargo. Known for it’s deep and rich flavor it produced a smooth and delectable drink.
They say we are in store for a cool winter so as the temperatures continue to fall I plan to dig out a sweater and head out to enjoy much more of this luscious, very Mexican beverage.
Chocolate carefully prepared by Aldo of Puerto Cafe. Delectable Hot Chocolate at the Botanical Gardens overlooking the lush canyon and river below.