FOOD FINDS: Mexican Hot Chocolate

Say “chocolate” and most people call to mind the chocolate river from Willy Wonka or a cavity-inviting, diabetic-be-wary confection known to cause near delirium in carriers of the XX chromosome. However, the sugar-laden chocolate represented by monolithic Hershey bars and fruit-filled bon bons only observes half of the cocoa spectrum. Chocolate has been used as both a sweet and a savory foodstuff for hundreds of years.

Despite the impression given by grocery store candy aisles and vending machines, chocolate in its pure state is mildly bitter, low in simple sugars, and high in antioxidants. In fact, in recent years, candy lovers cum scientists have investigated chocolate’s medicinal properties, finding that there it may help reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure. (The jury is still out on whether chocolate is nature’s strongest aphrodisiac and a blood purifier, so one would be ill-advised to replace a diet of whole grains and high-fiber with a cornucopia of fudge-pops, devil’s food cake and Godiva!)

The Mesoamerican approach to chocolate, most notably the recipes of the Mayans and the Aztecs, utilized the cocoa bean as more than just an after-dinner treat. Many Mesoamerican approaches to chocolate preserves its salubrious effects by not adulterating it with inordinate amounts of hydrogen-rich fats and sugars.

Mole, an Aztec recipe still widely available in most authentic Mexican restaurants, marries unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate with hot chili peppers and chicken. Some mole recipes call for ground sesame or pumpkin seeds in lieu of chocolate, but the pairing of chocolate and a fiery pepper is a dynamic combination worth respecting.

For those who want a milder introduction to the chile-chocolate combo, the following variation on hot chocolate should suffice:

Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 3 1/2 tablets Nestle Abuelita chocolate drink mix
8 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons New Mexican red chili powder (or to taste depending on heat index of chili)
3 packed tablespoons brown sugar if using bittersweet chocolate, 3 teaspoons if using Abuelita tablets

In large saucepan combine all ingredients. Warm mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until all ingredients have completely dissolved. Do not boil or scald the milk. Pour into mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Makes 8 8 ounce servings.

A slightly altered form of the above originally appeared in Crosswinds Weekly (www.crosswindsweekly.com), Nov. 19-23 issue.