Guatemala - The Chocolate Story

9 July 2012, Antigua, Guatemala

Close to the main plaza I come across a Chocolate Museum. The densly sweet smell pulls me inside. "Would you like to make your own chocolate?" of course I would! I don an apron and silly chocolate chef hat and join fellow travellers in a chocolate workshop. I learn that chocolate was first appreciated by the Mayans and Aztecs in Central and South America, where the cocoa plant was viewed as sacred. The Mayans would take the cocoa bean, ferment it, dry roast it then seperate the husk from the bean before grinding it into a paste. The bean contains the cocoa butter and mass equivalent to make a wonderful paste, to which hot water was added to make a bitter chocolate drink.

In ceremony the Mayan's would sometimes add blood as offerings to the gods as well as adding some spices like chilli and cardamon. Later, the Mayans would add paprika instead of blood to fool the gods! Chocolate was greatly reveared and the beans were used as currency. In the 1500's the Spaniards took the chocolate drink back to Spain but many found it too bitter and added sugar. The English and French added milk and eventually created the solid chocolate that is popular throughout the world today.

 

Pouring chocolate, grinding chocolate beans with the international crew at the Chocolate Factory :)

The husks and chocolate itself contain Theobromine which is the alkaloide that creates the good mood or love feeling we get from chocolate. In its pure form chocolate is extremely good for us - humans that is, for dogs it is toxic. It is full of flavonoids and antioxidants which means it relaxes blood pressure, improves heart health, while stimulating brain and memory function. I have it for iron intake, energy and mood improver. And I kinda feel I am partaking in a sacred act. :D  Beware of chocolate that has lower amounts of chocolate mass and butter and is replaced with Lecithin (this is where chocolate companies take out the butter to sell to cosmetic companies) and full of sugar and milk. Go for fair trade, 70% and organic if possible for a sublime, health effect. I often add a spoonful of organic, raw cacao powder to my morning superfood smoothiesn or mix with avocado and Agave to make a sublime vegan mousse.