posted April 10, 2007 01:45 AM         

The Ancient Chocolate Drink

In the inscriptions of the Mayan glyphs, the word for cacao is often modified by adjectives such as "chili cacao" or "fruity cacao" indicating different common recipe combinations. The Aztecs probably inherited recipes for making cacao drinks from their Mayan predecessors. The basic technique was to grind raw cacao beans on a metate warmed by a small fire underneith. Hot water was added to turn the cacao into a paste. More hot water was added to the paste in a jug creating a bitter hot chocolate. Then the mixture was whipped with a wooden molinillo (The Ancient molinillo was made out of the dried and cut tepihilote palm. By using both hands in a rotary motion of the molinillo can be created. As the spinning molinillo is dipped into the chocolate drink it blends and whisks the ingredients-- a natural blender!.)
The drink was finally poured from one jug-container to another until a frothy beverage was produced. This could be drunk straight or other ingredients could be added. Common ancient cacao drink additives included:

Aak (type of grass used as a foaming agent)
Achiote (annatto seed, bixa orellana)
Agave Cactus Nectar
Allspice (Pimienta diocia)
Eloxochitl (Magnolia dealbata)
Honey
Hot Chillies (Capsicum spp.)
Hueinacaztli or Teonacaztli or Xochinacaztli (An Annonaceae or Cherimoya family flower, Cymbopetalum penduliflorum)
Istim-te (Clerodendrum liguistrinum)
Izquixochitl, popcorn flower (Bourreria spp.)
Maize (corn) Or Nixtamalli (Masa Barina) (corn flour treated with lime)
Mamey Sapote (the heart of the sapote seed was often used, Pouteria sapota)
Olloxochitl or Heart Flower (Magnolia Mexicana)
Passion Fruit (Passiflor spp.)
Pochotl (seeds of the ceiba tree, Ceiba pentandra)
[i]Quararibea funebrisflowers (Poyomatli)
Spirulina
Suqir (a vine which actas as a foaming agent)
String Flower (a relative of kava, Piper sanctum)
Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)

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quote:

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In our experience, and after review of the literature and research, we have arrived at three conlusions about the medicinal value of cacao (Raw Chocolate)

1) Cacao, like ginseng, is a potentiator (it amplifies the effect of medicinal substances taken with it). It is probably the ultimate alchemical delivery vehicle of medicinal substances into the human body.

2) And also, like ginseng, cacao has an enormous array of its own medicinal components, such as anandamide, antioxidants, magnesium, phenlythylamine, serotonin ect...

3) Unlike highly herbal ginseng, cacao is a tasty food that can be commonly eaten. Cacao crowds out the need for other foods. Cacao is an appetite suppressant allowing us to eat less and live more!

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posted April 10, 2007 02:06 AM         

'Chocolate is a perfect food as wholesome as it is declious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power, but it's quality must be good, and it must be carefully prepared. It is highly nourishing and easily digested, and it is fitted to repair wasted strength, preserve health, and pronlong life. It agrees with dry temperaments and convalesecents; with mothers who nurse their children; with those whose occupations oblige withm to undergo severe mental strain, with public speakers, and with all those who give to work a portion of the time needed for sleep. It soothes both stomach and brain, and for this reason, as well as others, it is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits."- German Chemist in the mid-nineteenth centuary.

---Parts taken from David Wolfes Magical Book, Naked Chocolate.

posted April 10, 2007 02:17 AM         

Chocolate: A Psychoactive Food

posted May 22, 2007 10:43 PM         

I remember the jam in the middle of the cake being

posted May 22, 2007 10:59 PM         

i am just learning the magic of cacoa, Sunchild, i'm soooo pleased that you share all this excellent and amazing info about it.

posted May 23, 2007 02:16 AM         

I'll read your posts in greater detail later, after I've finished my "homework" of the day- but wow! This is an amazing thread!
Thanks again!

posted May 25, 2007 08:13 AM         

SunChild,

Thanks for starting this thread! That German scholar (?) mentioned that cacao soothes both stomach and brain...that's interesting! Like, this kind of coincides with my own experience with chocolate as my own stomach ache reliever. And that has been discovered a long, long time ago! Wow! This is just exciting!

And according to what he and other chocolate experts had said, cacao is just such an ideal food for everyone, especially individuals with literary inclinations...that's terrific news for me!

I've practically never been (I don't think I have been) a "chocoholic"- I don't have cravings for chocolate that makes me feel like it's both strong temptation and "suffering". I eat it once in a while, I enjoy it, I find it helpful for my health. I used to indulge in white chocolate a lot while I was in London. Now I've found the average chocolate bars too sugary, too sweet for me, I really can't stand them, and I consider myself fortunate to have the alternative of organic dark chocolate finally! It's a pity that most manufacturers still put so much refined sugar and other not-so-nice additives to chocolate, making it subject to accusations of unhealthy effects cacao really is not guilty of!

I love cacao. I love the movie "Chocolat" too