Xocolatl (Chocolate)
Beverages16th c. Aztec / Florentine CodexFlorentine Codex, Book X; Díaz del Castillo, Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva EspañaMesoamerican FeastCurrent project — cooking pending
Ingredients
- 5 cups water (not milk*)
- 2 cups Mexican chocolate, chopped
* Milk is an Old World ingredient, not available before 1492.
Method
- Heat water until simmering.
- Add chocolate and whisk until melted and frothy.
- Pour back and forth between vessels to create foam (traditional method).
- Serve at room temperature or cold.
Source: Florentine Codex Book X; Díaz del Castillo describes Moctezuma drinking chocolate from golden goblets. Traditional flavorings included hueinacaztli, mecaxochitl, and tlilxochitl (vanilla).
Serving note: Chocolate should be served cold or at room temperature (hot serving is a European influence).