Cocoa and its derivative chocolate played an important role in the Mayan civilisations of Central America. The Maya even referred to cocoa as the “food of the gods” with a divine origin. As such, chocolate was used extensively as part of religious rituals, but also in other aspect of society it was omnipresent. The recipes utilised by the Maya produce quite a different product than the sweet substance we love today. Thanks to the blend of spices, Maya style chocolate has more of a kick to it. On my travels around Central America, I’ve really come to appreciate it. The recipe for Mayan hot chocolate is something I reach for often now on cold days. If you want to learn the secrets of Mayan hot chocolate and this tasty recipe, keep on reading!
The symbolism of cocoa
The Mayan word KaKaWa means “food of the Gods” and cocoa was so much more to the Mayan people than a sweet delicacy. Unlike historically in Europe, chocolate was not a luxury product reserved for the upper class and aristocracy. Cocoa and its derivatives were consumed throughout society for ritual, medicinal and social purposes. That said, cacao beans were seen as a valuable product and used for trade in the place of currency.
Xocolatl is the Mayan word to name the bitter, thick brew produced from cacao beans. Drinking was the most common method for the Maya to consume chocolate. Carvings and murals recovered in Mayan cities show people drinking chocolate before going off to war, during religious ceremonies or as part of gatherings between people. The sharing of a cup of chocolate between a bride and groom even played an important part of wedding ceremonies.
Cocoa for the Maya wasn’t all fun and games. There was a cruel side to the Mayan civilisation. Hostages faced a certain death in gladiator-like ballgames. Even their own people were mutilated and sacrificed as the gods pleased, according to the cycle of sun and moon. The thick, dark cocoa brew sometimes served as a stand-in for blood during ceremonies, in absence of human sacrifices at hand.
If you’re in the area: Choco-Story museum
The Choco-Story Museum in Santa Elena (Yucatán) is an excellent place to learn about the history of chocolate-making and its importance to the Maya. The museum is near the Mayan ruins of Uxmal and easy to visit in combination with driving the Ruta Puuc. When I first heard about the Choco-Story museum, I rolled my eyes as at face value it has all the characteristics of a tourist trap. However, after it had been recommended to us three times, we decided to give it a go. I’m glad we did. The museum is very well setup and fun to experience. Choco-Story covers not only the discovery of cocoa and the production of chocolate, but also aspects of the Mayan civilisation.
The museum explains the importance of chocolate in the Mayan culture and its ceremonial role in political and social settings. We got to experience a Mayan cocoa ceremony, followed by a tasting of hot cocoa from local beans. To my surprise I learnt that the Maya would add spices such as pepper or chili. It tasted surprisingly good and I’ve actually replicated this recipe at home!
In addition to being a museum, Choco-Story operates as animal rescue centre housing animals in their natural environment, such as rescued illegal pets that cannot go back into the jungle. I liked this extra dimension to our visit.
Mayan recipe for tasty hot chocolate
Here’s the ancient Mayan recipe for hot chocolate I picked up in the Yucatán. I’ve come to prefer the slight bitterness and spicy kick over the sweet, sugary brew we usually drink in Europe. Rather than making just one cup, I like to prepare a large mug that I can sip on eternally. I’m telling myself there is no sugar in it, so I will be fine!
You’ll need to following to prepare a comforting mug of Mayan hot chocolate:
- 4/5 mug whole milk. If you want a lighter drink, skimmed milk works fine too. I’ve sometimes used hazelnut milk for a nutty flavour, which also makes a great vegan alternative;
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (raw with no additions)
- Spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper (all ground). I use around 1/4 tablespoon of each – you can tailor to your liking
- 1 tablespoon honey. Any honey will do, but I use a Yucatán blend which has a characteristic flavour
These are the steps to follow:
- Mix cocoa and spices together in a small bowl
- Add some spoonfuls of milk and stir the mix until it’s smooth
- Heat the remaining milk on the hob or in the microwave (don’t bring it to the boiling point)
- Poor everything into a mug and stir
- Add honey to taste
- Sit back and enjoy!
The Maya used variations of this recipe, depending on the spices at hand and their own taste. Adding chili or cayenne pepper was common, but this is slightly to intense for me! Other usable spices are annatto, allspice, cloves, ginger or even some cornmeal for thickness. Cheers and let me know in the comments your ideal spice mix for Mayan hot chocolate!
