The Aztecs and the Mayans knew what they were doing. The Aztec ruler Montezuma reportedly drank up to 50 cups of chocolate each day so that he could keep his harem of 600 women happy. And I bet he succeeded! To spend the night in a Mayan brothel, one had to hand over a handful of cacao beans. And then there was one of my favorite characters in history who also had a passion for women and chocolate...Casanova. He preferred chocolate over champagne. Smart man!
Kitchen Witch's know that chocolate has certain magickal powers and use it with great care and love. I have two favorite movies that blend chocolate and magic together. The first is "Like Water, for Chocolate." The book is also full of wonderful recipes (not all with chocolate though). There's love, jealousy, passion, and beauty. Perfect for indulging oneself in both chocolate and fantasy. The second chocolate movie (which also happens to me one on my top 5 movie list) is "Chocolat" with the delicious Johnny Depp and the ethereal Juliette Binoche. Chocolate in this movie represents all that is sensual, feminine and powerful. Naturally, there were those who repressed their hunger for this aphrodisiac and suffered for it. Aphrodite, who I believe is the Goddess of Chocolate wreaks havoc on those who forbid themselves of their chocolate fantasies.
The Seventeenth-Century church officials believed that those who "indulged" themselves with chocolate were the minions of the devil. If I lived back then, my soul would have been in perilous danger. If I ended up in hell, so be it, as long as I could burn with chocolate.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite chocolate recipes that I fell in love with after seeing the movie, "Chocolat."
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients: 3 oz. Mexican Chocolate (which most Latino markets carry or if you can't reach one, you can substitute bittersweet chocolate tempered with a few dashes of cinnamon and just a small touch of sugar. Not too much sweetness because that's the beauty of this drink).
3 cups of milk or water
A dusting of cinnamon on top
Chop the chocolate in a blender or grate by hand. Bring the milk to a boil in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate. Using a whisk, hand mixer or blender, whisk the milk with passion until the chocolate melts and the milk is frothy.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon and drink immediately.
If this doesn't warm up your heart and body, then I don't know what would. So, do you like chocolate? Do you have a favorite chocolate candy or recipe? I'd love to know them...from one sinner to another.
