Yum, Chocolate, the Mayan way



On Monday morning, Arturo and Javier picked us up at 8:15 am along with Annette and Ed of SV Sand Piper. We drove to a town called Tuxtla Chico or Little Rabbit, close to the border with Guatemala. We drove through the narrow streets where the one way signs were ignored and three wheeled pedicabs carried people and goods. Our stop was the home of Rafael and Josefina and La Parra Chocolha Maya. Josefina is fourth generation of women making chocolate the traditional, Mayan way. In 2010, Josefina and Rafael were selected to represent the state of Chiapis as a chocolate exposition in Italy where they won first prize.

First we have breakfast. Josefina serves hot chocolate. The first cup is the traditional chocolate, made by boiling water and stirring in the chocolate, a strong flavor with no sugar added. The second cup has sugar and cinnamon but no milk, but not too sweet. We have tamales and bread which you dip into your hot chocolate. The taste is wonderful but Rich and I found it very filling and we were asked if we were okay and why didn’t we want some more.

 

Annette, Arturo, Javier, Rafael, Rich and Ed at breakfast

 

Next we watched Josefina make the chocolate. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the cacao tree. The seed pod or corn as it is referred to and resembles in shape, is removed from the tree. Inside the pod are the seeds with a gelatinous substance which may be eaten. The seeds are fermented or separated from the gelatinous stuff and then spread out in the sun to dry similar to the coffee processes. When the seeds are dried sufficiently they are roasted over an open fire. You can hear the seeds pop as they heat up, like popcorn and the chocolate smell fills the air. On a flat surface, Josefina crushes the roasted seeds to remove the husk. It takes a lot of arm strength and wrist action. Tossing the crushed material, the husks are blown away and separated from the chocolate ‘nuts’. This chocolate is put on a sloping stone and crushed into a fine powder. She mixes in some sugar and previously ground cocoa powder. This she packs into a mold. Two to four chocolate ‘bars’ would be added to 1-2 liters of boiling water to make the same as our first cup of hot chocolate. Of course be bought some chocolate to bring back to the boat.



 

Seed pods on cacao tree

Rafael holds an open seed pod

Josefina roasting over an open fire

Crushing the seeds to break the husks

Tossing the broken seeds so that the husks are removed by the breeze

Grinding the chocolate into powder on a stone slab

Molding the chocolate 

The chocolate bar and the packaged items, Chocolate with cinnamon and plain dark chocolate

 

We enjoyed our visit with Josefina and Rafael. Arturo took us to the main square of Tuxtla Chico and we walked around and took a few pictures. Inside the main church was a statue of a saint. The knife in his head seems a little unusual. We speculated that he is the patron saint of migraine sufferers but we don’t know for sure.

Tricycle cabs waiting for customers by the market

The church

Patron saint of migrain sufferers ?

 

It was fitting that as chocolate is a Mayan tradition that we visited one of the first, pre-Classic, Mayan sites, Izapa. This site is in a prime location surrounded by trees bearing tangerines, avocados, cacao, mangos plus more and was settled as early as 1500 B.C.E. It is where the original Mayan calendar was discovered. Located on the Izapa river, near the base of the Tacana volcano, the fourth largest mountain in Mexico there is a ball court and a ceremonial alter, where the captain of the winning team, freely gave himself for sacrifice, as it was considered an honor. The chocolate seeds were also used as currency and as a drink only for the rulers. Near the pyramids is a square platform with smooth rocks at each corner. Sentries would stand on these rocks and make sure that the chocolate was made according to the rules and that none of the seeds went unaccounted for. One of the pyramids was used for celestial and lunar observations.

Izapa Mayan site oriented to the volcano, Tacano, in the distance

Early ball court to the left, Chocolate square to the right

 

The tour was fun and we have a greater appreciation for chocolate besides the fact that it tastes so good. So if you are a fan of dark chocolate and you are in Chiapis, take this tour with Arturo and Macaw Tours