Activities Recipes

Hot at 16 New Street

THE HISTORY OF In 1657 the first chocolate house was In their raw state, the chocolate established in London by a Frenchman slabs were too bitter to enjoy as Chocolate has been used and revered who marketed his product as ‘an confectionary, so instead they were since ancient times, originally by the excellent West India drink [that] cures turned into a drink by melting the inhabitants of Latin America, where and preserves the body of many grated chocolate in , or sometimes the cacao tree grew wild. In around diseases.’ He not only sold chocolate wine or sherry mixed with water. 450BC, the Aztecs believed cacao seeds ready to drink but also gave lessons As chocolate spread in popularity, were a gift from the god of wisdom on how to make this fashionable new different flavourings were added and used them as a form of currency. beverage at home. - including ambergris, cinnamon, They were also used to produce a bitter vanilla, cardamom and chilli – as well ceremonial drink - very different from CHOCOLATE PROCESSING as thickeners such as cornflour or the chocolate of today. sometimes eggs and cream. Before the drink could be enjoyed, the In 1519 Spanish conquistador Hernán cacao beans - or cocoa-nuts as they In time special tools were invented to Cortés and his crew were fascinated were called - needed a great deal of assist with the preparation, including to observe the great Aztec ruler preparation. First the beans had to chocolate pots and graters - and long Moctezuma consuming cacao in huge be opened, then the pulp and beans sticks called ‘molinets’, which were quantities and in 1528 the first cocoa were placed in heaps to ferment, used to whip the chocolate and make beans were exported to Spain. Praised and finally the beans were separated it frothy. by Cortés as a ‘divine drink that builds from the pulp and left to dry in the up resistance and fights fatigue… and sun. All of this work was done prior to Being such a rich drink, hot chocolate permits man to walk for a whole day shipping. When the dried beans arrived was traditionally served in small cups. without food’, chocolate soon spread in Europe, they were roasted (much Gentlemen would drink hot chocolate in popularity. Initially chocolate was like coffee), the shells removed and laced with brandy at fashionable clubs, enjoyed as a drink, sweetened with the nibs ground by hand on a stone and ladies would often take a cup of and adapted to European tastes called a ‘metate’ to form a thick and thickened and spiced chocolate early in with the addition of cinnamon or black gritty paste before being shaped into the morning, which would fortify them pepper instead of chilli. As it was a lozenges or cakes. Initially this work until . luxury item, and therefore heavily was done by the cook or kitchen maid, taxed, it was too expensive for most but as chocolate grew in popularity people to enjoy and only the wealthy enterprising merchants realised they were able to indulge regularly. could import and process the beans into cakes or ‘pastilles’ for a good profit.

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METHOD: Hot Spiced 1. Pour the milk into a pan and add the cinnamon stick or vanilla pod and chilli (if using). Set the pan over a very Chocolate in the low heat and infuse for at least 10 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, grate the chocolate into a heavy- Georgian style: based pan. 3. Strain the hot, infused milk over the chocolate and INGREDIENTS: whisk to combine. • 500ml full cream milk 4. Add the sugar, a little at a time, tasting between each • 1 cinnamon stick or vanilla pod addition. Add the cream (if using) and whisk well to • pinch of chilli flakes (optional), to taste • 50g bitter chocolate (minimum 70% form a frothy foam. ) 5. Pour into small cups and enjoy • 1-2 teaspoons sugar, to taste • splash of single cream (optional) VARIATIONS: With Cardamom Crush 2 cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar. Roast in a dry pan to release their fragrance and infuse with the milk – omitting the cinnamon, vanilla and chilli.

With Nutmeg Replace the cinnamon, vanilla and chilli with a grating of nutmeg.

With Orange Use a vegetable peeler to shave off a piece of orange peel and add to the pan with the milk - omitting the cinnamon, vanilla and chilli.

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