Roll
Cuisine Corner
by Pierre-Luc Moeys
Ah….Chocolate!
The word “chocolate” is derived
from the Aztec word “Xocolatl,” meaning “bitter
water.” Aztecs crushed cocoa beans into a paste, added
water and spices (but no sugar!), and the resulting beverage,
though bitter, was nourishing and very popular—so much
so that the cocoa bean even became a currency for a time—and
chocolate became exalted to the point where it was associated
with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility. No big surprise
there!
Around the 16th century, European explorers
brought the drink back home, and with added sugar and sweeteners,
a new luxury (quite expensive at the time) was born. In the
1800’s Dutchman Conrad Von Houten perfected the extraction
of cocoa butter from the beans, and the smooth and creamy
solid form of chocolate began its domination of the confection
world. The combination of bitter and sweet allow chocolate
to go with just about anything, including spicy, salty, and
tart flavors. With this recipe, we’ll explore a chocolate-citrus
blend that nobody can pass up.
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