[From "Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke." London, 1652, by Capt. John
Wadsworth. Apparently a translation of a book by Melchor de Lara,
"Physitian General for the Kingdome of Spaine", 1631.]
[pg. 15, middle]
The Receipt of him who wrote at Marchena, is this: Of
Cacaos, 700, of white Sugar, one pound and a halfe, Cinnamon,
2. ounces; of long red pepper, 14, of Cloves, halfe an ounce: Three
Cods of the Logwood or Campeche tree; or in steade of that, the weight
of 2 Reals, or a shilling of Anniseeds; as much of Agiote, as
will give it the colour, which is about the quantity of a
Hasellnut. Some put in Almons, kernells of Nuts, and
Orenge-flower-water.
Concerning this Receipt I shall first say, This shooe will not fit
every foote; but for those, who have diseases, or are inclining to
be infirme, you may either adde, or take away, according to the necessity,
and temperature of every one: and I hold it not amisse, that Sugar
be put into it, when it is drunke, so that it be according to the
quantity I shall hereafter set downe. And sometimes they make
Tablets of the Sugar, and the Chocolate together: which they doe
onely to please the Pallats, as the Dames of Mexico do use it; and
they are there sold in shops, and are confected and eaten like other
sweet-meats.
[This paragraph, and subsequent, go into a long discourse on the
medicinal qualities of the various ingredients. Note, however, this
last bit -- it seems to indicate that, contrary to usual reports
(and my own prior belief), chocolate was consumed in
solid form, not just as hot chocolate.]
[pg. 25, bottom]
[After a long digression, the following tidbit:]
From whence I gather, that it is better to use Chocolate, after
it hath beene made some time, a Moneth at the least. I believe this time
to be necessary, for breaking the contrary qualities of the severall
Ingredients, and to bring the Drinke to a moderate temper.
[pg. 28, middle]
The Third Point.
Having treated in the first poynt of the definition of Chocolate,
the quality of the Cacao, and of the other Ingredients; and in the
second Point, of the Complexion, which results from the mixture of them;
There remaines now in the third poynt, to shew the way how to mingle
them: And first I will bring the best Receipt, and the most to the
purpose, that I could find out; although it be true which I have said,
that one Receipt cannot be given, which shall be proper for all; that
is to be understood of those, who are sick; for those that are strong,
and in health, this may serve: and for the other (as I have said in the
conclusion of the first Poynt) every one may make choyse of the
Ingredients, as they may be usefull, to this, or that part of his
body.
The Receipt is this
To every 100. Cacaos, you must put two cods of the [sidenote:
Chiles] long red Pepper, of which I have spoken before, and are called
in the Indian Tongue, Chilparlagua; and in stead of those
of the Indies, you may take those of Spaine which are
broadest, & least hot. One handfull of Annisseed Orejuelas,
which are otherwise called Vinacaxlidos: and two of the
flowers, called Mechasuchil, if the Belly be bound. But in
stead of this, in Spaine, we put in six Roses of Alexandria
beat to Powder: One Cod of Campeche, or Logwood: Two Drams of
Cinamon; Almons, and [Masle?]-Nuts, of each one Dozen: Of white Sugar,
halfe a pound: Of Achiote enough to give it the colour. And if
you cannot have those things, which come from the Indies, you
may make it with the rest.
The way of Compounding
The Cacao, and the other Ingredients must be beaten in a Morter
of Stone, or ground upon a broad stone, which the Indians call
Metate, and is onely made for that use: But the first thing that
is to be done, is to dry the Ingredients, all except the Achiote,
with care that they may be beaten to powder, keeping them still in
stirring, that they be not burnt, or become black; and if they be
over-dried, they will be bitter, and lose their vertue. The Cinamon,
and the long red Pepper are to be first beaten, with the Annisseed; and
then beate the Cacao, which you must beate by a little and little, till
it be all powdred; and sometimes turne it round in the beating, that
it may mixe the better: And every one of these Ingredients, must be
beaten by it selfe, and then put all the Ingredients into the Vessell,
where the Cacao is; which you must stirre together with a spoone; and
then take out that Paste, and put it into the Morter, under which you
must lay a little fire, after the Confection is made. But you
must be very carefull, not to put more fire, than will warme it, that
the unctuous part doe not dry away. And you must also take care, to put
in the Achiote in the beating; that it may the better take the colour.
You must Searse all the Ingredients, but onely the Cacao; and if
you take the shell from the Cacao, it is the better; and when you
shall find it to be well beaten, & incorporated (which you shall know
by the shortness of it) then with a spoone take up some of the Paste,
which will be almost liquid; and so either make it into Tablets; or put
it into Boxes; and when it is cold it will be hard. To make the Tablets,
you must put a spoonfull of the Paste upon a piece of paper, the
Indians put it upon the leaf of a Plantentree, where
being put into the shade, it growes hard; and then bowing the paper,
the Tablet falls off, by reason of the fatnesse of the paste. But if
you put it into any thing of earth, or wood, it sticks fast, and will
not come off, but with scraping, or breaking. In the Indies they
take it two severall waies: The one, being the common way, is to take
it hot, with Atolle, which was the Drinke of Ancient Indians
(the Indians call Atolle pappe, made of the flower of
Maiz, and so they mingle it with the Chocolate, and that
the Atolle may be more wholsome, they take off the Husks of the
Maiz, which is windy, and melancholy; and so there remaines
onely the best and most substantiall part.) Now, to returne to the matter,
I say, that the other Moderne drinke, which the Spaniards use so much,
is of two sortes. The one is, that the Chocolate, being
dissolved with cold water, & the scumme taken off, and put into another
Vessell, the remainder is put upon the fire, with Sugar; and when it is
warme, then powre it upon the Scumme you tooke off before, and so drinke
it. The other is to warme the water; and then, when you have put it into
a pot, or dish, as much Chocolate as you thinke fit, put in a
little of the warme water, and then grinde it well with the molinet;
and when it is well ground, put the rest of the warme water to it; and
so drinke it with Sugar.
Besides these former wayes, there is one other way; which is, put the
Chocolate into a pipkin, with a little water; and let it boyle
well, till it be dissolved; and then put in sufficient water and Sugar,
according to the quantity of the Chocolate; and then boyle it
againe, untill there comes an oyly scumme upon it; and then drinke it.
But if you put too much fire, it will runne over, and spoyle. But, in
my opinion, this last way is not so wholsome, thought it pleaseth the
pallate better; because, when the Oily is divided from the earthy
part, which remaines at the bottome, it causeth Melancholy; and the
oily part loosens the stomacke, and takes away the appetite: There is
another way to drink Chocolate, which is cold; and it takes its
name from the principall Ingredient, and is called Cacao; which
they use at feasts, to refresh themselves; and it is made after this
manner. The Chocolate being dissolved in water with the
Molinet, take off the scumme or crassy part, which riseth in
greater quantity, when the Cacao is older, and more
putrified. The scumme is laid aside by it selfe in a little dish;
and then put sugar into the part, from whence you tooke the scumme;
and powre it from on high into the scumme; and so drink it cold. And
this drink is so cold, that it agreeth not with all mens stomacks; for
by experience we find the hurt it doth, by causing paines in the
stomacke, and especially to Women. I could deliver the reason of it;
but I avoid it, because I will not be tedious, some use it, &c.
There is another way to drinke it cold, which is called Cacao
Penoli; and it is done, by adding to the same Chocolate
(having made the Confection, as is before set downe) so much
Maiz, dryed, and well ground, and taken from the Huske, and
then well mingled in the Morter, with the Chocolate, it falls
all into flowre, or dust: & so these things being mingled, as is
said before, there riseth the Scum; and so you take and drink it,
as before.
There is another way, which is a shorter and quicker way of making
it, for men of businesse, who cannot stay long about it; and it is
more wholsome; and it is that, which I use. That is, first to set
some water to warm; and while it warms, you throw a Tablet, or some
Chocolate, scraped, and mingled with sugar, into a little
Cup; and when the water is hot, you powre the water to the
Chocolate, and then dissolve it with the Molinet; and
then, without taking off the scum, drink it as is before directed.
[The Fourth Point follows, entirely on the subject of medicine.
This concludes the main body of the treatise, but it is followed
by two more sections. I suspect that these were added by the
translator, but am not certain.]
How to make use of the Chocolate, to be taken as a
drinke, exceeding cordiall for the comfort of the healthfull, and
also for those in weaknesse and Consumptions, to be dissolved in
Milke or Water.
[Note that the ensuing is primarily in italics; for ease of reading,
I am rendering it more conventionally]
If you please to take it in milke, to a quart, three ounces of
Chocolate will be sufficient: Scrape your Chocolate
very fine, put it into your milke when it boiles, work it very
well with the Spanish Instrument called Molenillo
between your hands: which Instrument must be of wood, with a round
knob made very round, and cut ragged, that as you turne it in your
hands, the milke may froth and dissolve the Chocolate the
better: then set the milke on the fire againe, untill it be ready
to boyle: having the yelke of two eggs well beaten with some of
the hot milke; then put your eggs into the milke, and Chocolate
and Sugar, as much as you like for your taste, and worke all
together with the Molenillo, and thus drinke a good draught:
or if you please you may slice a little Manchet into a dish, and so
eate it for a breakfast: you may if you please make your
Chocolate with Water and Sugar, working it after the same
order with your Molenillo, which for some weake stomacks
may chance to be better liked. And many there be that beat Almonds,
and strayne them into the water it is boyled, and wrought with the
Chocolate and Sugar: others like to put the yelkes of eggs
as before in the milke, and ever sweeten it with Sugar to your taste:
If you drinke a good draught of this in a morning, you may travell
all the day without any other thing, this is so Substantiall and
Cordiall.
The manner of making Chocolate
Set a Pot of Conduit Water over the fire untill it boiles, then to
every person that is to drink, put an ounce of Chocolate,
with as much Sugar into another Pot; wherein you must poure a
pint of the said boiling Water, and therein mingle the Chocolate
and the Sugar, with the instrument called El Molinillo, untill
it be thoroughly incorporated: which done, poure in as many halfe
pints of the said Water as there be ounces of Chocolate, and
if you please, you may put in one or two yelks of fresh Eggs, which
must be beaten untill they froth very much; the hotter it is drunke,
the better it is, being cold it may doe harme. You may likewise put
in a slice of white bred or Bisquet, and eate that with the
Chocolate. The newer and fresher made it is, the more benefit
you shall finds by it; that which comes from forreigne parts, and
is stale, is not so good as that which is made here.
FINIS.