Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Oh Chocolate (and a giveaway)

Can you see the poppies ? It's my favorite tray !
 The winter autumn has finally settled in. As I write, it's almost 6:51 AM and the sky is still pitch dark. It is getting colder, windier, and wetter. The warm days we had were really a blessing, they were probably the last light filled days until next ¿May? Funny how I used to associate summer with warm weather, and now I know it is more about the light, less about the temperature. Days getting shorter is not something I experienced in Mexico. Or maybe I was just not paying attention. Anyway, with this weather, what one wants the most is to stay inside, watch a movie and maybe have some hot chocolate. Oh chocolate. Mexican legacy to the world. The word itself comes from the nahuatl, xocolatl. It was so valuable for my ancestors that at some point it was used as a coin. As a drink, it was sacred, only to be drunk by priests during special ceremonies.

Image via

Traditionally it is dissolved in hot water, much like coffee, and then you can add milk.  Hence the name of the book: "Como agua para chocolate" (Like water for chocolate). But nowadays, even in Mexico it is prepared in milk. The traditional way is to make it out of  chocolate "bars" that already come with the spices (cinammon, vanilla) that give it it's traditional taste.

Source
 To prepare it you simply warm milk, add pieces of the prepared chocolate, and while it is in the fire, you shouldn't stop beating with the molinillo, a special mexican whisker.


 And here is where the giveaway comes in. One lucky winner will get an authentic mexican molinillo (since we have 2) delivered right to their door. To participate, just leave a comment, telling me, if you could travel anywhere in the world this moment, where would you go,  and I will draw a random winner on the 30 of October.


Oh and I forgot to tell you, if you go to Mexico, don't forget to visit a chocolate factory in Oaxaca, and if  you are in this side of the ocean, there is a chocolate museum in Barcelona.

12 comments:

  1. Oh how I love chocolate! I had never seen that molinillo, I love it!
    Travel anywhere in the World? just one place? That's the hard part, deciding! Ok, let's say New York. Or Québec/Montréal. Or India. Or Bangkok. Or Japan. Scratch that, all those places can wait, I just want to get on the plane that will take me to hug my brother for the 1st time in 4 years (We are travelling to Córdoba, Argentina in 20 days :)

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  2. I visited the Chocolate Museum in Barcelona, btw! Very nice...and the Varlhona chocolate the give as ticket...yummy!

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  3. Oh that is easy! :) I have 2 spots I want to go to badly. First Les Maritimes in Canada just because I am in such a beachy mood and the Cuba, the old Havanna because I love the nostalgic vibe the old city has with its colonial streets and funky houses.

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  4. The Sonoma Napa wince country. It is just stunningly beautiful. I would also love to go back to Oslo, Norway or to the coast of Greece.

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  5. Oh... Chocolate!! You know, I also did a post on chocolate today, but it was a cake.

    If I could choose a place to go right now I think I would say China. Something culturally opposite from here would be my choice. If I would think something more down to earth (= possible to do) I would say Florence or Vienna. But I stick to my first answer, China.

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  6. La última vez que estuvimos por Bélgica, en nuestra vuelta ciclistica, me traje 750 gr. de chocolate belga (que en realidad esta hecho con cacao venezolano). Me lo termine en menos de una semana. Sin compasión.
    Amo el chocolate. Con locura. Pero la versión en chocolate caliente, es la única que no paso. Uno, porque me cae malísimo al estomago y dos, porque no le encuentro todavía el gusto!
    Así que, mi querida Amanda, esta vez paso con tu receta. Compartela con el resto que sí disfruta de un chocolatito caliente! ;)

    By the way, me prestaron un librito que está chévere. En lo que logre aprenderme el nombre del autor, te lo mando. Me lo prestó la profe en la escuela. Total holandés. Aunque un poco extraña las historias... Vamos a ver en que termina!

    Abrazos!

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  7. Since I came to France, making chocolat chaud has become one of my favorite treats! I think I'll be making a lot of it as it gets colder. I can only imagine an authentic whisk would make it taste even better :)
    If I could go anywhere in the world right now... I would say Prague. I've never been and everything I hear makes it sound beautiful and different and very atmospheric.

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  8. Oooh chocolate... I'm not actually entering this giveaway (since I am allergic to chocolate), but if I could travel anywhere in the world right now, I would go to Zanzibar. Beaches + different culture + continent I've never been too = perfect destination!

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  9. Nada que ver con el post, pero vi esto y pensé en tus fotos de pinterest: http://blog.heylook.fi/2011/10/mexican-fiesta-setting.html

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  10. I visited a chocolate museum in belgium and there was something about beef chocolate - put me off! (for about ten minutes!!)

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  11. Chocolate is ALWAYS good. Authentic hot chocolate is even better!

    If I could drop everything and run away right now it would be to Ireland. My husband and I dream about going, but can't afford it quiet yet. Someday!!

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  12. YAY!!!! Thank you for pointing this out! I had missed it. :) And I would go to SPAIN! We wanted to go for our honeymoon but didn't have enough money. We're planning on going in Feb as a last minute excursion but I would run away to there RIGHT NOW if I could. We're only going to stay a few days. A wham bam euro trip. :)

    eeeeeeeeeee chocolate!

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