Chocolate and the Tejate - Drink of the Gods

Chocolate and the Tejate - Drink of the Gods

This aromatic tree produces flowers that are closely associated with traditional cacao use. Long before the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico, the Aztecs used these highly pungent flowers, known as Cacaoxochitl, to flavor their chocolate drinks. It was known in the ancient times by names of Poyomatli, Xochicacaohuatl or Cacahuaxochitl. These words literally mean, "flower of cacao" even though the plant is not botanically related to cacao. In Mexico today these flowers are known in Spanish as "flor de cacao" or "rosita de cacao" or "madre cacao".

Triple cacao: dark chocolate 70% 

 http://madrechocolate.com/Flavors.html

Xoconusco chocolate bars made with the aromatic maple-scented Oaxacan spice rosita de cacao

 

The flowers are mixed with chocolate and other ingredients to concoct Oaxacan cacao drink tejate, a spicy beverage with medicinal and religious significance. This energy drink, "the drink of the gods" was originally served only to the ruling elite of Aztecs. They also used to drink cold chocolate mixed with corn and the Rosita de Cacao which they called Poyomatli.

The earliest known record of Rosita de Cacao was noted in 1582 in The General History of New Spain by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun where he affirmed that the name comes from Cacahuaxochitl and means "cacao flower" or Xochicacahuatl which means "precious flowers" and has fragrant and penetrating odor.

Montezuma's Secret Exotic Aphrodisiac Beverage

Legend tells that the Aztec Emperor Montezuma drank 50 cups of a cold chocolate drink (xocolatl) per day, making him perhaps the greatest chocoholic of all time. He took no other beverage than the xocolatl, flavored with Vanilla, Rosita de Cacao, and other spices. It had consistency of honey and slowly dissolved in the mouth. Montezuma consumed his xocolatl in goblets before entering his harem and this led to the belief xocolatl was an aphrodisiac.
When Cortez burst into the 1520's Aztec court, he discovered the aged Montezuma reveling in the pastime of a royal harem. Upon learning that the basis for this royal pleasuring was an aphrodisiac brew forbidden to all but the court,
Besides cacao the drink contained Chilies, Vanilla beans and Cacahuaxochitl (Rosita de Cacao) and other herb ingredrients.

Vanilla planifolia, Vanilla fragrans

Family: Orchidaceae

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean, French Vanilla, Vanilla Orchid

Origin: South East México and Guatemala

Source: Top Tropicals and Madre Chocolate Hawaï