[[ recipeID=recipe-8ljhmzooo, title=Xocoatl Recipe ]]
You can find this and more medicinal plant recipes in The Plant Medicine Protocol by William Siff, out soon from the Hatchett Book Group.
Cacao is among the world’s healthiest and most delicious superfoods. To the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, it was considered a gift from the gods. Xocoatl, or “bitter drink,” was the name of the original Aztec elixir made by cooking roasted cacao paste, chili peppers, and cornmeal in hot water, then pouring the mixture back and forth between special pots to create a spicy, chocolaty drink with a thick layer of foam on top. The Aztecs preferred to drink their cacao cold, combining it with herbs and spices like vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne (this was reportedly the favorite after-dinner drink of Montezuma II).
Cacao comes from a medium-size tropical tree (Theobroma cacao) native to the jungles of Central and South America. Cacao is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s among the highest sources of magnesium in the plant world and contains substantial amounts of iron, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, and a host of other trace elements. A powerful tonic for the cardiovascular system, the beans are packed with hundreds of potent antioxidants, including a wide range of polyphenolic flavonoids that increase nitric oxide production, relaxing and dilating blood vessels, improving blood flow, and lowering blood pressure. They’re also rich in unique constituents known to increase our internal supply of feel-good chemicals: compounds such as theobromine, caffeine, and anandamide (the so-called bliss molecule) improve clarity, elevate mood, and generate feelings of contentment by increasing the amounts of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins flowing in our system.
Drinking pure cacao affects our physiology and consciousness in a far more powerful way than, say, eating a chocolate bar. Beyond its innumerable physical benefits, the concentrated number of powerful compounds ingested when drinking cacao combined with synergistic herbs and spices produces a tangible feeling of joy, vitality, and openness. Sharing cacao with friends accentuates its expansive effects and amplifies all that good brain chemistry.
This recipe for Xocoatl, or drinking chocolate, is strong—and it’s supposed to be. We are looking to make a potent and authentic cacao elixir here. The addition of cinnamon, vanilla, and cayenne pepper increases cacao’s mood-elevating effects and enhances absorption of all of its healthy nutrients and compounds. Cayenne varies quite a bit in terms of heat level—and a pinch means different things to different people—so adjust accordingly. The goal is to harmonize the spiciness of the pepper with the bittersweet notes of the cacao without letting any one flavor dominate.
Servings: 2
Keywords: Chocolate, Cacoa, Cacao
Notes: You can substitute the unsweetened cacao chunks for semisweet chunks (no less than 70 percent cacao) or even chips, if that’s all you’ve got. To give your Xocoatl an adaptogenic boost, add 1 teaspoon powdered extract of reishi and/or cordyceps mushrooms. You can also let the drink cool slightly and pour it over ice cubes (or blend with ice to make a frappé).
