The Natural History of Chocolate Part 5

_Historia Sanguinis Humani._

[55] Traite de Drogues, _Pag. 127_.

[56] Baglivius in Edit. Lugd. 1709. _Pag. 414._ Vivere enim nostrum siccessere est.

[59] _Chap._ x.x.xvii. _V._ 33 & 34. In multis Escis erit Infirmitas, propter c.r.a.pulam multi obierunt: Qui autem abstinens est, adjiecit Vitam.

THE Natural HISTORY OF _CHOCOLATE_.

PART III.

Of the Uses of Chocolate.

The common Uses of Chocolate may be reduced to three: It is put in Confections; it is used in Chocolate, properly so call'd; and there is an Oil drawn from it, to which they give the Name of b.u.t.ter. I shall treat of them distinctly, in the three following Chapters.

CHAP. I

Of Chocolate in Confections.

They chuse _Cocao-Nuts_ that are half ripe, and take out the Kernels one by one, for fear of spoiling them; they then lay them to soak for some Days in Spring Water, which they take care to change Morning and Evening: afterwards, having taken them out and wiped them, they lard them with little Bits of Citron-Bark and Cinnamon, almost as they make the Nuts of _Rouen_.

In the mean time, they prepare a Syrup of the finest Sugar, but very clear; that is to say, wherein there is but little Sugar: and after it has been clarified and purified, they take it boiling-hot off the Fire, and put in the _Cocao-Kernels_, and let them lie 24 Hours. They repeat this Operation six or seven times, encreasing every time the Quant.i.ty of Sugar, without putting it on the Fire, or doing any thing else to it: last of all, they boil another Syrup to the Consistence of Sugar, and pour it on the Kernels well wiped and put in a clean earthen Pot; and when the Syrup is almost cold, they mix with it some Drops of the Essence of Amber.

When they would have these in a dry Form, they take them out of the Syrup; and after it is well drained from them, they put them into a Bason full of a very strong clarify'd Syrup, then they immediately put it in a Stove, or Hot-House, where they candy it.

This Confection, which nearly resembles the Nuts of _Rouen_, is excellent to strengthen the Stomach without heating it too much; for this reason, they may safely be given to those who are ill of a Fever.

CHAP. II.

Of Chocolate, properly so called.

In treating of this Liquor, we have two things to examine: The First is, the Original of Chocolate, and the different Manner of preparing it: The Second, the Medicinal Uses that it is proper for; which shall be the Subject of the two following Sections.

SECT. I

Of the Original of Chocolate, and the different Manners of preparing it.

Chocolate is originally an _American_ Drink, which the _Spaniards_ found very much in use at _Mexico_, when they conquer'd it, about the Year 1520.

The _Indians_, who have used this Drink time out of mind, prepared it without any great Art; they roasted their Kernels in earthen Pots, then ground them between two Stones, diluted them with hot Water, and season'd them with _Pimento_[1]: those who were more curious, added _Achiota_[2] to give it a Colour, and [3]_Attolla_ to augment its Substance. All these things joined together, gave to the Composition so strange a Look, and so odd a Taste, that a _Spanish_ Soldier said, it was more fit to be thrown to Hogs[4], than presented to Men; and that he could never have accustomed himself to it, if the want of Wine had not forced him to it, that he might not always be obliged to drink nothing but Water.

The _Spaniards_[5] taught by the _Mexicans_, and convinced by their own Experience, that this Drink, as rustick as it appeared to them, nevertheless yielded very wholesome Nourishment; try'd to make it more agreeable by the Addition of Sugar, some Oriental Spices, and Things that grew there, which it will be needless to mention, because the Names of them are not so much as known here, and because of so many Ingredients, there is none continued down to us but _Vanilla_; in like manner, that Cinnamon[6] is the only Spice which has had general Approbation, and remains in the Composition of Chocolate.

_Vanilla_ is a Cod of a brown Colour and delicate Smell; it is flatter and longer than our [_French_] Beans, it contains a luscious Substance, full of little black s.h.i.+ning Grains. They must be chosen fresh, full, and well grown, and care must be taken that they are not smeared with Balsam, nor put in a moist Place.

The agreeable Smell, and exquisite Taste that they communicate to Chocolate, have prodigiusly recommended it; but long Experience having taught that it heats very much, its Use is become less frequent, and those who prefer their Health more than pleasing their Senses, abstain from it entirely. In _Spain_ and _Italy_, Chocolate prepared without _Vanilla_, is called at present _Chocolate of Health_; and in the _French_ Islands of _America_, where _Vanilla_ is neither scarce nor dear, as in _Europe_, they do not use it at all, though they consume as much Chocolate there as in any other Place in the World.

However, a great many People are prejudiced in favour of _Vanilla_, and that I may pay a due Deference to their Judgments, I shall employ _Vanilla_ in the Composition of _Chocolate_, in the best Method and Quant.i.ty, as it appears to me; I say, as it appears to me, because there are an infinite Variety of Tastes, and every one expects that we should have regard to his, and one Person is for adding what the other rejects.

Besides, when it is agreed upon what things to put in, it is not possible to hit upon Proportions that will be universally approved; it will therefore be sufficient for me to make choice of such Things as the Majority are agreed upon, and consequently which are agreeable to the Tastes of most.

When the Chocolate Paste is made pretty fine upon a Stone, as I have already explain'd, they add Sugar powdered and pa.s.sed through a fine Searce; the true Proportion is the same Weight of Sugar as of Kernels, but it is common to put a quarter part less of the former, that it may not dry the Paste too much, nor make it too susceptible of Impressions from the Air, and more subject to be eaten by Worms. But this fourth Part is again supply'd, when it is made into a Liquor to drink.

The Sugar being well mix'd with the Paste, they add a very fine Powder made of _Vanilla_ and _Cinnamon_ powdred and searced together. They mix all over again upon the Stone very well, and then put it in Tin Moulds, of what Form you please, where it grows as hard as before. Those that love Perfumes, pour a little Essence of Amber on it before they put it in the Moulds.

When the Chocolate is made without _Vanilla_, the Proportion of Cinnamon is two Drams to a Pound of Paste; but when _Vanilla_ is used, it should be less by one half. As for the _Vanilla_, the Proportion is arbitrary; one, two, or three Cods, and sometimes more, to a Pound, according to every one's Fancy.

Those that make Chocolate for Sale, that they may be thought to have put in a good deal of _Vanilla_, put in Pepper, Ginger, _&c._ There are even some People so accustomed to these Tastes, that they will not have it otherwise; but these Spices serving only to inflame the Blood, and heat the Body, prudent People take care to avoid this Excess, and will not use any Chocolate whose Composition they are ignorant of.

_Chocolate_ made after this manner, has this Advantage, that when a Person is obliged to go from Home, and cannot stay to have it made into Drink, he may eat an Ounce of it, and drinking after it, leave the Stomach to dissolve it.

In the _Antilloes_ they make Cakes of the Kernels only, without any Addition, as I have taught at the End of the first Part of this Treatise; and when they would make Chocolate of them, they proceed in the following Manner.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] [2] [3] See the Remarks 8, 9, and 10.

[4] Porcorum ea verius Colluvies quam hominum Potio. _Benzo_ apud _Clusium_ Exoticorum Lib. Cap. 28.

[5] Haec olim Cocolatis erant Exordia & Artis prima Rudimenta. _P. Thomae Strozzae_ de Mentis potio.

[6] See the 11th Remark.

The Method of making Chocolate after the Manner of the _French_ Islands in _America_.

They sc.r.a.pe off with a Knife from these Cakes aforesaid[1], what Quant.i.ty they please, (for Instance, four large Spoonfuls, which weigh about an Ounce) and mix with it two or three Pinches of powder'd Cinnamon finely searced, and about two large Spoonfuls of Sugar in Powder[2].

They put this Mixture into a Chocolate-Pot with a new-laid Egg[3], both White and Yolk; then mix all well together with the Mill, and bring it to the Consistence of Liquid Honey, upon which they afterwards pour boiling Liquor[4], (Milk or Water, as is liked best) at the same time using the Mill that they may be well incorporated together.

Afterwards they put the Chocolate-Pot on the Fire, or in a Kettle of boiling Water; and when the Chocolate rises, they take it off, and having well mill'd it, they pour it into the Dishes. To make the Taste more exquisite, one may, before it is poured out, add a Spoonful of Orange-Flower Water, wherein a Drop or two of Essence of Amber has been put.

This Manner of making Chocolate has several Advantages above any other, and which render it preferable to them all.