Ibarra
We’re experiencing a substantial snow event this morning and I can’t help but think about making hot chocolate. Please don’t confuse hot chocolate with that chemically sweet, powder based instant mildew in those red and white envelopes. Typically made with hot water from an unwashed cistern, the resultant brew is more akin to brake fluid. I make hot chocolate in batches. I make it for four or five children and adults at a time. My hot chocolate is based on the chocolate drink developed by the Mayans, the Aztecs, and the gods responsible for originally passing down the idea to my Mexican forbearers. Mexican hot chocolate is made with Ibarra chocolate. Ibarra is chunk chocolate mixed with almonds and sugar. The blocks must first be pulverized before blending with hot scalded milk. After steeping for just long enough to soften the chocolate, the whole batch is whirred in a blender until a light froth develops and the aroma of the chocolate and almonds begins to fill the kitchen. The hot chocolate is served in large wide cups with nothing more than maybe a slice of pan dulce.
posted by Champurrado at 6:32 AM
8 Comments:
I remember a hot Mexican chocolate concoction that some of my friends made when I lived in Texas eons ago.
It was called champurrado if I am not mistaken. I remember them putting masa in it.
Is there an acceptable substitute for the cow's milk? Soymilk just doesn't cut for me most of the time and goat milk is close to impossible to get here in our part of the world.
Schaumi, DD:
Yes, champurrodo is a wonderful winter/cold time concoction. You are not mistaken, Champurrado has Maseca (finely ground slaked corn).
Goat milk is fine I'm sure. Try soy milk and let me know if it works. I'm betting it will.
I bet almond milk would be great or a mix of almond and soy milk.
I have to get some of this Ibarra chocolate (I only know Ibarra from Harriet Doerr's Stones for Ibarra) and masa. Sounds good. Yum.
Prom:
Almond extract and warm milk (white liquid product of your choice if there are issues with lactose) is another winter, sit around the fire remedy. Time is the ingredient I can't seem to find in the local bodega alongside the other stuff.
Foil:
Haven't read Harriet. I'll look for her. If you aren't living too far away from urbania down in WDC, I'm sure there are safe ethnic stores that sell Ibarra. In a pinch you could go online and find it at any number of places. As for Masa, why not grind your own?
Into 2 quarts of clean spring water, sprinkle two tablespoons of slaked lime. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the lime. Add 1 1/2 lbs. dried, rinsed white field corn. Simmer for fifteen minutes and then remove the pot from the heat and allow to stand for an hour.
Pour the corn into a collander and rinse under cool water while rubbing the kernels between your hands to remove loose hulls.
Drain and dry the kernels before grinding them on a stone metate. Add enough water to form a stiff dough.
No cayenne? I was expecting a pinch of cayenne. Sounds yummy anyway.
Almond milk is made by pouring boiling water over ground almonds and then the whole thing put through some sort of extraction process to extract the almond oils and soluable protein.
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