The origin of chocolate

The name of the most important sweet in the world derives from the word chocolatl, from náhuatl, the Aztec language. It is  probably related to the word xococ that means "bitter".

It is thought that cocoa was used for the first time in the territory of Mexico, which was occupied by Prehispanic cultures at that time. They used to consume it in a particular way, which was very diffrent from the manner we do it today. The indigenous people prepared a special type of drink based on fermentation of cocoa beans and their flesh. This beverage had a crucial ritual funtion and give them a lot of energy. 

According to Maya mitology, after the creation of humanity from the pastry of corn, one of their main Gods, Kukulkan, gave Mayas cocoa. To honour the God of cocoa, Ek Chuah, Mayas organised a festival, during which the sacrifices of animals and cocoa beans were being made.

Later, the Aztec people also continued this tradition of elaborating this unusual sort of meal. Their legend says that God Quetzalcóatl himself, known as the Plumed Serpent, was the one who put in the hand of the ancient Aztecs the cocoa beans. However, the Aztecs preparated it in another way that let them obtain a kind of liquid with the foam. This beverage was drunk cold and with additional ingredients such as chili pepper, vanilla or cornflour, which improved the flavour or changed the consitency of the drink. As a result, they could enjoy a drink which was not only extremely energising but also quite bitter and piquant. 

Nowadays, the most popular form of eating products containing cocoa is the bar of chocolate. We also know the liquid form of chocolate which is completely different than its original form because it's very sweet and hot!

The importance of corn

The corn has been of great importance in Mexico since the times of Prehispanic tribes. This relevance is related not only to its nutritious value but, more importantly, to its sacred and traditional character. In the daily cuisine of Mexicans, this ingredient is as ubiquitous as bread in Poland, pasta in Italy or rice in Chinese cuisine. Mexican tortillas, which are made of corn flour, constitute the basic ingredient of everyday Mexican dishes! But it's just the only one of many forms of eating this delicious vegetable...

In Mexico, there are sixty four types of corn in total, which differ in terms of color, size and taste. For example, there are big and small cobs with very tiny or large kernels, which can be white, yellow, blue, red or purple. The extraordinary thing is a hybrid cob that consists of colorful grains!

The Mayan legend says that after an unsuccessful attempt to create a man from mud and then from wood, the gods decided to mold a man from the mass of corn. The last version turned out to be a perfect creature. However, the Aztec legend says a different story. According to Aztec tradition, one of their most important gods, Quetzalcóatl, transformed into an ant, which brought Aztecs a grain of corn. Later, they decided to sow the kernel. Since that moment, this plant became very important for them making them strong and happy.

This valuable vegetable has survived to these days and it still constitutes a part of contemporary Mexicans’ lives. They have many dishes such as atole, pozole or tamales, which contain corn being one of the most essential ingredients of Mexican cuisine.

Mexican chili pepper: small but spicy!

The chili pepper, besides a corn and a bean, was a one of the essential products of Mexican cuisine since a Prehispanic days. Now, it is still present among the main ingredients of Mexican dishes. It is hard even to find the one without chili pepper! There is a special dish which the Mexican people prepare on Independence Day of Mexico. It is called "chile en nogada" and consist of green chili pepper stuffed with meat, white sauce and seeds of pomegranate. It refers to national colours of Mexico. 

In Mexico, there are more than fourty types of chili pepper and its pungency we can measure with the Scoville scale. It is worth a mantion its nutritious value and a good influence on our health. This is both a piquent vegetable and exquisite condiment. Moreover, it's not only one of low-calorie foods, but also an excellent source of different vitamins. For example, it's a vegetable of major concentration of vitamin C! The incredible thing is also that a fresh chili pepper contains more than a double of vitamin C than the lemon and orange! Thanks to that it increases the immunity of our organism during the cold seasons. It is worth adding that the chili pepper, like a chocolate, liberates endorphins: happy hormons which make us feel better! :D

Now you can see that the Mexican food is not only very tasty and hot but also very rich in nutritious components. However, you have to remember one more thing: if you overdose the chili pepper, it is absolutely necessary to take some sugar, bread, milk or cream as quick as possible. The water is not very useful in this case!