January 23, 2009, Chocolate, once a spicy secret, By Kris Rudolph, Chipotles smolder quietly and seduce you, By Victoria Challancin, A lively look at chiles, Mexico by the Glass, By Dick Avery, House & Garden Tour, By Jennifer Hamilton

Montezuma, the last emperor of the Aztec empire, drank chocolate from a golden goblet before entering his royal harem. He believed it was an aphrodisiac, giving him extraordinary strength and stamina.

Sitting on his ornate gold throne, surrounded by 200 guards, Montezuma consumed up to 50 cups of his favorite beverage each day. Special guests, including his future Spanish conquerors, were invited into an opulent royal antechamber filled with carved aromatic wood and were offered a taste of what was considered to be heaven.

The romantic allure of chocolate hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Renowned for the rich, sensual pleasure if offers, it has been an important part of our most recent history. Centuries before grocery store shelves were piled high with a large assortment of chocolate treats, the ancient people of Mexico cultivated cacao and made it into a spicy, bitter brew. Favored by royalty and high priests, it held a special place in pre-Hispanic society. Chocolate’s evolution from the pre-conquest battlefields of Mexico, where it was used to pay tribute to the indigenous conquerors, to the royal houses of Europe and eventually to becoming a staple of everyday life, took almost 2,000 years. Today it is found in stores, kitchens and cookbooks around the world.

The first mention of chocolate comes from the Mayans, who transplanted cacao trees from the rainforests into their backyards. They harvested, fermented, roasted and ground the beans into a paste. It was then mixed with water and powdered chili peppers, but not sweetened, since sugar was not yet available in the New World. This potent drink, a symbol of life and fertility, was important in religious rituals and therefore off limits to the common folk.

At the beginning on the sixteenth century, when Spaniards arrived in Mexico, chocolate had become an important part of the Aztec culture. The locals referred to it as chocolatl. During this time, prized cacao beans were used as a form of currency. One bean bought a tomato, 10 beans a rabbit or prostitute and 100 beans a slave. Like the Mayans, the Aztecs used chocolatl as an offering to the gods, in addition to considering it the favored beverage of their privileged society. Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of Mexico, referred to chocolate as “the divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue.”

Returning to Spain, Cortés filled his galleons with cacao beans and the equipment necessary for making chocolate. The commodity was expensive and precious due to labor-intensive harvesting and grinding. The Spaniards, who added sugar and cinnamon while omitting the chili powder, considered it an elite beverage. They managed to keep chocolate a well-guarded secret for almost 100 years, until it was given as part of the dowry of Princess Maria Theresa to Louis XIV. By the late seventeenth century, chocolate houses had opened up throughout Europe. The thrill of chocolate was now being shared with the masses; it was no longer just for wealthy and entitled individuals.

The fame of cacao spread around the world and its demand soon increased. Plantations appeared in the West Indies, Africa and the Far East, anywhere with a tropical climate. Always thought to have medicinal properties, chocolate was prescribed to patients with liver and chest ailments and used to make one’s disposition more agreeable or to gain “flesh.” In the early 1700s, an English doctor suggested mixing it with milk instead of water, for the nutritional value. Before long, milk chocolate became the favored beverage.

The edible chocolate bar wasn’t created until the late eighteenth century. The new form, which originated in England, became an overnight success. A milk chocolate version soon followed, after a Swiss manufacturer experimented with a new innovation—powdered milk.

His company eventually became part of Nestlé, one of today’s largest chocolate producers, which, with the help of modern technology, now sells this former extravagance to people around the world.

Still thought of as an indulgent treat, chocolate is once again being praised for its health benefits. This time the talk is about antioxidants and low blood pressure, instead of strength and stamina. And though it may not be the aphrodisiac Montezuma believed it to be, he may have been on to something all those centuries ago. A taste of truly fine chocolate can indeed conjure up images of royalty and gods.

Raspberry Chipotle Brownies

The pre-Hispanic combination of chocolate and chiles adds another dimension to a much-loved classic—the brownie.

¾ cup butter

¾ cup cocoa

4 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

½ cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan with shortening, wax paper and shortening again.

2. In a double broiler, mix the butter and cocoa until melted and blended. Let cool.

3. In a mixer, beat the eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla for 1 minute. Add the chocolate mixture, chipotle chiles and adobo sauce. Beat for another minute. Stir in the flour.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the raspberry jam on top and swirl with a knife.

5. Bake for 25 minutes or until the center is done.

Courtesy of Kris Rudolph from her cookbook, Recipes and Secrets from El Buen Café.

When people who haven’t been raised with spicy food first encounter the chiles of Mexico, they are in for a surprise. Even the good folk from Texas can’t imagine what it is like to metaphorically swim in the waters of the genus capsicum, family Solinaceae—Latin for what we commonly call “chiles.” And visitors from what we might call the “culinary bland” states just don’t stand a chance.

My paternal family hails from northern Italy and my mother’s from Georgia. This combined background may have provided me with a rich familial quirkiness, but offered nothing to this Southern girl in the way of understanding the culinary world of spices while growing up, much less chiles. In fact, the only real chiles my family ever ate came from the hot peppers soaked in vinegar that we used to spice our turnip greens. When I moved from Georgia to the Arabian Gulf in 1975, however, my life changed forever. Faced with the heady local Arab food, heavily influenced by the cuisines of southern India, redolent with exotic spices, laced with chiles, it was sink or swim for me. I swam. And have never looked back. I’ve been treading water in the world of chiles ever since then.

My love of chiles may have been firmly established while living in the Arab world, but until I moved to Mexico over twenty-one years ago, I never really understood them in any real sense other than the heat they provided for a dish. Who hasn’t encountered a menu whose offerings are rated in terms of “heat” with chile icons given as warnings? Who hasn’t pondered whether a three-chile Panang Curry, or a four-chile Santa Fe Bowl of Red, or even a one-chile Pork Vindaloo would contain enough capsaicin [the alkaloid in chiles responsible for the “heat”] to push you over the acceptable level intended for human consumption? Yet here in Mexico, while the chiles can certainly be rated on a heat scale, it is the actual flavor of the chile that determines its use in a dish. Understanding those flavors gives a richer appreciation of the complex, vital, ever-fascinating Mexican cuisine.

Mexico is the only country in the world that really uses chiles for flavor, not just for the heat they produce in a dish. Different chiles indeed have different flavors and Mexicans seem to understand this at some visceral level the rest of us can only grasp with concentrated effort. Did you know that ancho chiles taste like dates? Pasilla chiles have hints of chocolate. Hababeros are so herbaceous and flowery that you wonder if citrus blossoms have been added to your food. Serrano chiles hit you like a brash teenager who is loud and in your face. Chipotles smolder quietly and seduce you like an exotic older woman, calling to you siren-like with her depth and complexity. Some chiles singe the front of the mouth, others scream at the back. Some are like innocent young love, scorching you quickly, then fading away to gently haunt your palate as a reminder that they were ever even there. Some surprise you like a lively flirtation, tickling your fancy, making you smile, drawing you back for more. Still others are

reminiscent of a deep and abiding love, the memory of the shared delight never really leaving your consciousness. Yes, it’s true: chiles are addictive. You will come back for more—and more, hotter and hotter.

The world of chiles is vast, their history long. In Mexico they permeate every socioeconomic level. They exist in literature, music, art, medicine, folklore, and of course, in albures, those playful doble-sentidos that lace idiomatic Spanish and are so loved by the Mexican people. Chile glyphs can even be seen carved into the stones of ancient Mexican pyramids. Books have been written about chiles. Songs sung. Festivals given. And If you live here and don’t make the effort to understand the role of chiles, not just in their use in the cuisine, but in the psyche of the people, the heart of the culture, then you surely miss the opportunity to peel of one more layer in that proverbial onion that comprises cultural understanding.

A lively look at chiles

Lecture
Popular Mexican chiles
Victoria Challancin
Fri, Jan 30, 10am
El Charco del Ingenio
100 pesos, members 70 pesos

Victoria Challancin, owner of Flavors of the Sun International Cooking School of San Miguel, will be the special guest lecturer at the botanical garden, El Charco del Ingenio. Her talk is about how to identify and use popular Mexican chiles. As she explains the differences among the flavors and degrees of heat of various chiles, Challancin weaves their history into an entertaining discussion of their roles in art, medicine and culture. Challancin’s lifetime affair with history, culture, travel and food has provided her with a broad base of knowledge that naturally spills over into her classes and her talks. In addition to providing solid practical information and recipes, she sprinkles her lively lectures with food anthropology, ethnobotany, a bit of phytochemistry and Mexican herbal lore. Her love of plants includes not only their use in the kitchen, but also their vital role in healing. Her cooking classes have been featured on TV and in magazines and newspapers. Challancin’s food blog is available at www.flavorsofthesun.blogspot.com. Reservations for this presentation can be made by writing Naomi Zerriffi at nzerriffi@yahoo.com.

In this issue, we’ll plug you into two of the small, artisanal producers of the good juice from Mexico Lindo. Both have their operations in the Ensenada area in the Baja Norte.

Roganto Winery

Roganto Winery (officially, “Vides Y Vinos Californianos”) is located in downtown Ensenada in a most unlikely place. As a matter of fact, we got lost trying to find them. After driving up and down a busy main drag, we finally found them in a small building behind a water well services business. Seems the winery is located behind the water pumps. Go figure. (Owners are the same….vineyards are out in the country south of Ensenada). “Roganto” takes its name from the first few letters of the first names of the partners, Rogelio Sanchez and Antonio Luis Escalante.

The very affable Antonio gives us a private tour (the winery is not open to the public) of a very modern, but modest-sized winemaking operation.

The first vintage in 1987 (Antonio says “it was like a wine you might make in your garage”), of about 200 cases, they just gave away to friends. The response was so positive “Tony” and his partner decided to go commercial with the 2001 vintage, buying all of their production from various growers in the area. Since then, they have owned their vineyards.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo are the stars here. Deep, dark, packed with fat, intense, high-extract flavors of blackberries, plums, walnuts, sweet oak and spices, these beauties add new meaning to the word “Wow!” Roganto bottles these reds separately and as blends.

They added vino blancos to the product line in recent years. We tasted an absolutely delicious pair, a Sauvignon Blanc, bursting with honeysuckle aromas, flavors of melon and sweet spices, and a steely crisp, citrusy, non-oaked Montrachet-style Chardonnay that had a finish from here to Christmas.

Roganto Winery has it going! Its Tempranillo was voted the second best in the country in a recent tasting held by top Mexican wine gurus.

Pau Pijoan Winery

Pau Pijoan Winery was a bit of a challenge to find. Not visible from the main road, no sign to mark the turn-off on a dirt road leading to the winery.

But hey, that’s why cell phones were invented! Following instructions to “take the first left dirt road past the horse farm,” and “turn at the next dirt road,” we finally found Pau and his winery.

Pau Pijoan Aguade, a retired research veterinarian whose family roots go back to the Barcelona area in Spain, produces 12 varietals which go into making five different wines, all with a Spanish flair. We tasted the four named after his wife and three daughters.

I noticed no vineyards in the area, and wondered about that until Pau informed me that all of his grapes are outsourced. He keeps his operation small at 1,600 cases per year, almost all sold in the Mexico City area.

Mare (named after his wife) is a robust Zinfandel blend of two-thirds Zin, one-fourth Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot. Rich, flavorful and intense with great mouthfeel and a long finish, she was a big glass of wine. Maybe she’s a big girl!

Silvana is a tasty blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Muscatel and offered pretty floral notes on a framework of crisp, clean flavors. A “patio wine,” made for easy sippin’ as an aperitif or with light foods.

Paulinha is a Beaujolais Noveau style blend of Zin, Petite Sirah and Merlot, and comes across that way. Light, fruity, with candy flavors, I found it to be a little bubble-gummy and innocuous. I’m sure Paula, the wine’s namesake, isn’t that way.

Dominica also must be a big girl because she got us back on track with a full-figured blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. An interesting nose of perfume led onto a dark fruit bomb in the mouth, followed by a long finish. Dominica spends 13 months in oak and tips the scales at 15.5 percent alcohol. She was clearly the star of the show.

It shows you what is happening right here in Mexico Lindo.

Dick Avery is Head Sipper at VinoClubSMA, a wine club devoted to the enjoyment of “boutique” vino Mexicano through tastings. He can be reached at vinoclubsma@gmail.com. Check out the website at www.VinoClubSMA.com.

House & Garden Tour
By Jennifer Hamilton

San Miguel atop the fireplace, a mini-museum of masks and artefacts

House & Garden Tour
Sun, Jan 25, tour departs at noon
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
US$15 or 150 pesos
Breakfast at Café Santa Ana starts at 9am

1. Located a mere 10 minutes out of town, Loma Bonita is still a work in progress. Built in 2006, this elegantly appointed house has wide open spaces and sophisticated accoutrements. The entrance through the wide front door is dominated by a beautiful wood sculpture of San Miguel atop the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, which is open on all four sides to heat the entire open space consisting of a living room, dining area and the modern kitchen. Mantelpieces are topped with antique clocks, stunning artwork, vases and other exquisite objets d’art. Deep leather sofas and chairs in the living room are backed by a heavily framed, antique mirror and tables filled with glorious rare art pieces. Off the sala is a large bedroom with an impressively carved four-poster bed, flat-screen television and more statuary and artwork, plus an amply sized walk-in closet and capacious bathroom containing a rounded European shower with water jets from top to bottom and oversized Jacuzzi bathtub. A remarkable portrait graces one wall of the library, whose angled bookcases hold books, DVDs and CDs under the intricately carved iron staircase. Upstairs, the office also contains an antique-glassed mirror and sofa bed, more antiques, art objects and large carved lamps. The bedroom has another softly rounded wood bed with an exquisitely carved ancient chest at its foot, and a seating area with yet more sofas and chairs and a striking screen in the corner. Recessed lighting throughout this home offers a soft, warm glow at night. The sizeable garden, with its large pool and trickling stone fountain, will in future have a gazebo and seating areas around the pool for friends and family to enjoy during the summer months. All rooms contain high French doors swathed with draperies which lead to the outside garden and a patio upstairs. Collectors and lovers of fine art and statuary are sure to be bowled over by the beauty of this exquisite home.

2. Construction of this five-suite bed & breakfast and art gallery was started in May of 1998, and completed in October of the following year. It was envisioned as a true colonial home with all the rooms spilling onto a large center courtyard and fountain. Designed to take full advantage of San Miguel’s mild climate, this home has many outdoor living spaces and some of the most spectacular views of the town below. This home and gallery offer a unique look at Mexican craft and culture, because the owners collect traditional Mexican masks and also represent a group of Mexican artisans and artists. The tunneled entrance alone is worth the visit! In 2006, they added an extra wing to house an outstanding collection of masks and artifacts, a mini-museum which can be visited by appointment.