The Gold of Gods: Cocoa!
They say it was used as currency. They say it was ground and then hand-beaten, foaming up to glory and consumed eagerly. They say it captivated Spanish women, who craved the dark chocolate, in the words of the Jesuit scientist José de Acosta. Legends and truths, myths, glories, and the vicissitudes of cacao still captivate us as much as its flavor does.
Rich in antioxidants, magnesium, comforting due to its caffeine content, and even more so in the highly beneficial amino acids tryptophan and serotonin, Theobroma cocoa, known as cacahuatl for the most experienced consumers, stimulates, comforts, invigorates, encourages, and spurs during low moments, illuminates and elevates during high ones. I couldn’t go without my small daily dose of cocoa beans. If they recommend chocolate to be as pure as possible, why resort to the bar? I go straight to the source, to which I am a true addict. I know when the roasting has gone too far, I can distinguish an over-roasted bean from one at the exact and perfect point, I know how to delicately remove the annoying skin without breaking the bean, and finally, I relish the crunch and the final burst of the bean, in that magical hour that is an authentic ritual and that I eagerly await every day.
Cocoa was the first American food that was accepted and celebrated in Europe. Neither Andean potatoes, nor corn, nor tomatoes, not even the familiar peppers. Comforting cocoa, consumed as a beverage and then in the form of flavored tablets. We still yearn for dark chocolate in any of its forms. Who can resist its flavor and invigorating effects? Try it, try it after reading the daily news, hearing the radio report, or watching the news. Most likely, troubles have the same consequences, but they are endured with more sweetness, so here’s to cacao, for challenging times ahead!
