WWFB: When in Santa Fe Edition
The scene: Santa Fe, New Mexico. Early November.
We weren’t specifically looking for breakfast chocolate, but when we drove past Kakawa Chocolate House and noticed signs of life inside, I immediately turned the car around to investigate. When the universe speaks, you gotta listen.
Traditional mesoamerican chocolate elixirs? I had never heard of such a thing, but the lovely staff at Kakawa were happy to share their knowledge along with their tasty, tasty chocolate.
From their website:
Over a thousand years ago, the pre-Colombian cultures (the Olmecs, Toltecs, and later the Mayans & Aztecs) discovered that by grinding together cacao beans with spices, chilis, and herbs they could create a paste or wafer that, when dissolved in water, created a potent and powerful drink. For this reason, chocolate was typically consumed as a drink, rather than eaten. Over time, the chocolate elixir came to be seen as a sacred and powerful beverage, and was taken only by the elite.
Kakawa’s Mesoamerican chocolate drinks are based upon archeological research as well as the written accounts of Spanish conquistadors and colonists. Generally, they are only lightly sweetened, and most of them include spicy chili and a dense mixture of spices and herbs. We also offer two unsweetened options. The pure cacao Zapoteca and the complex and intense Aztec Warrior.
These drinks are intensely dark, powerful, and complex and are unlike any chocolate most people have ever encountered. Truly for the adventurous palate!
VERDICT: 10/10 Chocolate for breakfast? Did you even need to ask? Would have bought one of everything in the shop but didn’t have enough room in my carry-on.