Everything you always wanted to know about chocolate
IAN STALKER
Cabo Adventures is happy to give tourists the lowdown on chocolate in the very country in which it originated.
Juan Emilio Rodriguez, who’s given the title of ambassador at the Los Cabos-area company, reports chocolate has a long history in his homeland, with seeds from cacao — the source of chocolate — once used as coins by the Aztecs, and who used chocolate to create a “super bitter drink” consumed during religious ceremonies.
And those visiting Cabo Adventures’ Tierra Sagrada Ranch can learn how others outside Mexico over the centuries have refined the process of making chocolate, adding the likes of sugar to create the sweet confection that today is popular the world over.
“People like sweet chocolate. They don’t like it if it’s not sweet,” says Cabo Adventures’ Greta Munguía Cardenas, who gives classes on the making of chocolate and its history at Tierra Sagrada.
The outdoor chocolate classes are held in a shaded area at the ranch, providing attendees with a wealth of insights on chocolate and an opportunity to experience some twists on it as well.
Munguía Cardenas says people are generally unaware of how chocolate is made, making her classes insightful.
Chocolate is often seen as something health-conscious sorts should avoid but Munguía Cardenas says it actually has healthy qualities, being useful in treating a number of ailments, including high blood pressure.
Many also view it as an aphrodisiac.
Munguía Cardenas passes around pieces of flavoured chocolate for guests to sample, including chocolate that has a noticeable chili taste, a particularly Mexican touch.
Meanwhile, Rodríguez says that those who take a Tierra Sagrada chocolate class will be better able to make a selection the next time they are mulling over possible purchases in the likes of a Laura Secord shop.
“Awareness may occur when choosing what chocolate to look for,” he states.
More information can be found at cabo-adventures.com.
