GUATEMALA’S SWEET LIFE

BY DEBRA SMITH

SAMPLING CHOCOLATE FIT FOR A QUEEN

ANCIENT MAYAN ROYALTY, A MONARCH, AND A MODERN TRAVELER CONNECT THROUGH A LOVE OF CHOCOLATE

The rumbling roar of a howler monkey reverberates through the tall green canopy of the Guatemalan forest as I stand on the balcony of the Temple of the Masks of Tikal in Guatemala. The temple was built by ruler Jasaw Chan K’awiil I, also known as Lord Chocolate, in honor of his wife, Lady Kalajuun Une’ Mo’. From this vantage point, 98 feet above the Great Plaza of this UNESCO World Heritage site, she would have had a magnificent view as she sipped her hot chocolate.

At Tikal, I learned that cocoa played an essential role in Mayan religion and life. Hot chocolate was integral to religious ceremonies performed by the royal family. Lady Chocolate may well have sipped it during rituals on her temple balcony. Back then, cocoa beans were also used as currency, making ancient Mayans the original bean counters. The precious seeds were traded for jade, decorative feathers, and maize across Central America.

VIEW OF TIKAL

Lady Kalajuun Une’ Mo’ would still recognize the chocolate I tasted at Ajaw Chocolate and Crafts in San Ignacio. The owner, Elida Choco, teaches the art of chocolate-making using a family heirloom, a triangular volcanic grinding stone from Guatemala. Ajaw means “elite” in the Mayan language. That’s fitting, since cocoa was forbidden to all but the highest-ranking members of ancient Mayan society. Hernan Cortes introduced cocoa beans to Spain in 1528 and chocolate eventually reached England through European courts.

PREPARING CACAO ON A STONE GRINDER FOR A CHOCOLATE DRINK

As she grinds the cocoa beans into a paste, Elida tells me how the plump beans in their sweet white coating are fermented for several weeks, then spread on screens to dry, and roasted. The natural fat of the dried beans slowly turns to liquid on the stone, as she rhythmically pushes and pulls. Then she adds hot water, a pinch of chili, and a spoonful of honey to a dollop of the velvety cocoa syrup, preparing the beverage in the authentic Mayan way. One sip and I’m transported back to an ancient jungle world.

Later that night, back at my hotel, dessert is the most incredibly delicious disk of chocolate mousse, covered in a dark chocolate ganache. I wish that Lady Kalajuun Une’ Mo’ was here to share this gift from the Mayan past.