Re(2): SC - Caffeine in period

[MS MARTHA L WALLENHORST]

 >If someone else hasn't said it already (I have been gone for a 
week
> >for my sons graduation) I will, hot Chocolate is period in Europe.

> >It is late period but there is mention of it in Spain and the
> >Netherlands.
> 
> It depends what you mean by "hot chocolate." Certainly there was a 
drink
> made out of cocoa beans being drunk in Spain in the sixteenth 
century. But
> the descriptions I have seen suggest that no modern person who 
tasted it
> would describe it as hot chocolate, and no sixteenth century 
Spaniard would
> have ever drunk anything that tasted very much like what we call 
hot
> chocolate.

I had a friend of mine in Meridies translate the Myan and Spanish 
recipe found in the diary of a Spanish monk who was with the Spanish 
contingent in Mexico in the mid 1550's.  The recipe is very tastey 
both in cake style and in hot form.  The pepper they used was a for 
runner of the jalipino and you use only a pinch for a cup.  I will be 
happy to post it if you want to see it.  I had it last year at the 
Pennsic A&S.  The article in the diary talkes about it being served 
for the Bishop of Toledo (I think) when he visited the monistary that 
the priest was from.  

There are also tax records for the City of Utrecht in the Netherlands 
that shows Spanish cocolate for consumption being taxed as a beverage.


Annejke