Zabaglione - was, Re: SC - Book Review WAS Verjus

[CBlackwill@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/29/00 2:06:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
mermayde at juno.com writes:

<< >     Off topic--Christianna, would you like the redaction of that 
 > slightly-post-period-Spanish-chocolate-drink that I came up with for 
 > Aedan's 
 > feast, or have you already done your own long ago? (G)
 >             Diana
 
 How far off-topic can chocolate ever be?  Don't be a spoon tease, woman!
 Yes, please, send it along.
 Christianna >>

    Off-topic of the subject we *were* on, silly! OK, then, here 'tis.......
    This came from the webpage at: 
http://www.inmet.com/~justin/chocolate.txt, which is an excerpt from an 
English translation of a Spanish treatise on chocolate. The translation is 
from 1652, and the original was written in 1631, so both are out of period, 
but the original, at least, is fairly close. 
    I was concocting this to the preferences of our feastcrat, and might have 
done it a little differently for myself--he vetoed any hot peppers, for 
instance, which I would have enjoyed. I also left out any nuts since I knew 
of at least one chocolate loving lady there who is sensitive to them, and 
wimped out on the anise, since neither I nor most of the Shire folk whose 
preferences I know are fond of it. The more exotic stuff I didn't think I 
could get quickly, nor thought it would add much to the flavor--any of you 
dyers actually *tasted* logwood? So, it ended up being a pretty basic spiced 
hot chocolate, but it was certainly tasty enough, to judge by the comments 
received....... ;-) We served it cold at the feast and the leftovers hot the 
next morning. I do intend to try a few batches soon with at least some of the 
other ingredients, just for my own satisfaction..........
    Here's a couple of paragraphs of the treatise:

"The Receipt of him who wrote at Marchena, is this: Of
Cacaos, 700, of white Sugar, one pound and a halfe, Cinnamon,
2. ounces; of long red pepper, 14, of Cloves, halfe an ounce: Three
Cods of the Logwood or Campeche tree; or in steade of that, the weight
of 2 Reals, or a shilling of Anniseeds; as much of Agiote, as
will give it the colour, which is about the quantity of a
Hasellnut. Some put in Almons, kernells of Nuts, and
Orenge-flower-water.

Concerning this Receipt I shall first say, This shooe will not fit
every foote; but for those, who have diseases, or are inclining to
be infirme, you may either adde, or take away, according to the necessity,
and temperature of every one: and I hold it not amisse, that Sugar
be put into it, when it is drunke, so that it be according to the
quantity I shall hereafter set downe. And sometimes they make
Tablets of the Sugar, and the Chocolate together: which they doe
onely to please the Pallats, as the Dames of Mexico do use it; and
they are there sold in shops, and are confected and eaten like other
sweet-meats."

    I didn't try to go with the proportions listed in the first paragraph, 
not having ready access to cocoa pods to figure out how they might be 
equivalent to the unsweetened chocolate we would be using. There are other 
proportions given in other parts of the treatise, too, so obviously it was 
somewhat a matter of taste. What I finally came up with was:

    1 oz unsweetened chocolate
    2 Tblsp sugar
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1/8 tsp (Pinch) cloves
    1 cup water or milk (Milk is one alternative listed later on, though 
possibly by the translator.)
    Mix the sugar and spices in a saucepan, add milk or water. Heat, then add 
chocolate and stir until dissolved. I found I needed to use a blender to get 
this thoroughly incorporated, which also did a decent job of frothing the 
liquid as instructed in other parts of the original manuscript. One of the 
proper Mexican tools (a molino?) for that job should also work, I just don't 
have one. Serve hot or cold--room temperature is more accurate than cold, but 
I don't like it that way myself.........I found I liked the water version 
best hot, while the milk version was good either way. Plus, I could increase 
the amount of milk to chocolate a bit and still have a good drink. The water 
seemed to need the larger amount of chocolate to still be tasty.

    Well, there's the basic proportions I came up with--feel free to play 
around with it as you please, of course! Just make sure to offer me a taste 
if you should happen to bring any to an event I'm at............ ;-) 

            Ldy Diana