SC - Chocolate

[DianaFiona at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/31/00 1:10:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
mermayde at juno.com writes:

<<  Hm, yes, this is the same source I've seen before.  And no, I never have
 tasted logwood, or Campeche tree either, for that matter.  What do they
 taste like?  Any idea of the medicinal value of them?>>

    Not a clue! ;-) However, I *suspect* that they might be added, at least 
in part, to color the mix, since the main use I know of for logwood is as a 
dye........... I'm also not sure, from the wording, if the two aren't 
different names for the same tree. Anyone seen, and able to read, the 
original Spanish version of this?

>> And what, pray
 tell, is an Agiote?  (Not the Chaote we were talking about a couple of
 weeks ago?)>>>

    No, my guess would be that it is the red seeds now called "Annatto" 
(sp?), since they come from South America, and are still in common use as a 
food dye. The treatise *does* say to add "as much as will give it color", 
which sounds more like it is just used for the appearance it gives.........

>>>> I would love to try the sweet-meats, am I reading it right that it would
 be spiced in the same way, but sweetened with sugar and molded?  
    Christianna
  >>
    I'm not quite sure on that point. I think it could be read either as just 
a sugar and chocolate mixture, or as one with any or all of the spices. I 
want to try it, too--but it would be fun to be able to start from scratch on 
it! Any chance your store has access to cocoa pods, whole? I know I've 
spotted them for sale somewhere before, but can't quite recall 
where...........

                Diana