Cacao: the Mesoamerican food of the gods

What is it?

Cacao is the fruit of the tree Theobroma cacao, a tropical plant domesticated in Mesoamerica more than 3,800 years ago. Its generic name comes from the Greek theos broma, food of the gods, given by Linnaeus in 1753. In Mexico it is grown in warm and humid regions of Tabasco (the main producer), Chiapas (Soconusco), Oaxaca and Guerrero, where unique criollo varieties such as the traditional criollo, the rosita de cacao and the lagarto are maintained. It is the main ingredient of chocolate, of Oaxacan moles, of champurrado, atole de cacao, Chiapan pozol, Oaxacan tejate and thousands of traditional drinks and stews. Its history as currency, ritual offering and ceremonial beverage among the Olmecs, Maya and Mexica makes cacao one of the most symbolic products of Mesoamerican civilisation, widely recognised by UNESCO as a key element of Mexican gastronomic heritage.

Origin and history

The domestication of cacao in Mesoamerica is confirmed by recent archaeobotanical evidence. Studies by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (2007) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) date its ritual use at the Olmec sites of El Manatí and San Lorenzo (Veracruz) to 1900 BC, with traces of theobromine found in vessels. The Maya cultivated it extensively between 200 and 900 AD, reflecting it in hieroglyphs of the Dresden Codex and in paintings such as those of Calakmul, where it appears as a ritual drink. The Mexica received it as tribute from tropical lands and used it as currency: according to the Matrícula de Tributos, one cacao almond was worth an avocado, and one hundred seeds, a turkey. Hernán Cortés took cacao to Spain in 1528, where it was transformed into hot chocolate by adding sugar and cinnamon. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún describes in detail in the Florentine Codex the ritual preparations of Mesoamerican cacao: with cacao flower, achiote, vanilla, honey and chillies, without European sweeteners.

Characteristic ingredients

Theobroma cacao is a perennial tree of 4 to 8 m, with white-pink flowers that grow directly from the trunk (cauliflory) and are pollinated by midges of the genus Forcipomyia. Its fruits, called pods, measure 15-30 cm and contain between 20 and 50 seeds wrapped in sweet pulp. There are three major groups: criollo (original, aromatic, fragile), forastero (resistant, bitter, dominant in Africa) and trinitario (hybrid). Mexico preserves extraordinarily valuable criollo genetics, particularly in Cárdenas (Tabasco) and Pichucalco (Chiapas). The traditional process involves fermenting the seeds with their pulp for 5-7 days, drying in the sun, toasting, dehulling and grinding on a metate until paste is obtained. This paste is mixed with cinnamon, sugar and, optionally, almonds or vanilla to form table chocolate, used in drinks and moles. SADER reports Mexican production of around 27,000 tonnes annually, far from African productivity, but with incomparable criollo quality, rewarded in international competitions such as Cocoa of Excellence at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris.

Cultural significance

Cacao is one of the most important symbols of Mesoamerican cultural heritage: UNESCO recognises it within Traditional Mexican Cuisine inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. Tabasco celebrates the Chocolate Festival every November, and the Chiapan Soconusco honours cacao as a living culture among Mame and Zoque producers. Economically, Mexican cacao supports more than 37,000 producers in Tabasco and Chiapas, according to SIAP. The Mexican artisanal chocolate industry has been experiencing a renaissance since 2010, with brands such as Tago, Casa Cacao, Que Bo!, Wolter and Romero & Pavón producing bean-to-bar chocolates with Mexican criollo cacao. Researchers at INIFAP and the Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) preserve the germplasm of threatened native varieties such as rosita de cacao and carmelo. The FAO has included the cacao-cacaotal production system on the list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), recognising its role in the conservation of humid tropical forest and in Mesoamerican agroforestry culture.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cacao and chocolate?

Cacao is the fruit, the seed and the primary derived products (paste, nibs, powder). Chocolate is a processed product that combines cacao with sugar and other ingredients such as milk, lecithin or vanilla. Mexican table chocolate is a traditional hybrid: cacao ground on a metate with sugar and cinnamon, used mainly for drinks and mole, not as a sweet.

Which varieties of cacao are produced in Mexico?

Mexico preserves unique criollo varieties such as the traditional criollo, rosita de cacao (with floral and rose notes), criollo lagarto, carmelo and pataste (Theobroma bicolor). Tabasco concentrates criollo-trinitario production, while the Chiapan Soconusco maintains ancient cultivars. Mexican criollo quality is highly valued in international premium bean-to-bar chocolate competitions.

How is cacao used in Mexican cuisine?

It is used in drinks such as champurrado, atole de cacao, hot chocolate, Chiapan pozol, Oaxacan tejate, tascalate and chorote; in Oaxacan moles (black, chichilo, red), mole poblano and mole de Xico; in sweets such as rosita, table chocolate and truffles; and in contemporary cuisine as a garnish, sauce and flavouring for braised meats or pescados a la talla.

Where does cacao come from?

The tree is native to the Amazon basin, but its domestication took place in Mesoamerica more than 3,800 years ago, with archaeological evidence at Olmec sites in Veracruz and Tabasco. Mexico preserves unique criollo varieties in Tabasco (Cárdenas, Comalcalco) and Chiapas (Soconusco, Pichucalco), considered the genetic origin of the world's fine cacao.