Mexican chocolate de mesa: history, types and preparation

What is it?

Mexican chocolate de mesa is an artisanal tablet made with toasted and ground cacao, sugar and ground cinnamon, pressed into round discs or hexagonal tablets. It is mainly used dissolved in hot water or milk to prepare the traditional Mexican drink, also the base of moles, atoles and desserts. It is distinguished from European chocolate by its characteristic grainy texture, its intense aromatic profile of toasted cacao and the obligatory presence of cinnamon. Although it has been produced industrially since the 20th century by renowned brands such as Abuelita, Ibarra and Mayordomo, it preserves a strong artisanal tradition in Oaxaca, Tabasco and Chiapas, the main cacao-producing states in Mexico. It is one of the most recognised identity products of Mexican cuisine and forms part of the country's ancestral gastronomic heritage.

Origin and history

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is native to the Amazon basin, but was first domesticated in Mesoamerica more than four thousand years ago. Olmecs, Maya, Mexica and Mixtec consumed it as a ceremonial drink called xocolatl, mixed with water, chilli, maguey honey and flowers. Sahagún, in the 16th-century Florentine Codex, describes the preparation of pre-Hispanic chocolate. After the Conquest, the Spanish took cacao to Europe where it was transformed into sweet chocolate with sugar and milk; in Mexico the tablet format with cinnamon remained as a syncretic expression. Cinnamon, introduced by the Spanish from Asia via the Manila Galleon, was rapidly integrated into Mexican chocolate during the 17th century. Larousse Cocina identifies Mexican chocolate de mesa as one of the country's emblematic products. Oaxaca preserves the most living tradition of artisanal metate chocolate, while Tabasco and Chiapas are the main producers of cacao beans. Modern industrialisation began in 1939 with the founding of Nestlé Abuelita in Cuernavaca.

Characteristic ingredients

Cacao is the essential ingredient: the criollo and trinitario varieties of Tabasco and Chiapas are the most prized, slowly toasted on the comal until they release aromas, husked and ground on a hot metate. Refined or brown sugar provides sweetness; the usual proportion is 50-60 per cent cacao and 40-50 per cent sugar. Ground cinnamon (between 2 and 5 per cent of the total) is an obligatory ingredient that defines the Mexican character. Some premium tablets incorporate vanilla, almonds, hazelnuts or chilli powder. The characteristic grainy texture comes from the artisanal grinding on the metate, which does not over-temper the cacao like European industrial machines. The best-known brands are: Abuelita (Nestlé México), Ibarra (Chocolatera de Jalisco), Mayordomo (Oaxaca), Don Pepe (Tabasco) and La Soledad (Oaxaca). Oaxacan metate chocolate, made in front of the customer in the markets of Tlacolula and Oaxaca centre, allows personalisation of the mixture. To prepare the drink, one tablet is dissolved in half a litre of hot milk or water and whisked with a molinillo until frothy.

Cultural significance

Chocolate de mesa is one of Mexico's most identity-defining culinary products, a symbol of pre-Hispanic heritage recovered and re-signified during the colonial era. Traditional Mexican cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010, recognises cacao and chocolate as a fundamental part of its gastronomic identity. The tablets are consumed throughout the year but reach maximum visibility at December festivities, posadas and Day of the Dead celebrations, when champurrados and atoles are prepared. In Oaxaca, the metate chocolate shops are a major tourist attraction: visiting Mayordomo, La Soledad or Guelaguetza in the historic centre is an obligatory ritual for any traveller. The Mexican cacao industry, concentrated in Tabasco (70 per cent of national production) and Chiapas (30 per cent), supports more than forty thousand producers according to Sader data. Although Mexico produces barely one per cent of the world's cacao, its per-capita consumption and the cultural value of chocolate de mesa are enormous. Cooperatives of Oaxacan women have won international recognition with premium chocolates.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chocolate de mesa and European chocolate?

Mexican chocolate de mesa obligatorily carries ground cinnamon, has a grainy texture from metate grinding and is designed to dissolve in a hot drink. European chocolate (Swiss, Belgian, French) tends to be smooth from mechanical conching, does not carry cinnamon and is eaten solid. The Mexican one has a more rustic and aromatic profile; the European one, more uniform and sweet.

Where does cacao originate from?

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is native to the Amazon basin, but was first domesticated in Mesoamerica more than four thousand years ago. Olmecs, Maya and Mexica consumed it as a sacred drink called xocolatl. Today it is cultivated in tropical climates throughout the world, with Ivory Coast as the leading producer worldwide. Mexico produces 1 per cent of world cacao, mainly in Tabasco and Chiapas.

Which chocolate de mesa brands are the best known?

The best-known industrial brands are Chocolate Abuelita (Nestlé México, founded in 1939), Chocolate Ibarra (Chocolatera de Jalisco), Mayordomo (Oaxaca) and Don Pepe (Tabasco). The most outstanding artisanal metate ones are concentrated in Oaxaca: La Soledad, Guelaguetza and many small chocolate shops at traditional markets. Each brand has a distinctive proportion of cacao, sugar and cinnamon.

How is the traditional drink prepared?

One tablet (around 80-100 grams) is dissolved in half a litre of hot milk or water over a low heat, stirring constantly. Once dissolved it is vigorously whisked with a wooden molinillo by rolling it between the palms to create the characteristic foam inherited from pre-Hispanic chocolate. It is served very hot in a clay jug, accompanied with sweet bread, tamales or Mexican biscuits.