Chocolate

One of my favorite english words happens to translate quite nicely into Spanish, especially Guatemalan spanish. On the coast, where rains are steader, temperatures are higher, and the soil is outstanding, Guatemalans grow cacao trees (among many other things). I´m sure much of this is shipped abroad to Hershey, Mars, and lord knows who else. But a few of the cacao pods get shipped to Victoria (after a week, I finally remembered!), who roasts the seeds and makes chococolate in here house here in Xela.

Standing up close to chocolate being ground, mixed with sugar, and pressed -- all in a room the size of a generous walk in closet -- puts the smells of Hershey to shame! Eating chocolate right out of a press is ane experience I very much want to relive. Even better: Almost all the chocolate you can buy down here is for mixing into hot water and drinking. I wish I´d brought a bigger backpack... Swiss Miss just isn´t going to be the same!

Victoria grinding cacao

Some pods and some finished products -- the