Page:Cacao by Dahlgren, B. E. (Bror Eric).djvu/12

4 have been estimated. His yearly quantum of cacao seems to have been about a thousand porters' loads, equivalent to perhaps 100,000 pounds, with chocolate cups to the number of 1600.

As to the ancient manner of preparation of the favorite beverage, Prescott states, "They had a way of preparing the froth of it, so as to make it almost solid enough to be eaten." And again in a footnote where he quotes "Anonymous Conqueror": The froth delicately flavored with spices and some other ingredients was taken cold by itself. It had the consistency almost of a solid," and the writer is very careful to inculcate the importance of "opening the mouth wide, in order to facilitate deglutition, that the foam may dissolve gradually, and descend imperceptibly, as it were, into the stomach.

The Franciscan monk Ximenes, who published an abstract of Hernandez' manuscript on Mexican natural products before the appearance of that work, is authority for the following account : "She who sells prepared cacao grinds it first in this way, breaks or pounds the kernels; the second time grinds it more; the third or last time grinds it still finer, mixing it with grains of corn, cooked and washed, and this being done adds a little water in a jar. If a small quantity is added it makes a rich cacao, if too much no foam results and in order to produce the very best it is made and preserved as follows: namely it is strained, and after straining it is lifted in order to drain, foam is formed and is set aside and the remainder sometimes becomes very thick, and water is added after grinding. The one who knows how to make it well, sells it good and fine, that only the Senores drink it; it is soft, foamy brown red and pure, without much paste. Sometimes