Chocolate & Chilis

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Chocolate and chilies: The world's favorite native foods

It has been said that 75% of the worlds food originated from North and South America. Tomatoes, potatoes, corn, squash and beans. All native foods. Of them all, my favorites and probably yours, are chocolate and chilies.

Part history and culture, part environmental and entirely delicious. Join me we enter the dark and decadent world of chocolate and chilies.

Contents at a Glance

Images from the south
Chocolate and Chilies: Learning to appreciate native foods in today's world
More about the agricultural history of America

Art, History & Chocolate
More South of The Border Tastes & Contests
Spicy, Chocolate, Warmth. Perfect Winter Warmth.

more...

Images from the south

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Chocolate and Chilies: Learning to appreciate native foods in today's world

In ancient Native American, Mayan and Aztecan cultures many of the foods that we eat today were considered sacred and offered as offerings to guardian spirits. Even today, many of these foods are used in important ceremonies in the Americas.

The Corn Mother, "Selu" in Cherokee, is still a primary figure in Native American culture along with her sisters; Corn, Beans and Squash. Stories of Three Sisters are interlaced with origin stories, native art, environmental knowledge and ceremonial traditions.

Corn pollen is used by traditional peoples of the Southwest in morning offerings and prayers that keep the sacred relationships to their environment.

Chocolate in particular was associated with fertility. In it's natural form the cacao is a large bud of tiny seeds pods which then, after a long process, becomes the chocolate we are more familiar with.

In ancient Aztec and Mayan traditions candles and altar pieces were made using chocolate and chilis molded and sculpted into beautiful displays of ritual art.

Although I do not know for certain, it seems likely to me that the hot Mexican chocolate that we enjoy today is probably a modified version of the ritual drink that ancient Aztecs drank in blessing rituals at one time.

The sacred history of native foods such as chocolate,chilies, corn and tobacco encourages us to look deeper into the dynamic relationships that indigenous peoples have with their environment.

This includes valuing the caretaking traditions that place key importance on sustainability. Reviving traditions like seed saving, indigenous farming and harvesting methods.

Through learning more about the cultural food traditions of these foods, I hope that we will bring these values back to our family tables. Reintroducing these sacred relationships that encouraged responsible caretaking practices.

More about the agricultural history of America

Chilies to Chocolate: Food the Americas Gave the World

Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 12/23/2009)

If the ecology movement is about saving the planet, then these are food ecologists, committed to saving the planet's agricultural capacity.

-Los Angeles Times

The stories of these plant foods 'read like biological and historical whodunits,' say the editors and they are right. This is a most readable book. Botanists, biologists, food historians, and anyone who cooks and eats will enjoy it.

-Academic Library Book Review

Art, History & Chocolate

THE ART OF CACAO

This is a teaser of a documentary that is going to be exhibited in november for the presentation of the last publication of JM editorial "Cacao Xocolatl" enjoy and wait for the feature

Runtime: 380
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Gary Nabhan: Food Advocate, Writer and Conservationist

Some people "Save The Whales" or "Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus" or other valid and imporant causes. For Gary Nabhan, it's all about seeds. Mostly saving native and heirloom seeds, and everything related to their life cycle, of plant foods...

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Spicy, Chocolate, Warmth. Perfect Winter Warmth.

Below is a mix of recipes that are perfect to mix up those bland winter meals.

Capsicum, the active agent is chilies is often graded by BTUs or British Thermal Units. BTUs are the same measurement that is used to measure the strength of heat generated by heaters and furnaces. So if you're cold this winter, save the wood and electricity, boost your metabolism and eat a bowl of chili.

Chilis are also contain high volumes of Vitamin C. Much needed in cold areas where oranges don't grow in winter. In the southwest, chili ristas hang in kitchens ready to add to soups and sauces.

Each recipe below includes as it's primary flavor a mix of chocolate and chili that has been a part of Southwest food for hundreds of years.

Together, these contrasting flavors are an sensual experience that forces us to slow down and appreciate it's rich and diverse flavor and texture.

Chocolate & Chilis

Chocolate and chilies: The world's favorite native foods

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

Images from the south

Chocolate and Chilies: Learning to appreciate native foods in today's world

More about the agricultural history of America

Art, History & Chocolate

THE ART OF CACAO

More South of The Border Tastes & Contests

Spicy, Chocolate, Warmth. Perfect Winter Warmth.

Grab a big bowl of chili

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A bounty of chilis

Appetizers and Moles

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Desserts & Mexican Hot Chocolate

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Spicy warmth from Amazon

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