This Tiny Shop In New Mexico Serves Drinking Chocolate To Die For
There’s nowhere else quite like Kakawa Chocolate House. While New Mexico has plenty of artisan chocolatiers, it’s much harder to find gourmet drinking chocolate. And I’m not talking about your grandma’s cocoa. Forget powdered mixes with mini marshmallows surfing on the surface. The drinking elixirs at Kakawa are something else entirely. If you told me that the nectar of the gods was served in one of Kakawa’s dinky blue and white teacups brimming with rich, liquid chocolate, I wouldn’t be disappointed.
As you pull open the carved, pinkish-purple door, expect to be greeted by the sight of several people’s backs. There’s usually a throng milling around the teeny counter, tasting samples of the drinking chocolate. Or just drooling.
All the flavors here are to die for. The elixirs are divided into three categories: Mesoamerican, historic European, and contemporary. The drinking chocolate recipes are derived from historic recipes that were in use between 1000 B.C. until the mid-1900s A.D.
In pre-Colombian times, drinking chocolate was reserved for ceremonial use or consumed by those with a high social standing in the community. We know this from archeological research and from written observations that Spanish conquistadors made. Concoctions like the Mayan Full Spice Elixir are complex – you’ll find yourself dissecting the flavors as if you’re at a wine tasting – and not particularly sweet.
It’s a different story with the European elixir recipes, which are sweeter and a little floral-tasting. The Marie Antoinette is based on the type of drinking chocolate consumed by members of the French court at the close of the 18th century.
Also available is a drinking chocolate recipe favored by Thomas Jefferson.
Regardless of the temperature outside, it’s always a good time to indulge in Kakawa’s drinking chocolate. But, if you disagree, the shop also offers ice cream smooth and strong enough to satisfy any chocolate aficionado.
Kakawa Chocolate House is located at 1050 E. Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe.
If you’re unlikely to make it to Santa Fe anytime soon, you can order packaged Kakawa elixirs and prepare a DIY version at home.
Anyone with a sweet tooth will also enjoy these delicious candy stores in New Mexico.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
New Mexico In Your Inbox
Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!
