Can you imagine that most of the world never heard of chocolate until the Renaissance in Europe? That’s when the conquistadors brought it back to Spain, having acquired it from the Aztecs. Cortés was among the first Westerners to observe its properties. His official biographer wrote that Montezuma drank a cup of it after every meal, followed by a smoke of tobacco flavored with ‘liquid amber.’ Others reported that Montezuma drank up to 50 cups of it a day. Did the Aztecs know what science has now confirmed — that dark chocolate is good for both heart and mind? If it makes you feel good, that may be because it contains the same chemical that is produced by the brain when you fall in love…
Pots de crème au chocolat / French chocolate cream
This recipe produces a satiny smooth dark chocolate dessert flavored with hints of cognac and coffee. It can be made in about 10 minutes, and served a couple hours later once it has had time to chill. Devilishly rich, it can be elegantly served in dessert wine glasses to make what the French call a péché mignon — a darling little sin that is excusable because one can’t help oneself from indulging in it. At this time of year, when the sun has been inexcusably absent for months, one would be sinful not to indulge in it. Happy cooking!
