Mexican Chocolate

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Stacie Wheeler for this one:

The woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove seemed
way too qualified for the job.

"Look Miss," said the foreman, "have you any actual experience
in picking lemons?"

"Well, as a matter if fact, yes!" she replied. "I've been divorced
three times."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I omitted a step in yesterday's recipe, so let's try it again.

Chocolate Jasmine Ice Cream

3 1/2 cups (875 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) loose jasmine tea leaves
6 egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar
7 oz (200 g) good quality milk chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the milk, cream, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt in a
saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Add the tea,
reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat
and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh
strainer, pressing the tea leaves to extract as much liquid as
possible. Beat the egg yolks and brown sugar until thick and
fluffy. Pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture gradually while
beating. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer over very low heat,
stirring frequently, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Add the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for 1 minute before
stirring to thoroughly melt and combine the chocolate. Strain
through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate, stirring occasionally,
until the mixture is cool. Pour into the bowl of an ice cream maker
and process according to the manufacturer's instructions until
frozen. Transfer to a metal or plastic container and place in the
freezer for at least 2 hours before serving. Makes about 1 1/2
quarts (1.5 L).

This is probably as close as we want to get to the way the Aztecs
drank their chocolate unless you want to forego the honey in favor
of a truly bitter beverage. Use Mexican chocolate (which is already
sweetened and flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and ground almonds)
if you can get it and eliminate the other ingredients. Otherwise, any
unsweetened chocolate will work.

Mexican Chocolate

1 cup (250 ml) cold water
1 oz (28 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 Tbs (15 ml) honey, or to taste
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract, or to taste

Combine the ingredients in an electric blender and process until
the chocolate is dissolved and the mixture is frothy. Serves 1.
Received on Wed May 10 08:20:00 2006