Mexico and chocolate go together like salsa and chips. But if you hear “Mexican chocolate” and think of something to dip churros into, you’re only getting a part of the story. A few Mexico City chocolatiers see more potential for Mexican chocolate – they see single-origin chocolate bars, beautiful hand-formed truffles, even ambitious sculptures made of the stuff. Hector Galvan of La Casa Tropical talks with Rick about the cultural importance of chocolate in Mexico and why he is working so diligently to save ancient varieties of cacao. And pastry chef Jose Ramon Castillo – proprietor of DF’s hippest chocolate shop, Que Bo! – shows how he creates some of Mexico’s finest chocolates, from bonbons to beverages. At home, Rick puts Mexican chocolate to work in a chocolate cocktail, Mexican truffles and a stunning chocolate-mesquite cake.
