Mutulese Chocolate

Kakaw ready to be presented for a Chocolate Ceremony

Chocolate, (Mutli: "Kakaw") is produced all throughout the Mutul, in quantities between 9,000 and 20,000 tons of tablets and 9 - 10 millions of bottles per year. The Divine Kingdom is the largest producer of liquid chocolate in the world, and one of the two largest exporters of cacao alongside Sante Reze. Chocolate is almost cosubstantial with the country, as traces of chocolate beverages and vessels associated to its consommation can be found even in the oldest archeological sites. It is supposed that the cultivation of the cacao tree was brought north from the Ucayare forest by nomadic populations of agro-forester. The chocolate produced range from expensive chocolates sold internationally to modest creations usually only seen within the Divine Kingdom.

Two concepts central to the better Mutuleses chocolates are the Kab'an, which links the style of the chocolate to the locations where the cacao are grown and transformed. The second is the Divine Mark (ఖుకౢ ఎతల, K'uhul Etal) that certifies the origin and the quality of the chocolate. The rules of the attribution of the Divine Mark closely define which cacao varieties and transformation practices are approved for classification in each of the Mutul's 400 000 exploitations. These rules only cover the production and distribution of liquid chocolate, chocolate tablets and "solid chocolate" do not show the same level of regulation, as they are not considered socially to be as prestigious.

History

Early days

Evidence suggest that the cacao tree was first cultivated by humans for its pods' sweet pulp. Fermented, it was served as an alcoholic beverage in the Mutul since 1400 BCE. The first real evidences of the culture of cacao are from Sante Reze, and date back to more than 5000 years ago.

Depiction of offerings of cacao to the gods or to mortal rulers during the Paol'lunyu Dynasty show that it was the kakaw drink that was used for exchanges, not yet to cocoa beans themselves.

K'iche conquest and reorganisation

K'ukumatz, Patriarch of the Nimabal K'iche and Ajpop of Kumakah, conquered and re-unified the Mutul in 1094. Following their takeover, the K'iche processed to a great reorganization and redistribution of lands and resources: cacao plantations who had belonged to their opponents were systematically seized during the conquest and then redistributed among the Nimabal-K'iche Tribe, their partisans, followers, supporters and collaborators. The destruction caused by the conquest had led to a "cacao draught" and each individual cacao bean saw its value skyrocket alongside its rarity, leading to an era of deflation.

To stop the crisis, the newly established dynasty organized an episode known colloquially as the Wah K'iwik, the "Food Market". The Cacao market was reorganized along its three main components: producers, distributor, and chocolate manufacturers. First cacao producers were forced to register themselves and pay for licenses to keep their farms, otherwise they could have their trees cut or even their lands seized. Properties thus acquired by force were then auctioned to communities or institutions who had paid for their licenses, or had been granted one through close proximity with the dynasty. Kakaw production was also limited to a number of vetted and licensed Chocolate Mills: no more than one per Communities, oftentimes less. Even the right to buy and trade in cacao bulk was limited to people who could afford the license to become cacao dealers and wholesalers. By the end of these operations K'iche aristocrats dominated the entire cacao market, from production to distribution and reselling. Even when they did not directly own lands or trade rights, only aristocrats who had backed the new regime and who were wealthy enough to afford on the licenses had the opportunity to do so. Even though the Nimabal-K'iche Dynasty was short lived, it had secured the K'iche people' domination over the Mutul for the next millenium.

During the Cousins War, the danger of inter-state trading made forgery and counterfeiting common place. Amaranth dough, wax, avacado pits, mud and clay were all common ingredients used to create fake beans mixed in bundles of real ones. The practice did not die with the reunification of the Mutul and counterfeitting exploded as limited access to cacao and the diminution of direct, "face-to-face", exchanges made it both easier to fool clients and created a need for cash.

The Tahub (1142-1202) and Ilok'tab dynasties continued the system put into place by the Nimabal K'iche. The main use of cacao beans was to produce the Kakaw beverage, drank by the elite of the Mutul. Through royal edicts, production quotas, and minimum reserves Chocolate Mills needed to keep any given year, the K'uhul Ajawob were able to control the value of cacao beans and the commerce of Kakaw beverages. Commoners would instead drink cacao pulp, or use some of the beans acquired through trade to give flavor to a variety of maize-based beverages such as Sah or Keyem. These cacao-flavored drinks were typically consumed on special occasions, such as festivities or holidays.

Styles, varieties, and Kakawnal

Kakawnal

The Mutul possess many "Kakawnal", agricultural plantations dedicated to the cultivation of the cacao trees (Mutli: Kakaw T'e). Each has soils, practices, and an history characteristic of the parcel. It's on these specificities that the Kab'an is defined.

For the chocolate industry, the Kab'an refers to the unique combination of natural factors such as soil, underlying rock, altitude, terrain, and microclimate. It is an important factor, alongside the cultivar of chocolate, being measured in the Certification system which guarantees the origin and quality of the production.

The Divine Throne imposes the most severe restrictions on cocoa producers worldiwde. Strict regulations control many aspects of chocolate-making including planting, irrigation, classification, and labeling. It commonly resort to legal actions to protect the nomenclature created centuries ago.

Varieties

On the world stage, chocolate makers recognize three main cultivar groups of cacao beans used to make cocoa and chocolate: Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario. The most prized, rare, and expensive is the Criollo group, the historical cocoa bean of the Mutul. Worldwide, only 10% of chocolate is made from Criollo, which is arguably less bitter and more aromatic than any other bean. In the Mutul, it is up to 80%. Outlying cacao producers who aren't located in the natural biome of the cacao tree still prefer other varieties that are more resistant to diseases and weathers and have higher yields. Since the 2000s, these producers have shifted en-masse to Trinitario, an hybrid between Forastero and Criollo supposed to preserve the qualities of both.

Production

There are substantial differences in the structure of the Mutulese chocolate industry and those from elsewhere around the world. For example, it is characterized by a high level of fragmentation of the production with 400,000 chocolate producers. The top 10 brands control only 4% of the market. These structural differences are driven by institutional heterogeneity and contrasting patterns of historical development. However, they are also driven by the competitive strategies employed by Mutuleses firms, focusing on premium Fine or Flavor Cocoa rather than bulk trade.

Landowners appear to be able to exert power in particular locations where high-quality land is scarce. This appears to be a problem in provinces where most producers are small, and good new acreage is extremely scarce. Big investments in technology and automation have also raised the barrier of entry which historically had been quite low. Some Mutulese families continue however to produce their own chocolate for their own private consumption. However, Mutuleses markets continue to eschew advertising with chocolate products being recognized first by their type (chocolate proper, chocolate wine, chocolate liqueur, cocoa juice...) and the region of origin. Similarly, they engage in very little consumer branding, considering their clients to already be "educated" in matter of chocolate, further limiting product differentiations. All of this favour the buyer against the producer, feeding centuries-old feuds between rival chocolatiers as they compete to leave their mark in a difficult market.

A Kakawom is someone who cultivates a Kakawnal for a living, without producing chocolate himself. He can be an independent landowner, generally with only a few trees, or an employee on a larger plantation generally working for an Aj Kakawal (Chocolatier) i.e: someone who take care of a Chocolate Mill, with or without owning a cacao plantation himself. Since the Kakawom is considered responsible for the maintenance and growth of the cocoa grove under his charge or tenure, he often has more a role of a foreman and manager even when he is not the owner of the trees and "lower" workers (historically slaves but in the modern era seasonal workers and employees) are generally not referred to by that term.

Within the Mutul, the structure and length of the cocoa marketing channels differ from province to province. On one end of the spectrum, small traders buy cocoa beans directly from small independent Kakawomob who do not have direct access to buyers or insufficient production to produce chocolate on his own. The beans would then be sold to wholesalers who will then redistribute the production to chocolatiers through Wholesale markets. On the other end, small scale Kakawomob have formed Agricultural cooperative known as Worshipful Companies capable of selling the beans by themselves. There also exist Aj Kakawalob who have structured themselves vertically, owning large-scale plantations (or diffuse, smaller parcels in multiple Kakawnal), chocolate factories, and shipping equipment and are thus capable of producing and exporting chocolate on their own.

Chocolate Mill

The Chocolate Mill is the keystone of the chocolate production in the Mutul. There, the harvested and fermented beans are grounded into a paste, mixed with various ingredients such as cinnamon, sugar, chili peppers, and vanilla. Each family of producers has its own recipe which they keep jealously. The quality of the beans, of the roasting, fermenting, and drying processes are all taken into consideration before the creation of the paste itself. Raw chocolate thus represent the main product coming out of a Mill, but many Mills have taken upon to further melt this paste into Chocolate liquor and then separating the Cocoa butter from the other component, fabricating from the latter Cocoa solids.

Products

Bitter Kakaw

A woman with a cup of raw chocolate (1909)

Pure chocolate, the Kakaw in the purest sense of the word, is made with only water and Cocoa beans. It's especially sought after in the Mutul by chocolate amateurs and religious or state insitutions who need it for specific festivities. Because consuming pure chocolate is not something done on the regular and it's instead use as a status symbol or a religious act.

People outside of the Mutul who taste Bitter kakaw for the first time are often surprised by the bitterness of the drink, and those tasting it for the furhter second time are surprised by it being less bitter than they remembered. This is because Mutulese kakaw is made from Criollo beans which has a delicate yet complex flavor, low in classic chocolate notes but rich in secondary ones which lead to a complex taste. As such, helped by their natural sweetness, these highly sought after beans help give chocolate its subtle yet expensive flavour profile that vary greatly from producer to producer, from year to year, depending on the exact cultivar of cocoa used, climatic conditions, and the methods of production.

The preparation of this Kakaw is the simplest : cocoa beans are ground into a fine powder to which water is slowly added to form a smooth paste. Then, hot water is added and the mixture is stirred so that it's perfectly combined and filtered to catch all of the cacao nibs that weren't fully ground. The drink is then bottled up, to be served cold after a Chocolate Ceremony.

High Kakaw

A cup of hazelnut high kakaw, with the frothing caracteristic to Mutulese chocolate

But pure chocolate is relatively rare even at the table of passionate amateurs. Every Chocolatier has his own recipe with more ingredients added to the paste. Common additions include Chili peppers, vanilla, honey, cinnamon... even dashes of lemon or Bitter orange juice. These widely different beverages are classified as "High Kakaw" on a simple criteria : no maize or rice, or any other cereal, was added to the original paste nor any sugar (other than honey) was added to sweeten the drink.

All manner of high Kakaw can be found in every chocolate house or restaurants of the Mutul. Their taste depend on the Kab'an of the cocoa beans, on the climatic conditions during their growth, on the methods used to prepare the beans, and of course on the additive used. Each batch of high chocolate is thus unique and their production is a tightly controlled process, full of goverment certifications and analysis.

Generally, consumers outside of the Mutul prefer "honeyed" or "sweet" chocolate with vanilla or cinnamon flavors. Within the Divine Kingdom however, Chili chocolate are the most priced to the point of being considered only second to bitter kakaw in respectability. The most prized chili chocolate are the ones with vanilla additions. These highly sought after chocolates are most commonly from Kanol' coastal lowlands where chocolate, chili peppers, vanilla, and citrus are produced in large quantities.

Regional products

Choco

A cup of Choco at the Natzachan Chocolate Festival

Since the time of the K'uy Dynasty, cocoa has been imported, or even adapted, to the Yajawil of Kanol becoming a staple beverage of the region. The most prestigious of these local Choco is the one from the town of Natzachan and its surrounding valley which continue to be the local chocolate capital of the Tatinak people despite most of the region' production having moved to the coastal plain. The Festival of Natzachan is notably dedicated to chocolate and its patron god : Ek Chuah.

There are many variants of Choco, each chocolatier having its own protected traditional recipe. But commonly, the ingredients are toasted maize, fermented cacao beans, and cinnamon. The ingredients are ground into a paste which is then beaten by hand and mixed with some water and sugar. It is only served cold, possibly even with some ice. It usually brown colored with a foamy surface. It has an aroma of chocolate plus a combination of the spices that compose the specific choco.

K'uhb

A cup of K'uhb

Nuu Davi and Ben Zaa people of the Yajawil of Muynal produce a non-alocholic chocolate-maize beverage known as Cu'uhb in Zapotec, and K'uhb or K'ujb in Mutli. Principal ingredients include toasted maize, fermented cacao beans, toasted mamey pits and cacao flower. These are finely ground into a paste. The paste is mixed with water, usually by hand, and when it is ready, the flor de cacao rises to the top to form a pasty foam. It can be served as-is or with some sugar syrup to sweeten it. The drink is served cold.

Bupu

The Ben Zaa diaspora has also spread, first to the rest of the Mutul and then to the world, another chocolate beverage closely associated with them : the Bupu. It's a sparkling non-alcolohic drink prepared from Sah, cocoa beans, and guie' chachi flowers. The latter ingredient make the preparation of the beverage especially difficult as a dosage error would make it poisonous. Otherwise, it is considered an important medecinal drink for the diaspora.

Kakaoeja

A glass of 'cacao water' served in Oxchuk

Although they are mainly common in the Yajawil of T'ichan The Winik Atel are present across the middlewest and middlesouth of the Mutul, where the S'amuy valley open on the semi-arid regions of the southeast. There, they produce a beverage known as Kakaoeja or "cacao water" made from a mixture of roasted maize, chocolate, ground pine nuts, achiote, vanilla and sugar. Ingredients do vary, and it is said that the poorer families' variants are dominated by the taste of roasted corn, while more prestigious and commercial productions are chocolate-dominant in flavour. It's a cold drink, with its ingredients stirred in cold water and often consumed with ice cubes.

In the south of the Yajawil of Yokok'ab, the Tzotzil produce a kakawa drink very closely related to the Kakaoeja of their Winik Atel cousins. But while the recipe is almost identical, an important difference is that they serve it hot: the ingredients, once grounded, are mixed with Coconut milk and heated.

Koko

In the north of the province, the Yokot'an drink a beverage known as Koko. It is typically made from toasted cacao beans, rice, cinnamon, anise seed and asquiote. The recipe is simple: The rice is left in water to soften. Any fruit added to the drink is to be finely chopped and grounded together with the rice, cinnamon, and anise seeds. The resulting dense pasta is then mixed with water and strained several times with a cotton cloth. Finally, sugar and ice are added, and it is foamed with a wooden grinder.