Cooking Across the Ages Season 1 Episode 9 Aztec Tortillas and Chocolate

Cooking Across the Ages is a fascinating journey through history, exploring traditional recipes and ingredients from different periods around the world. In episode 9 of season 1, we discover the flavors of the Aztec civilization, learning how to make tortillas and chocolate from scratch with authentic techniques and ingredients.

The episode begins with our host, Chef Maria, introducing the audience to the history and culture of the Aztecs, one of the most important pre-Columbian civilizations in Mesoamerica. She explains how their culinary traditions influenced Mexican cuisine and how some of their ingredients, such as corn and cocoa, are still staples of modern cooking.

To make the tortillas, Chef Maria starts by showing how to nixtamalize the corn, a process that involves soaking and cooking it with lime to remove the outer husks and make it more digestible. She then grinds it into a fine masa, the dough used to make tortillas, and shapes it into small balls. With a traditional tortilla press, she flattens them into thin rounds and cooks them on a hot comal, a flat griddle made of clay or iron. The result is a stack of warm, fragrant tortillas that are perfect for savoring with any dish.

Next, Chef Maria dives into the world of chocolate, another precious gift from the Aztecs. She explains how they revered it as a sacred food, associated with deities and rituals, and used it as currency and medicine. To make their chocolate, they roasted cacao beans, peeled them, and ground them into a paste, which they mixed with water, chiles, and other seasonings. The resulting beverage, called xocolatl, was rich, spicy, and energizing.

To recreate this ancient recipe, Chef Maria starts by roasting the cacao beans in a comal until they're shiny and fragrant. She then grinds them in a metate, a stone bowl with a cylindrical roller, until they turn into a paste. She adds hot water, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and whisks it until it gets frothy and smooth. Finally, she heats it up and serves it in small cups, inviting the audience to try the rich and complex flavors of Aztec chocolate.

Throughout the episode, Chef Maria provides tips, anecdotes, and historical facts, making the cooking process entertaining and educational. She also emphasizes the importance of respecting and preserving culinary traditions, honoring the wisdom and creativity of our ancestors. By sharing these recipes with a wider audience, she hopes to inspire a sense of curiosity, appreciation, and connection to different cultures and times.

At the end of the show, Chef Maria gathers all the prepared ingredients and dishes on a colorful table, surrounded by decorative motifs and symbols inspired by Aztec art. She invites the audience to join her in a feast, celebrating the flavors and heritage of this ancient civilization. As the camera zooms out, we see smiles, laughter, and appreciation in the faces of the guests, embodying the power and joy of sharing food and culture.