IxCacao - The Mayan Goddess of Chocolate

(Painting of IxCacao altar by Ginger Strivelli)

IxCacao is the Mayan Goddess of the Cacao tree and Chocolate that is made from the fruit of that tree.

She was often invoked in prayer along with the Corn Mother, the Rain God and other agricultural deities.

A prayer quoted from an old Mayan legend to promote a good harvest in times of hunger goes:

Ixcanil, Goddess of Seed, hear me.
Ixtoq, Goddess of Rain, help me.
Ixcacao, Goddess of Chocolate, see my tears and come to my aid.

The Goddess of Chocolate was also worshiped by other tribes in central and south America.
The Aztecs associated Chocolate with Xochiquetzal, who is their Goddess of fertility, flowers and fruits.

The Aztec's enjoied an odd-sounded Chocolate Corn Honey drink in Her and the Corn Mother's honor. The recipe is as follows:

_________Aztec Chocolate Corn Drink_________

1/4 cup dry corn, toasted and soaked overnight in 1 cup water
1 Mexican vanilla bean (cooked in 1 cup water)
1/4 lb. cocoa beans, dark-toasted
3/4 cup honey (more or less 'to taste' as they say...also peppers were traditionally added to taste, but like YUCK!)
the modern prep is MUCH easier than the traditional way it was made....Thank the Gods!
(the night before)Toast corn (or corn meal can be used)in a dry frying pan and soak overnight in a cup of water.
Then the next day grind cocoa beans (or use good coco already powdered)
in the blender with enough hot water to form a sauce then mix in the honey.
Boil vanilla bean in a cup of water for about 10 minutes and add that mixture to the corn mixture and the chocolate mixture. Blend all ingredients together with icy cold water.

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The Rain God, Chac and the Goddess of the Moon and weaving, IxChel sharing a Chocolate....from the Madrid Codex.



Mayan Hot Chocolate drink recipe

2 cups of boiling water
1 chile pepper cut in half remove seeds with gloves..or just skip this step if ya got sense.
5 cups of milk (or cream)
1 vanilla bean, split
2 or 3 cinnamon sticks
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 3 tablets Mexican Chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Add sugar or honey to taste
In a pot over medium-high heat, add pepper to boiling water. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup.
Remove chile pepper; strain water and set aside.(or again skip this step, the Mayans and Aztecs had stronger guts than us...remeber they cut still beating hearts out of their foes.)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk (or cream), vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks until bubbles start forming.
Reduce heat and add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk often until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves.
Take off the heat, remove vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks. Add chile-infused water, if you dare.
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