Coco chocolatero facts for kids
The coco chocolatero was a special cup used for serving small amounts of drinks, like chocolate. People used these cups between the 1600s and 1800s in places such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Venezuela. Its name comes from the fact that it was made from the hard shell of a coconut.
Contents
Making the Coco Chocolatero
During the time of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which was a large Spanish colony, people learned to make these unique cups. This was possible because coconut palms from the Pacific islands were brought to other areas and grew well there.
How They Were Made
The process of making a coco chocolatero involved several steps. First, the hard coconut shells were carefully cleaned and cut into the right shape. Then, they were polished until they were smooth and shiny.
After polishing, skilled craftspeople would carve beautiful designs into the shells using a special tool called a burin. These designs often included fancy geometric shapes.
Adding Silver and Details
The making of a coco chocolatero usually happened in two main parts. In the first part, the coconut shell was shaped and decorated. Sometimes, they added small pieces of metal, other shells, or even semiprecious stones to make them look more special.
In the second part, the decorated coconut cup was placed onto a fancy silver stand or pedestal. This stand often had the owner's name, the year it was made, and the place where it was manufactured carved into it. These beautiful cups were made in both the Americas and various countries in Europe, including Germany, Spain, and France.
Why the Coco Chocolatero Became Popular
The coco chocolatero became very popular because of changes in how people enjoyed cocoa drinks during the colonial period. Originally, cocoa drinks were often made with corn dough.
Chocolate Drink Changes
Over time, people started adding sugar to sweeten their chocolate drinks. They also began using milk instead of corn dough. This made the chocolate drink much more like the hot chocolate we drink today.
These changes made chocolate a luxury item, and the coco chocolatero became a fancy cup to serve this new, sweeter chocolate. It showed that the owner was wealthy and enjoyed fine things.
Images for kids
-
The coco chocolatero cup was used in some countries during the colonial period in the Americas.
