"Growing up in a Mexican household, it never truly felt like the holidays until my abuela, very aptly, broke out the yellow box of Abuelita chocolate from the tiny cupboard next to the stove. My family and I would decorate the Christmas tree, laughing and reminiscing over handmade ornaments. Then we'd soak up the beauty of the silvery lights in the sala, warming our palms with mismatched tazas of chocolate."
"As a kid, I loved dipping fluffy bits of bolillo in the chocolate until they were soaked through and gobbling them up before they fell apart between my fingers. Today, I take my time with the drink, inhaling the warm, sweet scent of the spiced cacao as I listen to my abuelita recount her day. There's a tender simplicity to these moments that fills me with peace."
Family rituals centered on warm, spiced chocolate create a deep sense of holiday belonging and comfort. Simple acts—decorating the tree, sharing mismatched cups, dipping bolillo—anchor memories and connection across generations. Holiday beverages across Latin America, such as chocolate de olla, rompope, coquito, champurrado, and ponche, evoke nostalgia and reinforce cultural identity. Recipes vary regionally but consistently emphasize resourcefulness and communal sharing. These drinks function as tangible links to heritage, carrying flavors and techniques that transmit familial love and tradition while sustaining the emotional experience of togetherness during winter festivities.
Read at Eater
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]