EARLY USE. 35 



heads of Chili or long peppers, a handful 

 of anise or orjevala, and two of mesachusil 

 or vanilla, or, instead, six Alexandria 

 roses, powdered, two drachms of cinna- 

 mon, a dozen almonds and as many hazel- 

 nuts, a half pound of white sugar, and 

 annotto enough to color it, and you have the 

 king of chocolates.' 



" I must say a word concerning another 

 substance allied to the chocolate, beloved 

 of the Americans. I speak of atola, which 

 has been handed down to us. There was 

 the atola of dry and of green maize ; the 

 latter was served on elegant tables. Com- 

 posed of maize in the milky stage, sweet- 

 ened with the vegetable honey of the agave, 

 sometimes, also, flavored with excellent 

 vanilla, it had the appearance of blanc- 

 mange. On this mixture was poured choco- 

 late prepared cold. It can be understood 

 how the most delicate palates could relish 

 it. I say nothing here of the coarse 

 mixtures of dry flour, or frisoles^ which 



