DC | The Story of Chocolate

Schedule

Sat Feb 15 2025 at 10:00 am to 05:00 pm

Location

Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian | Washington, DC

Enjoy a weekend of chocolate history, culture, and food. Create your own cacao-inspired codex, participate in a cacao-inspired mural painting, or follow the path from blossom to beverage with interactive presentations.
SCHEDULE
Ongoing Activities
Level 1, Potomac Atrium
-Blossom to Beverage
-The Jose Reyes Family (Mixtec) will share the process of turning cacao into chocolate. "Blossom to Beverage" delves deep into cacao, from blooms through ripe cacao pods, and finishes with the frothy beverage we recognize as hot chocolate.
-Alcahuetes (Zapotec Chocolate stirring instrument)
-Several complex Mesoamerican cacao beverages require the use of a stirrer or mixer for the individual servings. They have a history that dates back at least 500 years, but their use survives in just a few places, including the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, where they are called “alcahuetes.” These alcahuetes are wooden sticks with an animal figure on top. Museum visitors will be able to decorate their own alcahuetes.
-Interactive Mural
-Joaquin Newman (Yaqui/Mexica) will create a mural and offer visitors the opportunity to work together to paint and learn about Mayan designs.
Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center
-Codice Activity
Some pre-Hispanic and colonial Mixtec codices, such as the Nutall, Vindobonensis, Azoyú and Texupan, contain depictions of cacao (seeds, pods, and trees) and cacao beverages as part of ceremonies such as offerings and royal weddings. Visitors can create their own chocolate-inspired codex with support from museum staff.
*Please note: The imagiNATIONS Activity Center has a limited capacity and is first come, first served and sometimes requires free timed entry tickets. Please see imagiNATIONS Activity Center staff for details.
Level 1, Potomac Atrium
12 PM and 2 PM
-Food and drink demonstrations with Executive Chef Alexandra Strong
-Mitsitam's executive chef will demonstrate a chocolate-inspired tasting menu featuring Chef Alex's special Tres Leches hot chocolate, and chocolate ganache tart.
-Limited tastings of the Tres Leches hot chocolate will be available after the demonstrations. First come, first served while supplies last.
-Chef's Chocolate Ganache Tart will be available for purchase at the Mitsitam's dessert bar and Espresso Bar.

*Schedule subject to change

Where is it happening?

Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C., Washington, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

$Smithsonian\u2019s National Museum of the American Indian$

Host or Publisher Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian

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