The term “mocha” originally referred to coffee that was grown in the Arabian Peninsula and shipped from the Yemeni port of Mocha.
The history of this word’s use is fairly muddled.
It is likely that most European tasted coffee before chocolate.
Therefore, when chocolate first appeared from Western Hemisphere, they found it reminiscent of, or confused it with, the wild and fruity flavors of Yemeni coffee.
As sixteenth century sailing ships carried goods from the Arabian Peninsula across the Mediterranean the Italian port of Venice became coffee’s gateway to European markets.
Merchants in Venice and Turin opened the earliest coffee houses, and when Spanish drinking chocolate was first introduced to Turin, it was mixed with coffee and cream into a stimulating novelty called bavareisa.
In Italy, confectioners from the “Sweet Piemonte” region develop the art of combining these culinary treasures, culminating with bicerin (meaning small glass).
Outside Italy, caffé latte has become the basis for a drink of one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk.The ubiquitous caffé mocha, a latte with the addition of chocolate powder or chocolate syrup, only hints at the possibilities of more complex combinations.
Since then, the word “mocha” has come to mean many things, including the flavor combination of coffee and chocolate, while it s still used to describe coffee from Yemen (or even coffee from Ethiopia that tastes like coffee from Yemen).
Caffé mocha is made by mixing chocolate (either sweetened, ground chocolate or chocolate syrup) with espresso.
Steamed milk is then added to the mixture.
Most recipes specifically suggest that the espresso and chocolate be mixed before the steamed milk is added, in order to preserve the proper consistency and texture of the milk and to ensure that the mocha has a frothy, rich texture.
As with the latte, the quality and taste of the espresso matter a great deal.
Caffé Mocha
