Champurrado: Mexican Hot Chocolate From Nationwide Newspaper Food Sections 10.14.09

Celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos with a cup of rich, creamy Champurrado. Plus, foods for the Hindu new year celebration Diwali, support for sustainable local farms in St. Louis, and a fall vegetable gratin.

The Los Angeles Times rounds up recipes for El Dia de Los Muertos including Champurrado, "a rich, creamy drink made from Mexican chocolate, thickened with masa, and spiked with cinnamon."
The Chicago Tribune is a little late with its September Gratin, but there's still time to enjoy the dish, filled with sweet red peppers, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes and Hungarian paprika.
The Oregonian highlights foods to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu new year celebration. Recipes include Besan Laddus, Mango Burfi, Deep-fried Breads (Pooris), Goat or Lamb Curry (Mangshor Jhoi), and Fried Coconut Fruit Pies (Gujias).
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch profiles EarthDance, a non-profit that supports small local farms that follow organic or sustainable-agriculture techniques.

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30 Days of Tomato Recipes and a Green Panini

(Image: Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

oh yes! nothing beats Mexican Hot chocolate (except when its layered with cajeta)! try "Cacao" deli in Eagle rock.

posted by SydneyBristow on October 15th 2009 at 11:39am
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Thanks to my Mexican grandparents, I've enjoyed champurrado for years during the holidays (nothing is more satisfying than a sweet, pineapple and raisin tamale and a warm mug of champurrado). FYI -- it's also known as atole when it's not flavored with chocolate.

posted by Lorena in SD on October 15th 2009 at 12:53pm
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Sounds fantastic. I might just try this idea using a new raw chocolate recipe I stumbled on http://bit.ly/5pE4x ... it's supposed to be a little healthier that way (but I consider all chocolate healthy heee-heeee).

posted by lindalucille on October 15th 2009 at 12:59pm
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Thanks for the ideas....although, Diwali is not the Hindu New Year. Please correct accordingly. Diwali is actually a part of a 5 day festival celebration. Today marks day 1 of the festival. Day 3 that happens to fall on Oct 17 of this year is the actual day of the festival. Day 3 is when the real deal happens. And during the Hindu Festivals(except for Dassera) no household prepares any meat or nonveg dishes. Diwali essentially calls for preparation of all types of sweets the traditional among them being Shrikhand, Malpua, Laddoo, Jalebi, Barfi, Ras Malai and Gulab Jamun. It is a significant festival not only among the Hindus but also Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. Every religion has their own reason though, since these religions evolved from Hinduism, we share the common day.
The actual way of wishing is "Happy Deepavali". In Sanskrit , Deepa means light and Avali means row....So Deepavali means row of lights and yes thats what is done in India, We decorate our homes with rows and rows of little diyas(clay holders with a cotton wick) and light them up all night. We burn fire crackers, eat sweets and celebrate. It is a big festival and celebrated with much enthusiasm. Homes are cleaned thoroughly, sweets are prepared elaborately, businesses open a new financial year and today (i.e. day 1, it is customary to purchase gold).
Please correct accordingly. and Happy Deepavali to all

posted by sirisha on October 15th 2009 at 2:23pm
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Huh. Anybody else find it interesting that Mexican hot chocolate is champurrado, while a sort of chocolate rice pudding is known as champorado in the Philippines?

posted by Kakugori on October 15th 2009 at 8:29pm
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kakugori - theyre related via spain. Champurado came from mexico to the phillipines via the spanish. I believe there are lots of crossovers like that between the cultures.

posted by chusmabilly on October 15th 2009 at 9:36pm
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Being Filipino when I hear champorado I think of chocolate rice pudding. Oh one of life's perfect breakfasts!

I remember when I was visiting the Philippines they made us hot chocolate for breakfast.

posted by kpbittner on October 30th 2009 at 1:05pm
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