A hot, rich, frothy drink where cocoa paste is beaten with a molinillo in water or milk, sweetened with cane sugar and perfumed with cinnamon and cardamom — the morning and social pleasure of the great.

Why this dish? In the early 18th century, drinking chocolate was the worldly luxury that German courts adored, modeled on Versailles and the Spanish courts. For a margrave who imitated French etiquette, serving it in fine cups was part of aristocratic decorum, on a par with music and the state coach.

Here, Madam, is the beverage that is all the rage in every court that respects itself. One beats the cocoa paste with the molinillo until a fine foam rises — it is by this foam that one judges the service. I want it spiced with cinnamon and a grain of cardamom, not too sweet, and served piping hot in fine porcelain. One takes it in the morning or after the concert; it warms the mind as much as the body, and everyone, sipping it, feels a little princely.

How it was made : Imported from America via Spain, cocoa was drunk beaten with a molinillo in dedicated chocolate pots. Originally bitter, it was sweetened with cane sugar and flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, or spices. In the early 18th century, it was a strong social marker, reserved for the elites of European courts.

The contemporary twist : Serve in a small blue porcelain cup with a chocolate curl on the foam and a cinnamon stick as a 'conductor's baton' stirrer.

Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg · Charactorium