Coco chocolatero

The Vigo Coconut (El Coco de Vigo). Dated 1680-1690, with inscription dated to 1702.

The coco chocolatero was a cup used to serve small quantities of beverages (such as chocolate drinks) between the 16th century and the 19th century in countries like Mexico, Guatemala and Venezuela. ^{[1] [2]} It was made of coconut shell, hence its name.

They were a simpler local variety of the extravagant coconut cups of Europe in the same period.

Elaboration

During the Viceroyalty of New Spain, the elaboration of this object was possible thanks to the adaptation of the natural coconut palms from the Pacific islands in other territories. The hard shells of the coconuts were cleaned and cut to be polished. Then, the shells were carved with a burin, decorated with lavish geometric figures, and mounted in complex polished silver works. ^[1]

The process of elaboration was carried out in two phases. First, the coconut was curved and decorated with metal, shell and semiprecious stone applications. Later, the object was mounted in silver, forming a pedestal where the name of the owner, the year, and the place of the manufacturer was written. These objects were manufactured in the Americas and different places of Europe, including Germany, Spain and France. ^{[1] [3]}

Antonio Pérez de Aguilar’s Alacena (Cupboard), oil on canvas c.1769. The coco chocolatero is at bottom centre. Antonio Pérez de Aguilar. Museo Nacional de Arte.

The popularization of the coco chocolatero recipient is related to the transformation of the cocoa consumption during the colonial period, mostly associated to the use of sugar as a sweetener. The maize dough (or masa) of the beverage was also substituted by milk, a variation much closer to the current chocolate drink. This change boosted the use of the coco chocolatero as a luxury item. ^{[1] [3]}

El Coco de Vigo (The Vigo Coconut)

One of the most remarkable examples of coco chocolatero is the Vigo Coconut, named after its association with the silver shipment sent from Veracruz to Spain via the West Indies Fleet in 1702—a fleet partially captured by the British navy during the Battle of Vigo that same year. The cup became part of the British booty and a commemorative inscription in English was later added. ^[4] This coco is currently the oldest documented example with a date (1702), although it is possible that it may be even older. This object not only serves a crucial function as an artistic reference for dating other artifacts from the same period but is also of singular importance as it is the sole documented object from the aforementioned naval battle and the valuable spoils of war. ^[5]

The coco chocolatero cup was used in some countries during the colonial period in the Americas.

See also

• Coconut cup
• Coconut shell cup

References

1. López Bravo, Roberto (2011). "Iconografía y uso del chocolate en el Museo Regional de Chiapas". Gaceta de Museos (in Spanish). Retrieved December 13, 2015.
2. Duarte, Carlos F. (2005). El arte de tomar el chocolate: historia del coco chocolatero en Venezuela (in Spanish). Venezuela.
3. Museo Soumaya (2005). Seis siglos de arte. Cien grandes maestros. Fundación Carso, A. C. (in Spanish).
4. A Bit Lit (2020-06-04). ABL 43 Thingterests 2: Did Renaissance Queens Take Their Chocolate in a Coconut? . Retrieved 2025-04-06– via YouTube.
5. De Lara, Juan (2024). "El Coco de Vigo: el coco chocolatero de la Batalla de Rande, 1702". Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas (125): 197–215. ISSN   0185-1276.