“Now, for the making or compounding of this drink, I shall set down here the method. The cacao and the other ingredients must be beaten in a morter of stone, or (as the Indians use) ground upon a broad stone, which they call _Metate_, and is only made for that use. But first the ingredients are all to be dried, except the _Achiotte_, with care that they be beaten to powder, keeping them still in stirring that they be not burnt, or become black; for if they be overdried, they will be bitter and lose their virtue. The cinnamon and the long red pepper are to be first beaten with the anniseed, and then the cacao, which must be beaten by little and little till it be all powdered, and in the beating it must be turned round that it may mix the better. Every one of these ingredients must be beaten by itself, and then all be put into the vessel where the cacao is, which you must stir together with a spoon, and then take out that paste, and put it into the morter, under which there must be a little fire, after the confection is made; but if more fire be put under than will only warm it, then the unctuous part will dry away. The _Achiotte_ also must be put in in the beating, that it may the better take the colour. All the ingredients must be searced, save only the cacao, and if from the cacao the dry shell be taken, it will be the better. When it is well beaten and incorporated (which will be known by the shortnesse of it), then with a spoon (so in the Indias is used) is taken up some of the paste, which will be almost liquid, and made into tablets, or else without a spoon put into boxes, and when it is cold it will be hard.