Traditional Mayan Cooking & Chocolate

Traditional Mayan Cooking & Chocolate-Making Experience

Location: Lema Association, San Juan La Laguna, Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
Duration: 6 Hours | One-Day Activity

Overview: Traditional Mayan Cooking & Chocolate

Join us at the Lema Association in the picturesque town of San Juan La Laguna, nestled on the shores of Lake Atitlán, for a unique one-day immersive cultural experience. Discover the flavors and techniques of traditional Mayan cuisine as you learn to prepare an authentic Mayan lunch in the morning, followed by an afternoon session where you’ll make Mayan chocolate from scratch.

This hands-on cooking class offers a blend of history, culture, and flavor, guided by local experts who will share their ancestral knowledge, passed down through generations. Whether you’re a food enthusiast or simply curious about indigenous culinary traditions, this workshop promises an unforgettable day of learning, tasting, and connecting with Mayan heritage.

Itinerary

Morning Session: Preparing a Traditional Mayan Lunch

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Start your day by diving into the heart of Mayan cuisine. Under the guidance of local cooks, you’ll learn how to prepare a traditional Mayan lunch using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, many of which are grown in the lush highlands of Lake Atitlán. The menu may include:

• Tortillas: Learn to make fresh, hand-pressed corn tortillas, a staple of the Mayan diet.
• Pepián: A rich, flavorful stew made with chicken, vegetables, and a variety of spices, thickened with roasted ground pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.
• Chirmol (Mayan salsa): A smoky tomato-based sauce made by roasting tomatoes, onions, and garlic over an open flame.
• Local greens and herbs: Used to complement the meal, bringing fresh flavors directly from the nearby gardens.

You’ll prepare these dishes using traditional cooking techniques, including grinding ingredients by hand on a stone metate, cooking over an open fire, and using clay pots.

Break for Lunch

After the morning session, sit down and enjoy the delicious meal you helped prepare. This is your chance to savor the flavors of the Mayan highlands and connect with the other participants in a communal setting.

Afternoon Session: Mayan Chocolate-Making

Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
In the afternoon, you will transition into the sweet world of Mayan chocolate-making, one of the region’s most ancient and revered traditions. Mayans were among the first to discover the magic of cacao, and you’ll learn how to transform cacao beans into rich, ceremonial chocolate using traditional methods. During this hands-on session, you will:

• Roast and grind cacao beans: Learn the process of roasting cacao over a fire and grinding the beans by hand using the traditional metate, just as the Mayans have done for centuries.
• Prepare Mayan drinking chocolate: Combine the ground cacao with spices like cinnamon and chili, and sweeten it with natural honey or panela to create a frothy, rich Mayan drinking chocolate, known for its deep, earthy flavor.
• Chocolate treats: You’ll also learn how to form basic chocolate bars or truffles using ground cacao and natural sweeteners, which you can take home as a delicious souvenir.

Throughout the chocolate-making process, you’ll gain insight into the cultural significance of cacao in Mayan ceremonies and daily life, as well as its continued importance to the local communities around Lake Atitlán.