Traditional Mexican Christmas Fare : Champurrado Warms Up Cold Nights

To savor Christmas California-style, go to Olvera Street this week to watch the Las Posadas procession, which portrays Mary and Joseph as they search for lodging at Bethlehem.

Participants visit several locations along the street where they ask to be housed--and are rejected. Their acceptance at last brings forth rejoicing and a pinata for the children to break. Las Posadas will continue nightly through Christmas Eve starting at 8 p.m. An hour of musical entertainment precedes the procession.

Part of the evening’s fune is to sample traditional Mexican Christmas fare, including sweet tamales, crisp bunuelos and steaming cups of hot, thick Champurrado. At La Luz del Dia, Champurrado is made in the old way with fresh corn masa, tablets of spiced chocolate imported from Mexico, sugar, milk and cinnamon sticks. It’s a bracing concoction for a chilly night and a nice accompaniment to the restaurant’s raisin-sprinkled sweet tamales.

Here is a recipe for Champurrado adapted to instant masa, which is more widely available than fresh masa. If the drink becomes too thick as it cooks, thin it with a little additional milk.

CHAMPURRADO

3 cups milk

1 tablet Mexican chocolate

1 cinnamon stick

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup instant masa

1 1/2 cups cold water

Combine milk, chocolate, cinnamon stick and sugar in large saucepan. Simmer gently until chocolate is dissolved, stirring occasionally.

In bowl, blend masa with cold water. Add gradually to hot milk mixture, stirring slowly for about 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and serve hot in mugs. Makes 4 1/2 cups.