The scenic drive from Santa Fe up to Taos is magical. The landscape turns from red rocks to green forests and snow capped mountains, all within the space a couple of hours. We passed through villages with a feel of Old Spain, some known for their wood carvings, others for their numerous artists. And then, at the end of the road, is Taos, a blend of Hispanic, Native American and Western Ango cultures with a hint of Wild West.
Taos Pueblo, just outside of Taos, is a series of houses build during AD 1000 with no energy or running water, and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Hundred of inhabitants still dwell here in adobe buildings sitting at the base of a snow capped mountain. Little has changed here in over 600 years. We had a delicious lunch at Orlando’s on our way to the slightly terrifying Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, a high suspension bridge.
After a stunning day in the area I was craving a hot chocolate, more specifically a deep Mexican hot chocolate. We did a bit of a search online and found a recent article from the local newspaper that raved about the Mexican hot chocolate at World Cup Cafe right in the centre of historic Taos. The article said that it was spicy and rich and comes topped with whip cream and a dusting of cinnamon. World Cup was full of locals warming up over cups of coffee. I ordered my small hot chocolate and asked for it to drink in.
World Cup Café is a tiny café. It is basically just a counter to order, a few stools to sit near the windows and then some blue benches along the outside of the store where you can watch Taos go by. The walls are covered in money from around the world and the blackboard is a long list of caffeine delights (apparently incredible). World Cup Café is all about “walking the talk” and chooses ingredient integrity and quality over low cost. Coffee beans are organic, dairy products are from a farmer owned organic valley co-op, baked goods are all organic ingredients. Even the honey is local and organic.
My hot chocolate was presented to me in a paper cup, with no whipped cream (or even the option), and no dusting of cinnamon (as the article suggested it would). It was a very sweet version of Mexican hot chocolate, and didn’t have the complex chilli and spice notes that I was hoping for. What was interesting though was that it had a hint of nuts in it which was unique and I found quite fascinating. I couldn’t pick out what kind of nut, walnut perhaps?
Verdict: Not quite what I was expecting but a really nice finish to a fantastic day. World Cup, 102 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, New Mexico, USA
