For Mexico (NAPSA)—Americans are crazy over chocolate, and according to a leading travel company serving Mexico’s famed vacation destinations, we have Mexico to thankforit. (oe @ The Aztecs and Mayans cultivated the cocoa bean for centuries. They ground and roasted the beans, added water and spicy chili peppers, and voila, created Chocolatl. Montezumaservedit to the conquistadores, who took the drink (with sugar added) back to Spain, whereit created a sensation. Whereas 99 percent of the world regards chocolate asstrictly candy, Mexico has an entire cuisine based on the cocoa bean. In Oaxaca, the center of this cuisine, restaurants vie to create mouth- watering dishes with mole (pronounced ‘molay’) sauce as the principal flavoring ingredient. The smoky, complex, chocolate-based sauce is delicious over chicken, pork, tamales, you nameit. For some of the tastiest (and affordable!) travel packages to Mexico, where you can sampleall kinds of exotic cuisine, call your travel agent or Pleasant Holidays at 800-448-3333, or visit www.PleasantHolidays.com.
