Be sure to enter our giveaway at the bottom of this post!If you come from a Spanish-speaking home you’ve probably heard the little rhyme that counts to three and spells out chocolate. If not, you might have learned it from the breakthrough interactive bilingual show, Dora the Explorer. Either way, this popular song is a fun way to learn about a delicious custom of making a frothy hot chocolate drink by whipping or beating it with a whisk.
Where does the song come from? It’s hard to tell since it seems to be quite old. Versions of this little rhyme has been found in children’s schoolbooks from Spain dating back to the 1600’s. The lyrics are simple and really easy to learn for Spanish and non-Spanish speakers, alike. The song counts to three (uno, dos tres), then it spells out the word “chocolate”(CHO CO LA TE). The word “báte” is from the Spanish verb “batear” meaning to whip or beat.
Why is the chocolate being beaten or whipped? It’s how this version of the drink is prepared. Instead of just heating and drinking, you make this treat by putting all the delicious ingredients together, heating them up and then whisking them together with a tool called a molinillo.
A molinillo is a special type of whisk. It’s a carved stick that is rubbed back and forth between your hands. By whipping the chocolate like this, extra air is added to the drink giving it a lighter, fluffier texture. It’s my guess that it took a bit of time to get the chocolate really light and fluffy, so a counting song would probably help pass the time while the drink was being prepared, especially if a child was helping out and lending a hand in rubbing the molinillo back and forth.
Many cooks have their favorite recipes for creating the delicious hot chocolate drink but you can’t go wrong in trying some of the pre-made hot chocolate mixes such as “Abuelita”. It’s a great way to venture into the world of Mexican hot chocolate. In fact, you can win a kit – that includes a container of Abuelita chocolate mix and a fancy, carved molinillo stick right here, compliments of DARIA MUSIC. See details below
Báte, Báte Chocolate – Online Lyrics
Báte, Báte Chocolate- Printable Lyric Sheet
Free Download of Báte, Báte Chocolate on DARIA’s monthly song page
World Music children’s performer DARIA (Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou) has spent the last two decades performing in the USA and around the world, creating music to inspire all the world’s children. Along with national awards for her culturally diverse music, Daria’s website (www.dariamusic.com) was given a 2009 Parent’s Choice Award and offers many great resources for teachers, parents and kids of all abilities.
You can find DARIA’s music, musical crafts and e-books on her TeachersPay Teachers site or at her Little Village Store.
Daria
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I love Mexican hot chocolate! I wouldn’t have missed this giveaway for the world! Thanks Daria!
And my favorite way to enjoy Mexican hot chocolate? With friends and family who also love Mexican hot chocolate! And maybe with a leftover butter sautéed Mexican tamale too! 😉
With my kids and some pan dulce!
Oh, that’s what that’s for! My mother brought one of those whisks back from Mexico, but didn’t know what it was – so glad to know.
We love hot chocolate with lots of tiny marshmallows! Thanks for the giveaway chance!
At home, with marshmallows and fresh fruit. With my students in L2, pretzel sticks. I’d love to show them how to make real Mexican hot chocolate!
Me encanta el chocolate sentada al lado del fuego, con malvaviscos y un pan dulce o un tamal, y compartido con mi hijita! 🙂
Hot….chocolate….I have always wanted a molinillo!
I enjoy it with some pan dulce!
I love having Mexican hot chocolate with my son after we’ve been out playing in the cold.
We’ll have to track this down for our culture study on Mexico — that would be fun, chocolate around the world…
What a fabulous multicultural addition to a Winter study unit this would be! I have personally never seen or tasted hot chocolate made this way and it would be a great experience for all senses! It seems like yesterday when my children watched Dora the Explorer sing “Báte, Báte, Chocolate!” Thank you for the opportunity!
Carla M.
I remember learning this song in elementary school from my music teacher/Spanish teacher. We got to see them use the molinillo and heard all about the hot chocolate (some were spicy!).
Thanks for writing about this! I think I’ll have to share with my students (a mostly Hispanic population… they’ll love it!)
I like hot chocolate with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.
I like hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream!
I love it with whipped cream.
I love hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream and some pan dulce! Thanks for having such a great giveaway – and reminding me of good times with my mom and starting new ones with my kids. My 19 month old has become the latest fan of “Bate, Bate, Chocolate!”.
I love to make Abuelita Mexican Hot Chocolate! I also love making cocoa from scratch with cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, and milk on the stove.
My husband always talks about his grandmother making hot cocoa this same way in Philippines, in her home on the beach, over a fire (no electricity in her remote area!). So neat to see it here, too!
MY favorite way is to share it with the people I love the most!
I’m always looking for ways to practice Spanish. This will be fun & delicious!
In front of the fireplace!
I love Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses in my hot chocolate!
We love it with cinnamon & some fresh pan 😉