| As a lover of organic chocolate (I especially love | | | | but here is what I do. Get raw organic cacao beans |
| truffles), I often enjoy a chocolate drink, and I | | | | -- they must be organic, since the organic cacao is |
| thought that it is a good idea to share my thought | | | | far more flavorful than the non-organic stuff is. You |
| about it. | | | | can start from raw cacao nibs, which are cacao |
| Most people make a "hot chocolate" drink from | | | | beans that have been shelled and broken into small |
| cocoa powder with milk. Well, it is tasty, but, in my | | | | pieces. Personally, I think that once the skin has been |
| opinion, it is not a real "chocolate" drink. it is a "cocoa" | | | | peeled off, the cacao beans are exposed to oxygen |
| drink. When chocolate manufacturers process cacao | | | | in the air and get oxidized faster. This kills the vitamin |
| beans, they separate cacao beans into cacao (cocoa) | | | | C and other complex amino acids which create |
| powder and cacao oil, and what you get in cocoa | | | | varieties of flavors. So, I prefer to start from the |
| powder is only half of the flavor of the original cacao | | | | raw cacao beans. |
| beans. | | | | First, break the bean so that you can peel the skin |
| Then there are people who know more about what | | | | off. About 20 beans is a good amount for a small cup |
| makes a real chocolate drink. They get unsweetened | | | | (espresso size), which is more than enough to give |
| 100% chocolate bars, shred them, mix the chocolate | | | | you a buzz. If you are ambitious, use hand-grinding |
| with milk and sugar, and create a really creamy drink. | | | | equipment. I recommend a large stone grinder with a |
| Again, this is fine, but it is still not quite right. They | | | | crushing wheel. If not, use a coffee grinder which |
| use milk, and this destroys the many beneficial and | | | | opens at the top. The hand-grinding is better since it |
| flavorful chemicals in the chocolate! | | | | will not create much frictional heat (which destroys |
| Now, the truest of the chocolate drink aficionados | | | | chemicals in the beans), but again it can take quite a |
| make their chocolate drink without milk. They use | | | | bit of time and effort. |
| only hot water and sugar. Occasionally, they will use | | | | Grind the bean until it gets pasty. Yes, it becomes |
| espresso coffee to spike the caffeine content, but | | | | pasty, since it still has the cacao oil in it. That is the |
| water is the basic element. This recipe needs slightly | | | | main difference from cocoa powder. Scoop the |
| more chocolate than the one outlined above, and it is | | | | paste out from the grinder into a small, heat-resistant |
| harder to make it creamy--milk protein gets gooey | | | | glass bowl. Then mix it with a little honey. I prefer to |
| when it is heated up, and this is what makes the | | | | use chestnut honey, since the flavor matches really |
| drink so creamy. The real aficionados solve this | | | | well with cacao, but you can try different kinds and |
| problem by using the same kind of hand-held blender | | | | see what you like best. Another one I like is Hawaiian |
| that makes cappuccino cream fluffy. | | | | white honey; it has a vanilla flavor. Depending your |
| I suggest that we should go further, and here is why: | | | | taste, one or two teaspoons of honey is plenty. |
| cacao beans are well known to be from one of most | | | | If you like, you can mix in a little bit of cinnamon or |
| potent medicinal plants available on Earth. Its | | | | even some chili powder, or any of your other |
| anti-oxidant content is more than 10 times higher | | | | favorite spices at this stage. |
| than that of green tea. It contains very high levels of | | | | Mix well. Then pour in hot water -- hot, but not |
| vitamins and minerals, has tons of complex amino | | | | boiling. If you like, you can use espresso coffee, |
| acids, and is one of most studied "herbal" medicines in | | | | black tea, or yerba mate tea. (I have even tried |
| academia. This is why so many people have started | | | | green tea, but it does not work well. I guess the |
| eating dark chocolate: not only does it taste good, | | | | flavor of green tea is too weak to work well with |
| but it is really good for you, too! | | | | cacao.) Do not put in too much water at this stage, |
| This is not the whole truth, however. Although | | | | but be sure to mix it well. Then pour the mixture |
| several studies have said that dark chocolate is high | | | | though a sieve or strainer to remove the rough bits |
| in anti-oxidants and minerals when compared to milk | | | | of any un-crushed cacao beans. This is really a must |
| chocolate, many other beneficial elements, such as | | | | if you have used the hand-grinding method. After |
| vitamin C and amino acids, are broken down by the | | | | straining the mixture, add a bit more hot water. Then |
| heating process used in manufacturing chocolate. that | | | | use the handheld mixer to "fluff" up the drink and |
| is a pity. | | | | make it creamy. |
| So what can we do? If you are a real chocolate | | | | Once you get the hang of it, you can add many |
| "aficionado," you should start from cacao beans! It | | | | other tricks to this and maybe even make a better |
| requires hard work and time, but it is well worth the | | | | version yourself. As for me, this is how I make my |
| effort. | | | | real chocolate drink and I am happy with it. Enjoy! |
| There are probably many ways to make the drink, | | | | |