Riding the High of Cacao

Have you ever wondered what to do with those raw cacao beans you purchased at the health food store? Remember, those little brown beans of totally unprocessed chocolate that you then gagged on at home because they were so bitter? Fear not, the beans themselves and a clean coffee grinder are all you need to bring anti-oxidant-rich raw chocolate into your life.

Since I've been avoiding tea again (as it inhibits iron absorption), I found the blogging buzz I lacked this morning by placing several heaping tablespoons of freshly ground cacao into a pan of organic milk. I then added a teaspoon of honey, and subsequently enjoyed a bitter cup of hot chocolate on this rainy afternoon that gave me a surge of creative energy! Wheeee...

I'll have to remember this drink the next time I tackle the clutter in the basement (which since mentioning to you, I've realized is more than 12 feet square--not 10--and about six feet high. Thanks for your supportive posts regarding the closet/basement cleaning rituals by the way! I will soon provide vitally important advice on how to purge your home of reminders of deceased people and disappointing relationships.)

In the meantime, here's a better, more official recipe for cacao-packed hot cocoa. And here's a good article about the people who find ingesting cacao a near-religious experience.