a public service announcement regarding (real) chocolate

[Guest guest]

Cocoa powder and blackstrap molasses are a match made in heaven. This

pairing is very low in sugar, very high in minerals (especially

calcium and magnesium!), and ridiculously high in dark chocolate

bliss. Their respective bitterness blends and there's just enough

sweetness to temper it. Try equal amounts and then adjust the ratio

in either direction to suit the occasion.

Some basic recipes:

1. Put hot water, cocoa and molasses into a mason jar (12 or 16 ounce

for one serving, generally filling only halfway), seal with dome +

band lid or the more pleasant dome + white plastic lid version. Shake

vigorously and drink while still foamy! It's what I call " my daily

mineral drink " . :-)

2. Same as (1) but use half the water and after shaking, add milk and

shake again.

3. Same as (1) or (2) but add a raw egg yolk or two for massive

amounts of both nutrition and foam!

4. Using hand-stirring, a food processor, or a whipper, mix cocoa and

molasses with cream or coconut cream for a great pudding or ganache,

or proceed to make ice cream. Optionally add raw egg yolks.

Optionally add some freshly ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, sea

salt, etc.

5. Mix cocoa and molasses with dried anchovies and form into

bite-sized balls for a delicious and concentrated snack that keeps

well in the fridge for weeks, using a ratio that gives a suitably

thick consistency. I had a name for these that I can't recall.

6. Using a food processor or a mortar/pestle/hand-stirring technique,

mix cocoa and molasses with some combination of almonds (germinated),

peanuts (germinated), cashews, walnuts, dried coconut, dried dates,

dried figs, dried berries, spices, etc and form into snack-sized

chunks, e.g. bars (a la Larabar), balls, hearts, etc for a convenient

snack that'll keep in the fridge for weeks and is so outrageously

delicious, wise, and radical in its simplicity that I call it " The

Postmodern Confection " . As in (5), adjust the ratio to get a very

thick consistency.

7. Using a blender, mix cocoa, molasses, raw liver (beef, lamb, etc),

and the water and meat from a young coconut for a superb " fast food "

meal. As the coconut water is quite sweet, some people may prefer to

reduce the amount of molasses.

-Mike