Cocoa 'might prevent memory decline'

[ahinton]

Drinking cocoa every day may help older people keep their brains healthy, research suggests.

A study of 60 elderly people with no dementia found two cups of cocoa a day improved blood flow to the brain in those who had problems to start with.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23607879

I don't know about you, but wild horses couldn't get me to drink cocoa in the late evening. Horlicks, Bournvita (my mother's favourite), Milo, Ovaltine - what's your favourite bedtime drink?

They'd not persuade me to drink any of those things at any time of day! Favourite? Well, I can't see what's wrong with a wee cognac meself...

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Well, I can't see what's wrong with a wee cognac meself...

too small ahinton, too small ....

[Bryn]

Strong cocoa with dash of rum.

[Pabmusic]

Strong cocoa with dash of rum.

Living in the Philippines, as I do, you get to understand many things from a different angle. The country does grow cocoa (pronounced 'cock-wa') though it's not that common in the area I live. The simplest form to buy comes in small, hard cakes about 1" across and 1/4" deep. You simply boil them in a saucepan with sugar and water, or perhaps condensed milk. So, of course, I had to try it.

It was disgusting. Truly. I couldn't believe it. Gritty and bitter (and those were it's good qualities). My brother-in-law saved the day by pointing out that many people drink it with what is any sugar-producing country's most important produce - rum. So we added some and - hey presto! - it was excellent.

Evidently rum & cocoa was a marriage of necessity.

[ahinton]

too small ahinton, too small ....

That depends on how the word "wee" is interpreted and, it being a Scottish one and me being a Scot and thus generous spirited, the measure concerned could well be of sufficient millilitres to satisfy you!

[hedgehog]

sufficient millilitres

Well there you go then. A measurement in centilitres might well be generous, but otherwise.............

Back to hot chocolate. I once bought from a Lindt shop their hot chocolate flakes and it was really good, but I don't think supermarkets carry it which is a great shame. But one doesn't need to shave chocolate into milk to make a good hot chocolate. 25 gr of good quality e.g. Green & Black 70% or Lindt dark chocolate broken into 1/4 cup of milk, microwave for ± 30 seconds, taKe out, stir, fill with milk & then microwave for a further ± 60 seconds will give a delicious cup (my preference ± 4 pm on a wintry day). Times vary according to power of microwave, 25 grams choc a minimum, more if you like it strong.

Edit: No microwave? Then same procedure on the hob: melt the chocolate by breaking it up and whisking languidly in 1/4 - 1/3 cup of milk. When thoroughly melted add the rest of the milk and heat to the required temperature. Easier in many ways to making cocoa, the quality of the chocolate tells in the final product. Cadbury's to be shunned!

[Frances_iom]

..Cadbury's to be shunned!

do Cadburys still make Chocolate ? I thought they now solely produce chocolate flavoured confectionery (recall the old EU attempt to ban UK chocolate being called such, as it contained so little cocoa) with much more sugar + other junk than cocoa in their products

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

millilitres! millilitres? what's wrong with a bottle or two? .... er ahem that is why i might now need the whatsit this thread could be about ... er is it?


my son sent me this, not sure why ....

[greenilex]

Must go This Very Morning to the local co-op to find whatever chocolate they provide and make a drink with it...fairtrade goes without saying, natch.

Oliver Twist in the bath drawn by shire-horses made me laugh out loud.

[greenilex]

P.S. It really is morning here in Iowa City, where I'm staying with my son and his family just now.

[ahinton]

millilitres! millilitres? what's wrong with a bottle or two?

What? Nightly?!?...

Well, I suppose that it would soon preclude my ability to post to this forum...

[alycidon]

Well, I don't drink cocoa per se, but I have a mug of hot chocolate made with milk at around 1030hrs, and then another, made solely with hot water, before going to bed.

I'm alright then? Well, I hope that I am!

[Nick Armstrong]

Well, I don't drink cocoa per se, but I have a mug of hot chocolate made with milk at around 1030hrs, and then another, made solely with hot water, before going to bed.

I'm alright then? Well, I hope that I am!

What was the question?

[alycidon]

What was the question?

I dunno. I've forgotten!

[Nick Armstrong]

I dunno. I've forgotten!

Oh well!

Love the shaggy friend in your avatar pic