Cocoa 'might prevent memory decline'

[amateur51]

Review in due course, s.v.p.!

Oh yes please Anna

[Ferretfancy]

IN PRAISE OF COCOA

Half-past nine-high time for supper,
"Cocoa love?" "of course my dear"
Helen thinks it's quite delicious,
John prefers it now to beer.
Knocking back the sepia potion,
Hubby winks, says, "Who's for bed?"
" Shan't be long", says Helen softly,
Cheeks a faintly flushing red.
For they've stumbled on a secret
Of a love that never wanes,
Rapt beneath the tumbled bedclothes
Cocoa coursing through their veins.

Stanley B Sharpless

[amateur51]

IN PRAISE OF COCOA

Half-past nine-high time for supper,
"Cocoa love?" "of course my dear"
Helen thinks it's quite delicious,
John prefers it now to beer.
Knocking back the sepia potion,
Hubby winks, says, "Who's for bed?"
" Shan't be long", says Helen softly,
Cheeks a faintly flushing red.
For they've stumbled on a secret
Of a love that never wanes,
Rapt beneath the tumbled bedclothes
Cocoa coursing through their veins.

Stanley B Sharpless

Brilliant post Ferret - how I miss my weekly Stanley B Sharpless

[greenilex]

Well, my memory is much as it was, but my veins are well and truly furry after the huge washbasin of very sweet chocolate topped with animal fats I was served at a place called Panera in the Mall near here. Not Healthy at all.

[jayne lee wilson]

That sounds delicious, but for us mere mortals - what recommendations for a rich, smooth, satisfying, hot chocolate drink readily available in supermarkets? I don't mind paying over the odds (as it won't be an everyday beverage) and one that is made with full fat milk of course, not hot water. (Gosh, I really fancy a cup right now!)

I THOUGHT someone had mentioned Hot Chocolate... Twinings do, or did, a lovely Swiss blend which I made with Jersey Milk most bedtimes... until, following an (actually rather good) redesign of our local store, Sainsburys discontinued it**. It comes in a nicely tubby, choccie-coloured round tin. Must be available somewhere, but for now I use Green & Blacks, whose only drawback (typical of the breed really) is having to use a fair bit of it per mug to "achieve satisfaction"... when I put it on the shopping list, it tends to appear as "Dr Choc".

I remember trying to save coupons to get that Cadburys square blue mug, but never got one. Did get the Three Bears with Kleenex coupons though. I always take Baby Bear to the RLPO in my bag, with his head sticking out. (Look, if it's good enough for Courtney Love...)

(**and that wasn't all. They took away the toys too, so I can no longer take a break halfway round to peer at the plastic dinosaurs ).

[scottycelt]

Hello scottycelt - I wondered when you'd eventually pop up! And how you've spoilt it for me - I'm not even going to look at your link. I'm just going to shove my head in the sand and go on believing that my hot chocolate will ward off memory loss! [Why don't the icons work every time?]

A Cocoa Pop?

Relax, Aly. The vital aspect missed by all these almost daily findings and surveys produced by our 'experts' is the uniqueness of each human body. So that if onions cause bunions in some the pungent plant is just as likely to prevent the condition in others.

So you stick to your chocolate hot or cold. If it makes you feel better it is almost certainly doing you good though a little too much will almost certainly make you ill.

Dr Scottycelt.

[Ferretfancy]

I know the Aztecs used chocolate in cooking, rather than the familiar drink we have now, but I've seen a number of bizarre recipes using it as a flavouring in meat dishes and other concoctions. I wonder if any brave soul on these boards has attempted anything of the kind, and if so what were the results like ?

[Richard Tarleton]

I know the Aztecs used chocolate in cooking, rather than the familiar drink we have now, but I've seen a number of bizarre recipes using it as a flavouring in meat dishes and other concoctions. I wonder if any brave soul on these boards has attempted anything of the kind, and if so what were the results like ?

Ferret, I had a sublime "perdiz [partridge] en chocolate" in a high-end restaurant in La Alberca, Spain (near Salamanca) a few years ago, washed down with a superb Ribera del Duero. The chocolate serves to enrich the sauce, and is not at all bizarre - we're not talking pears belle helene chocolate gloop here. Various recipes on t'internet, here's one.

It was September - my first course was a plate of local wild mushrooms, them a sort of bean casserole, then the partridge - by itself, with just the sauce - can't remember what came after that.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've had it with venison a couple of times, something along these lines:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/oct/15/roast-venison-with-chocolate-sauce-recipe

[Pabmusic]

I know the Aztecs used chocolate in cooking, rather than the familiar drink we have now, but I've seen a number of bizarre recipes using it as a flavouring in meat dishes and other concoctions. I wonder if any brave soul on these boards has attempted anything of the kind, and if so what were the results like ?

I regularly use 1 teaspoonful of cocoa in a chilli con carne. I believe it's supposed to be authentic, and it thickens the sauce rather well. More than a teaspoonful is risky, though, because it's quite a strong flavour (slightly surprisingly, perhaps).

[amateur51]

Ferret, I had a sublime "perdiz [partridge] en chocolate" in a high-end restaurant in La Alberca, Spain (near Salamanca) a few years ago, washed down with a superb Ribera del Duero. The chocolate serves to enrich the sauce, and is not at all bizarre - we're not talking pears belle helene chocolate gloop here. Various recipes on t'internet, here's one.

It was September - my first course was a plate of local wild mushrooms, them a sort of bean casserole, then the partridge - by itself, with just the sauce - can't remember what came after that.

I find that it adds a base/bass note to sauces too, something you might miss if it wasn't there. I think it's worth trying to see if you like it

[Anna]

Review in due course, s.v.p.!

To be honest, I don't know that I can because, a) I am not a habitual hot chocolate drinker and, b) I've been so busy with other things I've only had three mugs of it, but - in a word - disappointed. I thought it would be 'special' but I found it rather lacking in taste and chocolateyness and somehow, it tasted rather insipid even though I increased the quantity on the last mug. However, I'll finish it before trying another brand. The tin is very pretty though. I can also report that here at least Bournvita and Milo are completely unobtainable.

As to chocolate in Mexican cooking, years back someone I knew used chocolate (not cocoa powder) in his chili con carne (made with steak, not mince, cooked for about 6 hours) and it had a wonderful depth of flavour, he's now moved away and I have no means of checking the recipe.

[Nick Armstrong]

it tasted rather insipid

I seem to remember you have to use a lot to make a decent cup/mug.

Sorry you were disappointed!

[ahinton]

I can also report that here at least Bournvita and Milo are completely unobtainable.

MILO? I thought that was the Magazine of the Imperial League of Opera, whose editor, Peter Warlock, died soon after it folded after a mere three issues - and that was a very long time ago, unlike my ignorance!...

[teamsaint]

I THOUGHT someone had mentioned Hot Chocolate... Twinings do, or did, a lovely Swiss blend which I made with Jersey Milk most bedtimes... until, following an (actually rather good) redesign of our local store, Sainsburys discontinued it**. It comes in a nicely tubby, choccie-coloured round tin. Must be available somewhere, but for now I use Green & Blacks, whose only drawback (typical of the breed really) is having to use a fair bit of it per mug to "achieve satisfaction"... when I put it on the shopping list, it tends to appear as "Dr Choc".

I remember trying to save coupons to get that Cadburys square blue mug, but never got one. Did get the Three Bears with Kleenex coupons though. I always take Baby Bear to the RLPO in my bag, with his head sticking out. (Look, if it's good enough for Courtney Love...)

(**and that wasn't all. They took away the toys too, so I can no longer take a break halfway round to peer at the plastic dinosaurs ).

Seems to be available from Tesco, Jayne.i wil keep an eye out for it.

Even your supermarket shopping seems to be done with style !!