Cacao rules! Chili powder gives this cacao drink a spicy flavor. I drink it every day.

In a saucepan, combine a tablespoon of cacao powder, a few shakes of cinnamon, and 1-2 tbsps of honey. Add a mug’s worth of water. Some traditions say to heat the water to just above body temperature. Others say to boil the water. This makes the drink less bitter. Stir the drink with a whisk. Pour it into a mug and add a pinch of chili powder. Perfect bliss!

I have made a decision about Cacao, the raw unrefined form of chocolate which I love so much. Put simply: go for the whole bean!

I started by eating or trying to grind nibs, pieces of the actual bean. This provides the raw bean experience, but with a lot of labor.Next, I used powders a lot. These have a big advantage when it comes to usability and versatility, but the consumer does not know how much refinement went into the product. Additionally, the powder has the fats of the bean removed. Still, the raw powder provides a satisfactory experience. Nevertheless, it does not provide the whole bean.

At some point, I tried Cacao Paste, from Nuts Online. This provides the raw full bean, but in an easy to use form. I used it for a time, went back to the powder when they came out with a raw form, and after evaluating everything I have decided to return to the paste, and to the full bean. You can have a lot of fun with the powder, and I honor it, but something just feels so right about using the full bean.

I have to also credit Taza Chocolate for getting me to notice the difference, since I noticed it when trying their discs after using the powder for a while. I totally love Taza as well, they make the real deal if you want something convenient. Of course, you will pay a little more for the labor and love that goes into them. If you want something economical, go for the cacao paste. Whatever you choose, go for the whole bean!

Working with the ground whole bean gives a different experience. The increased fat means that you should whisk it very well while making it, and even a little after it has dissolved. That brings me to the most wonderful part, especially if you enjoy making a cacao drink. The solid cacao dissolves as soon as the water reaches the proper temperature. This makes it very easy to make the perfect cup. It also makes it the most blind-friendly and accessible solution!

The whole bean tastes and feels better. It has a fuller taste, more akin to a fine wine or something even better. My skin gets a special feel, as if turning to bronze. Weeeee! Oh yes, I love the full bean! Minimal refinement also means a full-featured feeling and a foamy cup. You may want to keep a spoon handy to stir it as you drink it.

In conclusion, if you want to try this wonderful thing called Cacao, the raw unrefined form of chocolate, get something that gives you the full bean. This includes cacao paste from Nuts Online, discs from Taza Chocolate, or just crunch on some nibs. If you didn’t understand a word of this entry, search for Cacao on this blog or elsewhere, and learn about this wonderful thing. Don’t just equate cacao and chocolate, because chocolate doesn’t give you a buzz!

Bec and I got to try three kinds of chocolate-covered almonds. Almond A came from Nuts Online.
Almond B came from Campbell’s Healthfood store, in Des Moines. Almond C came from Taza!

Almond A has a smaller size and harder shape. The chocolate tastes
more bitter, and contrasts well with the almond. It stood up very well
against both other kinds of almonds, which cost more.

Almond B has a thicker, creamier, richer layer of chocolate around
it than Almond A. Yes! It does cost $16/pound, so it better taste
good! It does.

Almond C, since it comes from Taza, tastes completely unique. It has the healthiest chocolate, closest to raw cacao. It has a more subtle taste.

We hope you enjoyed our review of three types of chocolate covered almonds.

I love cacao, the raw form of chocolate, as anyone who knows me or reads my blog regularly knows. For a while, I have used cacao powder primarily, due to its convenience. When I ate Taza chocolate, as detailed in a previous entry, I fell in love with it, and sensed a difference. I just found out why.

Confusion has always existed regarding the difference between cacao, cocoa, cacao powder, and cocoa powder. Strictly speaking, cacao refers to the raw unprocessed form of chocolate. Cocoa refers to the processed form of cacao, commonly used to make chocolate. One might think therefore, that cacao powder simply refers to ground up nibs (bits of cacao beans) in an unprocessed raw form, and that cocoa powder refers to a processed powder. One might also assume that something labeled “Raw, Organic Cacao Powder” would not have any processing. However, you know what they say about what happens when you assume: it makes an ass out of you and me.

I recently wanted to purchase some Cacao powder from NutsOnline. They offer the best prices and fast shipping. To my dismay, I saw the following warning:

This product is heated during the manufacturing process and is not considered raw.

I felt shocked and disgusted with myself for not noticing this. Now I understood the difference. Some quick searching confirmed my suspicions. Most cacao powder refers to the separated mass of the cacao, with the fats removed, and often gets heated to as high as 350F! Some does not, and some cacao powder even does just refer to the ground nibs, but most cacao powder has the fats removed, and heating of course destroys many of the beneficial ingredients. Taza uses the whole bean, giving it a fuller flavor. This explained everything, and I could taste and feel the difference.

Fortunately, NutsOnline offers another product, Cacao Paste, which does not employ heating, and as soon as I used it, I could again taste the full flavor and feel the difference. Oof! Boom! Yeah!

The moral of the story: Just because something advertises itself as raw organic Cacao powder does not make it so. It depends on the manufacturing process. It may actually not use excessive heat, but it most likely does, and most likely has the fats removed. I need all the beneficial fat I can get! I feel somewhat betrayed, but will give credit where due: at least NutsOnline put that honest warning. Go for the paste, even though you can’t measure it as easily, buy Taza, or find some other way to guarantee that you get the full raw product to enjoy the full raw Cacao experience. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

I celebrated my 32nd birthday on the 14th. My cousin gave me some Taza Chocolate. I unwrapped a hand-wrapped packet containing two elegant discs. I slowly ate a disc throughout the course of the evening, and felt quite fine – a real smooth buzz. I ordered a case upon returning home. First class!

Each disc contains organic cacao, organic cane sugar, and a particular flavor, such as chili powder, cinnamon, or salt and almonds. The disc breaks cleanly. Either break off a small piece, or grate some and combine it with hot (not boiling) water. The disc makes the most convenient form for the cacao enthusiast. Never go without.

Along with the convenience, the discs contain the highest quality cacao. Each kind of cacao has a different feel. Some have a more physical stimulation, with social overtones. Others have a more cerebral feel. Still others have a more spacey psychedelic feel, and these discs joyfully fall into this category. They will take you to Cloud Nine. I love these discs! Thumbs up to Taza!