Welcome to The Hopsack
Love is in the air…
February 14th, 2010…or is it just your lover’s scent?
Love sweet love has inspired singers, artists and poets, blacksmiths and cowgirls since the dawn of time.
Everyone, that is, except scientists, who – with heartbreaking froideur – have boiled the alchemy of love down to chemistry.
Or pheromones, to be exact. Pheromones are molecules secreted by animals (yes, that includes us!) to influence the behaviour of others of our kind. They launch the dance of attraction that leads to mating, children, and the perpetuation of our species.
(So that’s what that fat little cherub has been dipping his arrows into all along…!)
According to evolutionary geneticist Dr Aoife McLysaght, science can explain why, in spite of repeated resolutions to the contrary, we flirt with the office scoundrel rather than cuddling up to the boy next door: we are simply looking for the fittest mate with whom to make the healthiest babies.
Forget soul mates and astrological compatibility; we want our kids to wear his genes!
So how does our sense of smell determine whose jeans we get into?
In a well-known experiment, several women were asked to sniff T-shirts worn by a variety of men. Different women found different T-shirts attractive. Why? Because they could sense an immune-related gene in that stallion smell and were drawn to guys with immunity least like their own.
If a couple’s immune genes are dissimilar, it suggests they are less likely to be related and less in danger of in-breeding. (I’m not sure how this impacts upon cousins who fall in love, but anyway…!) Inheriting different immune genes from each parent gives a child a healthy mix of diverse genetic material, which in turn leads to a more robust immune system.
So it’s not your fault if you fancy the bad boys and nasty girls. It’s chemical, Mother! Chemical…!
But what if your pheromones are on strike and you’re spending Valentine’s Day alone (again)? Despair not. There is information to suggest that veggie eaters are more attractive and sexy to their partners!
Dr Max Lake, Sydney hand surgeon, wine-maker and ‘flavourologist’ who ‘[attempted] to understand how taste, smell and flavour shaped humanity,’ evolved the fascinating theory that people who eat fresh carrots, parsley and green, leafy vegetables exude different, more attractive pheromones.
It makes sense to me. Green leafy veggies and parsley contain lots of deodorising chlorophyll to neutralise pong and allow the free-flow of fresher olfactory vibes…! Try adding lots of greens and fresh raw fruit and veg to your diet and watch your love life blossom 
Although scent is essential, science suggests other tricky reasons why you might fancy one potential mate over another, including facial features, the way he walks, or the tone of her voice… If you’re curious to learn more about the inner workings of love, sashay down to The Science Gallery in Trinity College, Dublin. The Gallery is hosting an expo entitled Love Lab: The Science of Desire until 12 March 2010. Cupid v Darwin? Who’s gonna score? You decide!
As an incurable romantic, however, I feel compelled to pose a few questions before I depart…
How does science explain the heartbreak of unrequited love? If you are drawn to that hot chick’s immune genes, why is she – by the same token – not attracted to yours? Waaaah!
Why do we fancy people who seem familiar on a ’soul’ level? Is it simply a trick of the night?
What about personality? In my experience, a quirk of character can turn good-looking into irresistible!
How does Darwin explain the slow burn, or suddenly falling in loooove with that lad or lassie you’ve known forever?
Maybe I need a trip to the Love Lab to find out. Or maybe there is more – ultimately – to the mystery of love than meets the electronic eye.
Happy Vally Day, One and All xox
Having a Ball
February 13th, 2010I’ve been having great fun this weekend making herb balls for customers to taste on Monday afternoon.
Rude Health Week begins on Monday 15th, in case you had forgotten. The Hopsack has all sorts of exciting things going on in-store during the week, including practitioners offering advice and treatments and loads of tastings.
The week kicks off with a herbalist/iridologist (that’s me!) from 1 to 6 pm this Monday. Hence my busyness in the kitchen today. A novel way for children and adult wusses to take herbs is in yummy snack balls. Some are made with almond butter, tahini and honey, while others are made from minced apricots, dates, raisins and walnuts. Some contain Rhodiola and bee pollen (great for stressy types), others contain Slippery Elm Bark powder (excellent for calming or stimulating the gut - the intelligence of herbs would amaze you), while still others contain a mixture of Cascara Sagrada bark powder, Turkey Rhubarb root powder, Barberry bark powder and Cramp Bark powder to keep things moving down below. So not only do you get the herbs, but you also get a really nutritious snack too.
I’ll have tastings too, for those who dare, of Dragon Fire Super Tonic which is a wonderful way of promoting normal circulation and upper respiratory function. From cholesterol to sinusitis, this really does the business, but be warned - it’s firey stuff!
For anyone wanting a brief herbal or iridology consultation, I’ll be available between 1 and 6 pm. Do drop in.
Rude Health Week 2010 - Feb 15-21
February 12th, 2010Not actually intended to be indecent in any way, Rude Health week is a new initiative by the IAHS (Irish Association of Health Stores), that will see each health store drawing the best from local food producers and holistic therapists to bring you guys a week packed with trial consultations, tastings of artisan Irish foods and general fanfare of healthy zeal in great dollops each day for the next week. The schedule is fairly packed out in our own little store, so we’ll get straight to the run down of events…..(insert drumroll or alternatively simply make that wonderfully annoying noise with tongue)
Monday 15th February 1-6pm
Consultations with Erica Murray, founder of The Hopsack, nowadays to be found building a busy practise as a Herbalist and Iridologist locally in Rathmines.
Monday 7.30-8.30pm
The Launch Party!!
On Monday night from 7.30 pm we’re going to have a little launch party with lovely organic Spanish wine and nibbles from the Happy Pear and Ardsallagh cheesemakers. As The Hopsack has been awarded a Bridgestone Award this year we thought we would ask Caroline Byrne of the Bridgestone Guides to officiate, and guess what - she obliged!
Since our little shop is fit to burst with more than 10 people on the floor, we need to insist that those who’d like to attend send us a mail and we’ll try and count you in - we’d really love everyone to come along, but reality bites eh!
Tuesday 16th 11-3pm
Demonstration and tasting of Sowan’s lovely organic pancake mixes- wheat or spelt, get them while they’re hot!
Wednesday 17th 1-4pm
Karen Ward in-store!
Holistic therapist & author of recently published ‘Change a Little to Change a Lot’ will be on hand for free consultations and book signing.
Thursday 18th 2-6pm
*Very Special Sushi Day!*
Come and Learn the ‘Reverse California Roll’, Temaki, Futomaki and everything in between with our in-house sushi expert (you may know her as our delightful staff member Mayumi). get a handle on this wonderful cuisine- BANZAI!
Friday 19th
11-3pm - Free reflexology appointments with top practitioner, Ruth Wallace. A treat for the feet! Once again please e-mail us if you would like to book for a short, but wonderfully relaxing and therapeutic treatment with her on our shop floor.
3-7pm - Eden’s Original: tasting of delicious spelt crispbread. Yeast free. Yummy.
Saturday 20th ALL DAY
Consultations! with skilled nutritional therapists from ‘Positive Nutrition’. There will also be a few demos of little goodies you can make easily yourself to keep hunger at bay whilst stuffing your body with the finest nutrients on the planet - but they won’t cost the planet…at least that’s the plan, you’ll have to come and find out!
Sunday 21st 11-12pm
Helen Says RELAX - guided mindfulness meditation with Helen Byrne - yoga mats supplied, please book your place by mailing us for this very special opportunity with a very special lady.
Hope you enjoy it all!
A very happy Imbolc
February 1st, 2010Thig an nathair as an toll
Là donn Brìde,
Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd
Air leac an làir.
“The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Brigid,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground.”*As we sit on our little tightrope, halfway between the last soltice and the next equinox, let us all give a sigh of relief that the world is still turning and indeed spring is sprung (though I’ve yet to see a snowdrop but I’m sure these guys have).
Being nurtured in the belly, as the name Imbolc suggests (apparently a lambing derived title), is a great notion for this time of year I reckon. One other great notion is to make soup. This can be done anytime, doesn’t have to be a special day - though if you follow the directions below you’re sure to make it a special day, even if you weren’t especially fussed about having one
Celeriac and roasted hazelnut soup
(from Dennis Cotter’s Paradiso cookbook, though I couldn’t resist toying with it (see all the asterisked items? they’re new bits that we added!))
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 6 cloves garlic
- 500g celeriac
- 150g potatoes
- 1.2 litres veggie stock (Marigold bouillon does the trick)
- 40g haselnuss
- 1tsp dried dill
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- good olive oil
- 1 inch bit of fresh turmeric (or 1tsp dried turmeric)*
- 1/2 tsp cocoa powder*
- 1 can coconut milk*
- a couple of handfuls of medium spinach
First chop the onions, garlic and turmeric and sweat for about 10mins on a low heat (till the onions are clear not browned). Meanwhile peel and roughly chop the celeriac (till it begins to look like something you could eat) and scrub the potatoes and coarsely chop them too.
Stick the lot in with the onions, garlic and turmeric, adding the stock and simmer for 25mins or until everything is nice and tender but not completely soggy. Roast the hazels, taking care not to overdo it, then peel them by rubbing with a kitchen towel. Dennis has a lovely saying about this: ‘ …the skins will simply fall away after one or two rubbings. Any stubborn patches of skin are best ignored, they may have their reasons’. I love the anthropomorphism of the simple hazel; what a riot. Blitz the hazels till they’re a floury consistency - it’s the flavour that we want, not a crunchy soup.
Blitz the pan till it’s pretty lumpless and then add the coconut milk to give your desired consistency. Stir in the dill, nutmeg and cocoa powder and season generously. Mr Cotter dresses his with sauteed leeks but I’m sure you guys can think of equally fancy bits to dribble, sprinkle or otherwise cover the top of what is the bestest celeriac soup I’ve ever tasted.
*Source: Carmichael, Alexander (1900) Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations, Ortha Nan Gaidheal, Volume I,
**Molto apologisato to Dennis for messing with his recipe, I hope he won’t mind. It’s just that I find celeriac soups all a bit sweety sweet - earthing them with the turmeric and cocoa (this was a quasi-accidental genius moment).
Do you need a new toothbrush? Let me explain….
January 30th, 2010Well you see if you do you could have picked one up from The Hopsack FOR FREE. Free, that is, to all our dedicated readers who diligently signed up to receive our newsletter with website updates in their inbox. Makes browsing hassle-free, doesn’t oblige you to buy stuff from us (but we won’t stop you if really want to) and you get great special offers that nobody else hears about, like free Ultralife Detox boxes, free Olive Leaf complex and many many more. There’s always terms and conditions aren’t there? Right well, how about this..
***SMALLPRINT: only humans are elligible to sign up, on signing up you must spin whatever chair you’re on at least 360 degrees to show how happy you are you’ve made the right decision (or if it won’t spin you may lean the chair back on two legs till you’re just out of you’re comfort zone), all subscribers must think about wearing a fez at least three times a week though there is no obligation to wear said fez (a trilby will do), you must wait with impatience on each fortnightly mail even coming down in your pyjamas to check your inbox in the dead of night.
****None of the above clauses are legally binding, but this is - please let us know what content you’d like to see more or less of on our site and in our newsletters - it keeps us on the straight and narrow. Oh yeah, and well done for reading this much smallprint, you’re obviously in the legal profession or you have too much time for this drivel
Introducing Keith Ashton
January 27th, 2010When you think of Traditional Chinese Medicine, what images float to mind? Silver needles puncturing your skin? Or herbal teas that look like the forest floor?
How about building a beautiful singing voice? Or forging a mind-body-spirit connection so deep that your intuition knows how to guide you to health?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been practised in the Far East for millennia. It is a healing modality that is at once sophisticated and practical. It treats the mind-body-spirit as an entity and uses herbs, acupuncture, nutrition and energy-raising exercises, such as Qi Kung and Tai Chi, to restore health and balance to the system.
If you’re feeling flattened by the festive season or sick of martial law (aka New Year’s Resolutions!) you might enjoy a healing weekend instead.
Keith Ashton, Head of Traditional Chinese Medicine at The Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health, is presenting a two-day workshop on 6-7 February on the fundamental principles of TCM. He will be looking at vitality and optimum health; how to handle the ‘invaders’ (i.e. the causes of health problems); body-mind-spirit medicine from a TCM perspective; and much more. (For workshop details, click here.)
We thought you might like to meet Keith before you meet him, so we caught up with him for a chat – a feat in itself, for in addition to working in Ireland, he runs busy practices in Brighton and Wimpole St, London.
Keith employs Chinese diagnostic tools, nutritional therapy, herbs, acupuncture and Qi Kung in his work to facilitate his patients’ return to health. He also teaches the key principles of TCM.
So how did he get into Traditional Chinese Medicine? ‘I had wanted to do it for 10 years before I did it,’ he says. A professional TV and theatre actor for many years (so that’s why he looks familiar!) and marketing director of a whole foods company for several more, he felt ‘inspired’ by witnessing the healing possibilities of acupuncture.
In 1983, he embarked on a three-year course in Acupuncture and continued to study both Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and Herbal medicine for the next five years at various colleges, including a hospital in Nanjing, China and The Academy of Oriental Medicine in London.
Keith’s main teacher was Vietnamese. He taught Keith several effective needling and herbal techniques and other inspiring family secrets passed down from his father and grandfather, both of whom practised Oriental Medicine. One technique practised by his teacher’s grandfather, who was a very sensitive healer, was to turn his back to a patient and try to feel the power of his or her constitution solely by using his sensitivity to energy. (It is necessary to have a good idea of the strength of a patient’s Constitutional energy to be able to treat the person.)
Eight years prior to studying TCM, Keith understood the importance of ‘tapping into our true inner selves through drama and healing.’ He dreamt of establishing a community in Cambridge, where he lived, which would focus on healing through theatre, alternative medicine and spirituality.
Having previously worked with a children’s travelling theatre in Devon, his goal was to create a centre where people could work long-term while availing of ongoing, low-cost therapies. A key element was self-expression through drama. Although his vision did not come to fruition, the theatrical side took off and he was instrumental in organising lunchtime performances of plays written entirely by local people and performed by professional actors.
Traditional Chinese Medicine embraces a similar holistic outlook. Keith aims ‘to enlighten people as to how to reach their optimum health through body, mind and spirit’ by bringing TCM to a wider audience.
TCM is profound because it understands the causes of problems. ‘You can almost explain a person’s life by their symptoms, which lead to the cause,’ he explains. He knows that all physical, emotional, mental and spiritual ailments are connected. A patient suffering from manic depression, for example, will also need attention to the blood and the heart. Such an understanding is why TCM can work so deeply.
On a different note, TCM can help to strengthen the body’s abilities. If you are a singer, Tai Chi can do wonders for your voice, as I discovered first hand when my singing teacher, Daphne, asked me if I had been practising more often than usual (ahem!) because my voice had suddenly improved. Er … no, I hadn’t. What I had been doing (instead of my Ki Ay Os) was Tai Chi!
According to Keith, TCM (which incorporates Tai Chi) is the opera singer’s friend. It strengthens the spleen, lung and kidney energies and – in so doing – strengthens the tone, quality and power, respectively, of your voice. It also purifies the two emotional organs – the liver and the heart – which increases the depth of feeling in your vocal expression. If it can have such a deep effect on an individual singer, imagine the beauty of a choir powered by TCM…!
Ultimately, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a coherent system, grounded in common sense and useful not only for healing ailments but also for tapping hidden talents. Acupuncture, herbs, foods and graceful movement are but tools to help you access your inner being and furnish it with the fuel it needs to flourish.
If you are interested in learning more, come along to the workshops on 6-7 February. If you are new to TCM and can only make it to one workshop, choose the first day: ‘Vitality and Optimum Health’. The second workshop builds upon the basics outlined in the first and will make no sense without that foundation.
If, however, you have done some groundwork in TCM but can only attend one workshop, you may choose the second workshop on ‘Vitality and Emotional Healing’ if you wish.
Feel well and be well…with Keith Ashton (a workshop!)
January 18th, 2010Workshops are not all about paper and pens and powerpoint. At least not any that The Hopsack is getting involved with. We have over the years heard many a good thing about Keith Ashton (and an introductory interview is just around the corner!) over the past few years. His reputation as head of TCM (traditional chinese medicine) at IINH (the Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health, Ireland’s most valuable breeding ground for good nutritional threrapists) along with practices in London, Brighton and Ireland tells us something of his worth as a practioner and teacher.
Over the weekend of February 6th and 7th Keith will present some of the fundamental principles of TCM that will afford all who attend a greater understanding of the mechanisms of heatlh and disease in the human body.
On day 1, in a workshop entitled ‘Vitality and Optimum Health’, Keith will take us through 4 core elements: protectors (the immune system), invaders (the causes of health problems), messengers (the symptoms) and healers (the cures). This day aims to equip us with tools to identify potential health issues and act on them before they cause larger problems.
Day 2 will consist of an exciting look into the connection between emotion health and that of our internal organs (simplistic? us?!). This field, known in western terms as ‘Mind Body Medicine’ is an emerging field and one that is attracting great interest from the conventional western medical researchers. It holds great potential for unlocking the cause behind the most persistent and complex health problems. But this system, owing to its human-centric focus, is simple to grasp if we rely on our instincts.
Keith will lead a path through this enlightening area, and leave us with a greater scope for managing our own health and that of our families.
We hope you will consider joining us for this one-off event (that said, Keith hopes to be back for further workshops with The Hopsack in May), but for now all you have to do to book your place is call The Hopsack on 01-4960399 or email us! This event is limited to 25 places so book early to avoid any resultant disappointment (no pressure). Oh yes, almost forgot the cost - 75euro for one day or 90euro for both days and includes refreshments and snacks (so bring a packed lunch, or call The Hopsack for advice on where to eat locally). Just to recap on the dates it’s February 6th and 7th - both days from 10-5. The event will be taking place in Leinster Cricket Club (this is subject to change but will most definitely be held locally in the vicinity of Rathmnines. See you there!
Forget New Year’s resolutions…
January 13th, 2010
This is the ideal time of year to take stock and to plan. I don’t mean making New Year’s resolutions, which most of us abandon before the month is out. I mean putting in place some rough guidelines for the way you want to live your life over the next 12 months. For most of us, this will involve a simpler and more back-to-basics approach, given the current economic uncertainty. There will be an increasing emphasis on need, rather than want, which can’t be a bad thing.
We will inevitably be a bit more conscious about protecting our health too. There are so many ways we can use plants to support and heal our bodies. It’s fun, too, to experiment with making cosmetics from scratch. Turn your kitchen into a preparation area for beauty potions for a day!
I can’t recommend Rosemary Gladstar’s ‘Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health’ too highly. Subtitled ‘175 teas, tonics, oils, salves, tinctures and other natural remedies for the entire family’, this book is a must-have reference for those interested in a healthy, herbal approach to daily life. It is choc-a-bloc full of ideas and recipes and is wonderfully illustrated. Just the job if, like me, you like a combination of text and pictures!
James Wong’s ‘Grow your own Drugs’ established itself as a bestseller in 2009, following the BBC series of the same name. Another beautifully illustrated book, it is full of easy to make remedies and beauty aids. Many of the ingredients are stock items in the kitchen cupboard and fridge, while others can be found in health stores.
I should also mention Jill Davies’ ‘A Garden of Miracles – herbal drinks’. This is a treasure trove of information on herbs as natural healers. A hardback that is out of print, it can be picked up for as little as £0.64 on www.amazon.co.uk.
If you fancy having a stab at growing your own herbs from seed, The Organic Centre’s seed catalogue has just been published, which includes a list of courses run by the centre in Leitrim. Pick up a free copy at The Hopsack.
And so to one of the most useful and easy-to-prepare recipes for this time of year, which will cleanse your system, reduce bad cholesterol and ward off winter viruses. It’s also great for sinusitis. To prepare SUPER TONIC, grate equal quantities of horseradish root and ginger root. Crush an equal quantity of garlic. Approximately 1/3 fill a large glass jar with this mix (a kilner jar is idea). Add 2-3 tablespoons of Cayenne pepper. Fill jar with organic apple cider vinegar. Seal. Leave for 2 weeks or more, shaking vigorously several times a day. Strain liquid into another jar, using muslin or an old linen teacloth. The tonic can either be taken straight off the spoon (up to 2 teaspoons 3 times daily), or be used as a dressing to which you can add olive oil if you wish. Delicious, cheap and a wonderful ‘flu buster!
Essential Oils With Superpowers!
January 5th, 2010Recent research published in The Irish Times has shown that essential oils such as clove, lemongrass, citronella, thyme, oregano, cinnamon and tea tree oil display significant antibacterial activity. The oils were tested against such nasties as MRSA, a bacteria with a well known history in Irish hospitals, and were found to be effective even in relatively low concentrations. The odd thing is that the report in the I.T. states that up until now there has been little research into the effects of essential oils on resistant bacteria - thus excluding the centuries old use of essential oils as anti-microbial agents, and of those same oils being employed in household detergents. Well we can all breath a sigh of relief now that good old physics has caught up with our hokey practices of adding tea tree to our floor wash or bathing our verucas in oregano oil. Once again empirical evidence of historical uses for natural remedies proves itself in the world of reductive, western science. Let’s hear it for Grandmother’s remedies!
And all because the Lady loves it raw…
December 19th, 2009Twinkling festive lights. I’m feeling compelled by forces beyond my control to mention the C-word. OK, OK! I give in!
CHOCOLATE! There! I’ve said it. ’tis the season to eat choccie, tra la la la la la la la la.
But where, pray, is the tall dark handsome man? Should he not ski through my window, Milk Tray in hand?
That maaay be a hint … tragically, the violet one met a violent end, so it’s just me and my choccie now.
Having buried the body and binned the box, I’m relaxing with a different class of chocolate – the deep, luscious kind, filled with flavour and flavonols designed to keep me healthy while it melts in my mouth.
Is it too good to be true? Am I proposing that the blackest of sins is really the Food of the Gods?
Yes…! Or demigods, at the very least.
In 1753 Carl von Linnaeus, the Swedish scientist, thought chocolate so important that he named the tree’s genus and species Theobroma cacao, which means: cacao, food of the gods.
All chocolate comes, ultimately, from cacao. It is the seed of the fruit of a jungle tree indigenous to Central and South America. Cacao beans are chocolate in raw form.
Most commercial chocolate bars – whether highly processed or vegan organic – are made from roasted (i.e. cooked) cacao beans. Cooked cacao is listed as ‘cocoa’ on English-language labels.
Raw chocolate is described as ‘cacao’. Over the past couple of years, sweeties and bars made with raw cacao have been entering the marketplace with increasing panache. Aficionados, such as Naked Chocolate (2005) authors David Wolfe and Shazzie, claim uncooked choccie offers myriad health benefits above and beyond the minerals and goodies contained in high-quality chocolate made from roasted beans.
Cacao nibs (shards of cacao bean) and cacao powder (ground nibs) are gaining in popularity. Both are delicious. The nibs are nice to nibble on (!) and sport a dark, almost wine-like, flavour. The powder is lighter and milder than cocoa and excellent for making raw chocolates. More about that lordly pursuit later. But you’ll have to wait…
Superior qualities attributed to raw chocolate include higher levels of the following nutrients: anti-ageing antioxidants; minerals (especially magnesium, which is why women crave chocolate monthly); amino acids (e.g. calming tryptophan and the lovers’ friend arginine); B vitamins; the ‘bliss chemical’ anandamide; the ‘love chemical’ phenylethylamine (PEA); and substances that modulate mood-related neurotransmitters - such as serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline - in favour of happiness To explore just one of the above, PEA is a chemical intimately involved in generating feelings of attraction, excitement and euphoria. As chocolate keeps our PEA levels high no matter what our love lives look like, it may be the reason why we hit Theobroma cacao so hard when our broken hearts need to be soothed.
Cacao lovers also insist the nutrients in raw chocolate give them a gentle high. But I wonder, sometimes. The kind of energy and clarity they describe sound (and feel!) like a caffeine buzz to me.
Raw and roasted cacao beans contain theobromine and caffeine, both of which are stimulants. Raw chocolate advocates claim that uncooked caffeine and theobromine are much kinder to the body. I wish…!
I found out the hard way that raw chocolate can hurt me if I eat too much of it. Unfortunately, ‘too much’ in my world is not very much at all. I am sensitive to stimulants and prone to migraine. Even moderate amounts of cacao can cause a scintillating scotoma in my brain cells - the kind of light show you really don’t want!
Everyone is different, though; the lucky ones simply feel the benefits. But to the headache-inclined, insomniac, or stimulant-sensitive, I would suggest enjoying raw choccie in moderation. But do enjoy it unless you find you really can’t! For my part, I would never stop eating it but I am careful with it and I keep it away from bedtime.
Within the raw food community, where its most ardent supporters reside, raw cacao divides expert opinion. Some people view it as the world’s No.1 superfood and well nigh live on it; others see it as a stimulant and shun it. Yet others view it as a treat, as I do.
Time for a treat
The other C-word is fast upon us. Stuck for a stocking filler? At the risk of sounding like Bridget Jones’s mother’s lover, home-made raw chocolates are a charming gift for young and old alike, comprising elegance, gustatory pleasure and that all-important personal touch in one delightful package.
Rawda’s Raw Chocolate Hearts Recipe (c)
Makes between 9 and 12 chocolates, depending on the mould
Equipment:
- Silicon chocolate/ice-cube tray with heart-shaped moulds
- Liquid cup measurements
- Silicon or metal hand-held whisk (NB: Don’t use an electric blender, as ingredients can separate)
- Large saucepan
- Large mixing bowl - not plastic, as you may need to put it over heat
- Pyrex bowl or pint measure (heat-resistant glass)
- Rubber spatula
- A couple of spoons and knives
Note on equipment:
Check out Dunne’s Stores homeware department for silicon whisks, spatulas and moulds and Kitchen Complements for liquid cup measurements and a wider selection of moulds. Moulds cost in and around €7.00 from Kitchen Complements, depending on the style. Spatulas and whisks cost about €3.00-4.00 from Dunne’s.
Ingredients:
- Half a cup of Barlean’s extra-virgin coconut oil (I recommend using this brand because it has a fresh, clean taste; more potent oils can ruin the flavour!): €17.49 for 16oz/473mls
- Half a cup of Natasha’s raw cacao powder: €2.99 for 100g (excellent value!)
- An eighth of a cup of Natasha’s or Suma organic agave syrup: €4.99 for 250mls
- An eighth of a cup of Natasha’s lucuma powder (plus an extra shake later on): €7.35 for 100g
- Two drops of Atlantic Aromatics essential oil of lime (use this brand, as dropper sizes vary between brands): €3.75 for 5mls (lasts a year and a day (or longer) when kept in a cool, dark place)
- Two small pinches of Himalayan crystal salt (pink salt): finely ground version: €6.99 for 500g (lasts for all eternity; alternatively, just use finely ground sea salt)
Note on ingredients:
Ingredients are available from The Hopsack, or to order through the shop. The initial outlay may seem steep but your bits and pieces should last you through several chocolate-making sessions (except for the cacao!). I used coconut oil in this recipe due to its wide availability but many raw chocolate makers use cacao butter instead. Our Paul knows all about cacao butter if you need advice on working with it. The Hopsack carries Natasha’s Raw Cacao Butter (€5.15 for 100g) but larger quantities of Sara’s Choice brand can be ordered through the shop if you really get into it! We also sell Creative Nature Organic Peruvian Cacao Nibs (€6.99 for 150g) just for you.
N.B. Do not exceed two drops of Atlantic Aromatics essential oil of lime in this recipe and mix it in well. Essential oils are used, on occasion, to flavour confectionery but should be employed with strict moderation; they are primarily for external use and should never be taken internally in any other context.
If you’re short on time and want to buy the ingredients in one fell swoop, you could order one of Natasha’s raw chocolate making kits from The Hopsack. They retail at €29.99 each and contain cacao nibs, cacao powder, cacao butter and agave syrup.
Method:
In this climate, coconut oil solidifies, so gouge some out of the tub and use a bain-marie to melt it. (Melt more rather than less than you need; you don’t want to be caught short and leftovers will re-solidify.) If you don’t have a bain-marie, fill a large saucepan to just over the half way mark with boiling water and melt the coconut oil in a Pyrex bowl or pint measure by floating it on the water. Turn the heat on very low to speed up proceedings but don’t let the water bubble or splash into the oil. The oil should melt but not cook.
Meanwhile, put half a cup of cacao powder, an eighth of a cup of lucuma powder and two small pinches of Himalayan crystal salt into a large bowl and mix together.
Keeping the bain-marie for later, remove the melted coconut oil from the heat and pour into the dry ingredients, whisking all the time to make sure the ingredients blend together lump-less-ly. Everything should turn to liquid.
Add an eighth of a cup of agave syrup and whisk again.
If the mixture is sticking to the whisk, it is solidifying. Take countermeasures by using the bain-marie principle again. Rest your mixing bowl on the saucepan of hot water and continue to whisk until the choccie returns to a runny state. Don’t let the chocolate get hot, just mildly warm to the touch. Add another light shake of lucuma powder and whisk it in. From now on, you need to work quickly.
Remove the bowl from the bain-marie and add two drops of essential oil of lime. Mix it thoroughly to distribute the flavour.
Pour/scrape the mixture into the pint measure or medium-sized jug using a spatula.
Take your mould and pour the chocolate into each heart shape. There should be enough to fill 9-12 hearts, depending on the mould.
Without spilling, place the mould in the freezer.
Thoroughly lick the bowl, pint measure, spoons, whisk and spatula.
After two hours, remove the tray from the freezer, pop the choccies out of their moulds and … do what thou wilt. If you are giving your hearts to another, leave them in the freezer until the last moment, then wrap them in baking paper and sacrifice.
If you’d like some expert chocolate-making advice, the Hopsack even has a raw chocolatier on site. Paul, take a bow! Just last Friday, we all managed to stick our grubby paws into Kate’s Kristkindl present – his deeeevine raw handmade chocolates – before she rescued a few crumbs for herself!
If you don’t have time to make chocolate – though it takes very little time – The Hopsack is currently selling a staggering range of raw and high quality cooked choccie. Wanna hear about it…?
We have Natasha’s raw chocolates: in pairs for lovers, boxes for generous lovers, and a variety of flavours for experimental lovers. Natasha’s Mighty Chocolate Nut-Seed Energy Bars, coated in raw chocolate, are a tad more filling if you need to zip through a dip. And if you love milk chocolate but want raw, dairy-free fun, try Mulu Silk Chocolate instead; the addition of sunflower lecithin lightens the cacao and imparts a silky, chewy texture to the bar. Of course, no discussion of raw chocolate would be complete without hitting the fridge for a slice of Natasha’s ganache. Chocolate orange, chocolate ginger… Mmmm! Why don’t you just pay us a visit?
We also carry Booja Booja vegan truffles in Around Midnight Espresso, Hazelnut Crunch, Champagne and Cognac Flambéd Banana Truffle flavours. They are not raw but they are organic, good for your soul, and taste bad BaD BAD!
Green and Black’s and Montezuma’s have also sent us some lush organic non-raw choccies. Not all products are vegan, so ask the Lovelies for advice. In addition to the usual ranges, both companies have showered us with seasonal treats, including, among other things, Montezuma’s Chunky Snowmen and Christmas Baubles in white, milk and dark choccie (which I have on good authority are being stolen from the mouths of babes by Mummies and Daddies … NAUGHTY!!) and Green and Black’s Seasonal Assortment, Milk and Spice bar, and thinly posh mint squares. When you see those, you know Santy is nearby!
If, alas, you dislike chocolate, despair not: HRH The Prince of Wales, purveyor of fine foods, has ridden to your rescue. For you alone, he has furnished The Hopsack with Duchy Originals biscuits that contain not a smidgen of chocolate. So do pop in!
It remains for us to wish you, one and all, a very Happy Chocolatey Christmas and a Merry New Year
Did you know?
The Aztec Emperor Montezuma was a confirmed chocoholic. His favourite drink was a tasty version of hot chocolate, lovingly brewed from cacao and served up by his women with great reverence in cup-shaped vessels of pure gold. It was whispered that he would consume 50 cups of this potent aphrodisiac before visiting his harem.
(The Irish Chocolate Association dedicates this blog to the Dark Lady of Edinburgh.)
Loading... 
