#cocoa pod

[moonfirebrides]

Cocoa Pods & Pearls

[shirozen]

Listening for cacao music

[saumyakhera]

Chocolate is one of the most popular foods in the world, but few people know where it comes from. The source of chocolate is the cocoa pod, a fruit that is native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.Cocoa pods are large and round, and they grow in clusters on the trunks and branches of cocoa trees. The pods are about the size of a football, and they are covered in a tough, brown skin.

The cocoa pod is undoubtedly the magical source of chocolate, and its transformation from a humble fruit to the luscious treat we savor is a testament to the art and science of chocolate-making. The next time you enjoy a piece of chocolate, take a moment to appreciate the incredible journey it took from the cocoa pod to your hands, thanks to the craftsmanship and dedication of chocolatiers at Two Rivers Direct and other such fine chocolatiers around the world.

[bibleofficial]

i was literally crying more than my auntie at her only child’s wedding like ‘i never thought id live to see the day’ as if im fucking 75

[askwhatsforlunch]

Cardamom Hot Chocolate

"(…) I make cocoa, thick and creamy, beaten to a froth with a little whisk, and serve it in deep mugs to keep it hot right through to the end. It is part of the ritual of drinking cocoa that the first sip scalds your lips. Cardamom seeds, crushed beneath the weight of a pestle and mortar, have much to offer to a mug of hot, dark chocolate."

On a very chill day, especially when you've been outside, welcoming yourself home with a hot beverage is the epitome of comfort. And this Cardamom Hot Chocolate, which I want to make every year as I listen to Nigel Slater narrate his Christmas Chronicles, beautifully fragrant and creamy, feels like a hug in a cup! Happy Wednesday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

3 plump cardamom pods

2 heaped teaspoons demerara sugar

1 teaspoon Homemade Vanilla Extract

½ cup double cream

1 1/2 cup semi-skimmed milk

45 grams/1 1/2 ounces good quality dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa solids)

1 heaped tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Crush cardamom pods, and empty the pods in a mortar. Crush the seeds thoroughly with the pestle.

In a medium saucepan, combine crushed cardamom seeds and demerara sugar. Give a good stir, and add Vanilla Extract. Stir in double cream and milk. Heat on the stove, over medium heat until simmering. 

Remove from the heat and allow to infuse, 10 minutes. 

Then, return over a medium flame, and bring to a slow boil.

Meanwhile, break dark chocolate into a medium bowl, and sift in cocoa powder.

Once the cardamom milk and cream mixture is just boiling, pour over the chocolate and cocoa. Cover with a lid, and set aside, for a couple of minutes.

Then, remove the lid, and whisk energetically until well-blended and smooth. Pour cardamom hot chocolate back into the saucepan, and heat, over a low flame.

Pour Cardamom Hot Chocolate into a large, deep mug. Enjoy immediately!

[sp1derw1re]

MY SISTER'S COCOA TREE IS GROWING COCOA PODS :3

[inthekitchenwithmatt]

What Does Cacao Fruit Taste Like Before Becoming Chocolate

[afrotumble]

[tomsflavorfusion]

Caprese cake recipe - The GialloZafferano Recipe

Caprese cake recipe – The GialloZafferano Recipe Podcast Recipe Duration 3:06 – Steps 9 It is said that the best ideas are born from mistakes and this is precisely what has often happened to the greatest in history. Even in the kitchen, certain mistakes have made someone’s fortune. An example of this is the Caprese cake, the dessert invented by Carmine Di Fiore, around 1920, who forgot to add…

[all-i-do-is-try1]

Low cal chocolate bar!

Sugar free / vegan very low fat. 80 cal or lower !

1/4 cup or 25 grams of dutch-process cocoa ( I used rodelle ) - 75 calories .

About 1-1/2 tsp or 5-8 grams of liquid sweetener (any will do. Powder works too in a pinch)

1 tablespoon of 15-20 grams of water or unsweetened almond milk (only 3 cals)

Optional: a few drops of peppermint extract, sea salt, cayenne powder. or use sf flavored coffee syrup as the liquid sweetener are a nice touch

mix, freeze, and then thaw for like a minute. I have a silicone candy mold but this works in any flat container . You get a large 60 gram chocolate bar that's extremely chocolaty and delicious for 80 calories or even less depending on what cocoa powder you use.

Notes:

If you want a richer taste to really hit that chocolate bar craving, mix some light butter or maybe just a tiny bit of coconut oil really works. It Shouldn’t add too many cals but def increase satiety.

Calories in cocoa powdered do vary depending on fat content, this recipe can be as low as 58 cals if you need it, but if won’t be over 85 for this amount which is still much lower than even half a sugar free chocolate bar

[theblack-dalia]

Cacao in the raw

[parrhesiac]

The cowcow pods!

Also, as a reader of Lois McMaster Bujold, I can't help but think that this is something the Cetagandans would create, yes as art, just for a one-off.

(Ivan, plucking a cowcow pod ...)

Where does chocolate milk come from? I’ve heard brown cows but part of me doesn’t want to believe it.

That’s a good instinct! The true story of chocolate milk (and all chocolate!) begins not at our local pasture, but with the rare and beautiful beans of the Brazilian rainforest

[kithpendragon]

How about some cocoa pods for our mental health today. With some processing, the seeds of this fruit can be turned into delicious chocolate! This particular plant lives at the Hershey Gardens in Pennsylvania.

May you be peaceful and happy

May you be strong and healthy

May you be safe and feel secure

Photo by me. You can do as you like with it, and I'd love to see the results if you do.

[austinpublications]

Screening of Trichoderma Isolates and Potential of Their Organic Extract to Control Phytophthora megakarya, the Causative Agent of Cocoa Black Pod Disease

[scribefindegil]

Scribe's Favorite Hot Chocolate

(in case a comforting beverage will help stave off the existential despair)

You Will Need:

4 cups of your favorite milk

2 oz bittersweet chocolate (if you use Ghirardelli chips 2 oz is a third of a cup. you could use semisweet but you'd want to cut the sugar back by a tablespoon or so)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

tiny pinch of salt

optional but recommended: 1-2 cinnamon sticks and any other desired spices (when I'm feeling fancy I like to add a handful of whole peppercorns, a couple of cloves, and some cardamom pods. follow ur heart)

To Make:

Put the milk and spices in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat. Don't leave it alone; milk explodes if you let it fully boil!

Put the chocolate in a mug or bowl (I just use whatever mug I'll be drinking the cocoa out of) with just enough water to cover. Microwave for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. (This is to help the chocolate dissolve; if you put it straight into the milk pot instead of beautiful smooth cocoa you will get a lot of weird freckly chocolate bits)

When the milk just starts to steam (or when a single drop on the back of your hand feels uncomfortably hot), turn off the heat! Add sugar, vanilla, and salt, and stir until sugar dissolves. Then add the chocolate (if chocolate is too thick to pour, spoon a little hot milk in and stir to lighten it)

If you're using spices, let the hot chocolate sit for 5-10 minutes so the flavors continue to infuse

Enjoy and share with friends <3

If you don't drink it all you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days, but I don't usually have this problem

[fazedlight]

Zhizhaf (Chill)

“There’s the last of it,” Kara said cheerfully, dimming down her heat vision in order to hand Lena her hot cocoa. “No more heat vision until we get back on Earth.”

“So we really don’t have to worry about that asteroid field?” Alex asked.

The four sat in a circle on the floor of J’onn’s cruiser - Kara, Lena, Alex, and Kelly all facing one another, piled onto pillows and blankets as their ship made its way through space. J’onn had been kind enough to let the four borrow his ship for the journey to Argo, taking about a day - longer than the last time Kara went, to avoid stressing the engines - for a trip to Kara’s homeland.

Unlike Kara’s first time aboard the cruiser, J’onn had made considerable improvements, allowing it to have a bigger interior than her first trip to Argo or Mars. There were controls facing out towards windows of endless darkness, a small area with a TV and couches and blankets that also served as a place to sleep, a storage closet with leftover supplies, and a small bathroom. Finally, the back of the ship had a small airlock, leading to the exit.

(Kara had suggested making it a convertible car like her trip to Mars, but she was soundly outvoted.)

“J’onn’s ship can navigate the asteroid field automatically,” Kara shrugged. “Besides, I don’t trust your flying.”

“Hey, I saved you after you threw Fort Rozz into space,” Alex said back. “In your own pod.”

“This ship is bigger! And there were no asteroids!”

“Earth is surrounded by debris-”

“Maybe we can watch a movie,” Kelly grinned, eyeing Lena across the way, who was holding back a laugh at the bickering sisters. “We brought a copy of Die Hard with us.”

The group agreed - aside from Kara murmuring The Mummy is better under her breath - as the group repositioned their nest of blankets and pillows. Kelly grabbed the DVD, popping it into the TV before snuggling up against Alex and reaching for the remote.

Lena, in turn, snuggled up against Kara - causing the kryptonian’s heart to skip a beat. Keep it together, Kara thought, we’re just friends.

But before Kelly could press play, Lena interrupted. “Guys? Should that be happening?”

The group turned, following Lena’s gaze to the windows ahead, where a small layer of ice was forming at the rims. “That’s not good,” Alex said, as the four shuffled to their feet.

They approached the screens of the ship controls, as Lena began to tap away. “Flow is normal in all steam pipes,” Lena said, “No sign of a leak or reduced gas pressure-”

“But the temperature’s dropping fast,” Kelly murmured, rubbing at her arms as Alex stepped in to warm her. “Something isn’t right.”

“Our course is off,” Alex said, nodding towards a neighboring screen. “We still have the same plot mapped, but we’re deviating significantly.”

“Because of the asteroids?” Kelly asked.

“This is too far for that,” Lena murmured.

“No…” Kara whispered.

The other three women looked up at the kryptonian, noting her wide eyes and suddenly concerned features. “Kara?” Lena asked.

“We need psychic inhibitors,” Kara said, turning to run towards the storage closet, “Alex, stay at the controls, autopilot might disengage.”

“Kara, what’s happening?” Lena asked, as she and Kelly followed. Kara was already digging into the first box she pulled down.

“We need three psychic inhibitors, you guys need to start looking,” she said frantically, as Kelly pulled down a second box and began her search.

“Three? You don’t need one?” Lena asked, pulling down a third box.

“You don’t,” Kara said, refusing to meet Lena’s eyes as she was digging. “You might be the only one left sane in a moment.”

“What are you-”

“Found one,” Kelly said, holding up the small earpiece.

“Put it on Alex since she’s driving,” Kara said, as Kelly got up.

“Why would I be the only sane one?” Lena asked. “Kara, what’s happening?”

“Zhizhaf-shed,” Kara said gravely, shoving her box aside to grab another. “I thought they were a myth.”

“I don’t know what that means-”

“They’re-” Kara hesitated, avoiding looking Lena in the eye. “They’re sirens.”

“Sirens,” Kelly said, returning to continue digging through another box. “Mythological creatures that sing to men at sea, so they can crash their ships into the rocks?”

“Kryptonians have a similar legend, about psychic attacks, making people euphoric enough to run out the airlocks,” Kara said. Lena pulled out a second psychic inhibitor, to Kara’s great relief. “Give it to Kelly,” Kara said, watching as Lena passed the device and Kelly attached it to her head.

“Aren’t you immune from psychic attacks?” Lena asked worriedly, continuing to dig into a box.

“Only sometimes,” Alex said from across the room, “Psi was able to break through.”

“How do you know it’s them?” Kelly asked.

“The first sign is a chill coming across the ship,” Kara said, “And then they-”

“Autopilot disengaging!” Alex shouted, “I’m taking over the controls manually.”

“-do that. We don’t have much time,” Kara said, shuffling around the boxes. “We just need one more.”

“Why only one?” Lena said, glancing to the devices on Alex and Kelly’s heads, “Why won’t it affect me?”

“Sirens only, um…” - Kara shifted another box - “They only tempt people who love women.”

Lena and Kelly’s eyes both widened, realizing the additional similarity between Earth and kryptonian sirens. “Then we need two more,” Lena said.

Kara’s head jerked up to Lena. “What are you talking about?”

“We all need them, Kara,” Lena said firmly.

It was Kara’s turn for her eyes to widen-

“Found a third,” Kelly said, holding up a device. Kara muttered something under her breath, grabbing the device from Kelly’s hand, leaning forward to place it on Lena’s temple before she had time to argue. “One more,” Kara said firmly, as they all resumed digging.

But they were out of time.

Lena and Kelly didn’t notice for a moment as they searched - and Alex couldn’t, as she concentrated on navigating the asteroid field, fighting whatever powers were trying to tug the ship off of its path as the air became colder and colder.

But Kara had stilled. “Beautiful…” she murmured. 

Lena glanced up, feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach as she looked over at the kryptonian’s blank face. “Kara?”

“Do you hear that?” Kara said, rising to her feet.

“Kara,” Kelly said, glancing worriedly towards Kara before grabbing another box. “Stay with us, Kara.”

“They’re - they’re beautiful,” Kara said, turning, “They’re calling to me…”

Lena tried to tackle her as Kara walked towards the back of the ship, but - even depowered - Kara was simply too strong. “Kara, Kara stay with me-”

“They say I can go home-”

“You are going home!” Lena begged, trying to pull Kara back. “We’re going to Argo, your parents are waiting-”

But it didn’t seem to matter, how hard Lena pulled back on the kryptonian, what she said. Kara’s eyes were far off and glazed over, entranced and distant as she resolutely made her way to the airlock. “They said I don’t have to be alone anymore,” Kara said.

“Kara-”

Kara pushed Lena back, bounding towards the airlock switch, tapping at the buttons as Lena shuffled to her feet. “Damn it, Kara, they’re not real!”

Lena’s heart raced as the layer of the airlock opened. I can’t let that close with her on the other side, Lena thought, darting forward to again, trying to come up with a plan that was better than another pathetic attempt at wrestling the kryptonian to the ground.

But nothing occurred to her as she caught up to Kara, grabbing her arm. “Kara, please, don’t!”

“I have to,” Kara murmured.

“Why?!”

“I can have everything,” she replied simply, stepping inside. “I can have what I can’t have.”

“Kara-”

There was no more thought. 

There was no more reason. Lena could think of nothing else to do when she surged forward, wrapping her arms around Kara’s neck. Maybe it was some combination of I didn’t know you were into women so now I can put my hat into the ring or just as simple as what if what you want is me. Anything to distract Kara from the siren’s call. Something desperate and stupid.

Lena pressed her lips against Kara’s.

She expected to be thrown back again, shoved aside as Kara finalized the dance of the airlock before losing her life somewhere in space. 

But to Lena’s relief, Kara froze. The kryptonian planted a hand on the wall next to the latch, body tense with confusion. Lena pulled back to look into Kara’s eyes, watching as the fog seemed to partially lift. “Lena?” Kara asked, blinking and dazed but somehow more herself.

“I’m here,” Lena said.

But to her horror, the fog seemed to only temporarily clear. Kara’s eyes began to glaze over again as the ship became colder still. Lena was dimly aware of Kara moving to flick the switch of the airlock, of a tap-tap-tap sound approaching behind her, of the kryptonian pushing her away as the trance began to grow again-

Then Lena felt a small push to the side, as Kelly stepped in, pressing a device to Kara’s temple.

Lena sighed in relief.

-----

Kara slept for most of the remaining journey, fitful between stretches of sleep and brief moments to drink some water. “This really wiped her out,” Alex said.

Kara was still shaky when they arrived on Argo, though her grogginess faded faster - by the time they were all sitting for a meal with Alura and Zor-El, she had mostly recovered from the stressful ordeal. Warm hugs and introductions were exchanged, stories told over the evening as the group settled in for their stay.

But Kara had not once met Lena’s eyes.

Evening became night - dishes were cleaned, bags were placed in guest rooms, and Kara excused herself to step outside and watch the starry skies of Argo. I need to clear the air, Lena thought to herself, glancing to the door as Alex and Kelly wandered off to shower and sleep.

Lena stepped outside, grateful that Kara’s parents were content to remain indoors, reading for the evening. She glanced up ahead, watching where Kara stood in a dim garden, leaning on a railing as she watched the sky. 

Lena walked forward, fighting the shivers from the cool night, knowing that Kara could hear her padding across the stone steps, before she gingerly stepped to Kara’s side. Lena leaned against the railing, eyes gazing out in the same direction as Kara’s, as they stood in silence.

Lena heard Kara draw in a quiet, resigned breath. “It worked because it was you,” Kara confessed.

“What do you mean?” Lena asked gently.

“The kiss. It woke me up,” Kara said, swallowing nervously. “It’s- it’s not just that you’re a woman. It worked because it was you.”

“Oh,” Lena breathed.

“I probably should’ve told you a while ago,” Kara murmured. “How I felt. I didn’t expect…”

Kara trailed off, shuffling nervously on her feet. Lena placed a comforting hand on her arm. “It’s certainly not how I imagined our first kiss,” Lena murmured.

That startled Kara enough to finally - finally - meet Lena’s gaze. “You- imagined?”

“For years,” Lena said softly. “Personally, I think we should get a do-over.”

Kara smiled. “Really?”

“Really.”

Kara examined Lena’s face - glanced to her eyes, before dropping to her lips, back up to her eyes again. Lena could see the slight blush on Kara’s cheeks in the dark, and she knew hers were in a matching shade.

Kara moved slowly, tentatively - opening her arms for Lena to step into them, which Lena did. Lena found herself lifting her hands, cupping Kara’s face as the blonde smiled softly back. Tentatively, Kara leaned forward, as Lena tilted her head.

Lips met soft lips, and Lena could feel her heart flutter in her chest, feel Kara’s tension sublimate to eagerness. Lena parted her lips in an invitation that Kara blissfully followed, the blonde tightening her arms around Lena’s waist as Lena’s fingers made their way into Kara’s hair.

And Lena no longer felt the chill of the night.