when we lived in venezuela, willie and i used to drink this hot chocolate all the time. It tasted so different from the milky sweet drink we know as hot chocolate in england. it was rich, thick and the cacao was such an exquisite flavour i soon became addicted! you drink it in a small teacup like a shot, which is when we first named it the choc shoc. the first thing i noticed was that it was a complete appetite suppressant and gave me enormous energy, something you need plenty of when running a hacienda. we used it as our secret weapon as we embarked on long treks up in to the cloud forest topped mountains, to collect bananas and sugar cane, it always kept us going. we always gave it to guests to try, and made it in many different ways: straight with water, or as the aztecs drank it with spices and with rum of course. for people with sugar intolerances there is finally the opportunity to enjoy this hot chocolate drink using sweeteners.
i drink two hot chocolates a day. i use the recipe that is on the label of the venezuelan black bar but without milk.
incorporate this drink in to whichever diet you prefer.
click here to see the recipe in the chocolate room
when i feel bloated and over weight, with that knowing feeling that i'm gaining a few too many pounds, i cut back on all things not healthy for me, the problem is sugar, i am a self confessed chocoholic. i cant resist the sweet things in life whether it be chocolate brownies or my babies! dropping the bad stuff is tough, and somehow sticking to the good stuff is even tougher. we all know that it is essential to have a balanced diet which in turn enhances your life style. so, i eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, lots of salad, fish and fat free meat. bake, don’t fry and i drink water and herbal teas. different people do different diets but what you can all indulge in without feeling guilty is a choc shoc twice a day.. the choc shoc is great for so many reasons. it satisfies the stomach instantly, it quashes your hunger and as the aroma of the deep roasted beans from distant lands hits you, you feel euphoric. it satisfies and you deserve that.