Kitchen Connection - Food For the Soul: A Hot Chocolate Connection
The season is gently changing in the northeastern United States; the temperatures have begun to dip stirring a primal need for something warm. Soup? Perhaps but it doesn’t quite have the sweet edge that soothes my inner sugar goddess….but chocolate, velvety smooth in an old mug…hmmmm.
Hot chocolate has been a long tradition in the fall and winter months in my family; not the instant kind…but instead saucepans filled with various milks and cacao powder creations. The smell from the kitchen evoked warmth, comfort and relaxation. That first taste is an invitation to savor the season as the sweet and steamy concoction begins to gently warm my insides. If I close my eyes I can picture a comfortably worn chair nestled in front of a fire while the wind whistles safely outside.
Apparently my family is not the only one with the chocolate drinking tradition, anthropologists from the University of Pennsylvania discovered cacao residue on pottery in Honduras dating back to 1400 B.C. What is it about chocolate that connects us? That makes us feel good?
It is the chemicals within chocolate which trip the brain fantastic into a gentle state of happiness. There is a little bit of stimulant with the theobromine and caffeine plus a tad of falling in love from the chemical Phenylethylamine. Topping off this heady mixture is anadamide, which allows our brain to be more receptive to the signals of feeling good. The perfect combination to warm my soul.
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Stay tuned for my very own chocolate recipe on Kitchen Connection!
Tags : Chocolate Food For The Soul Food Warms The Soul
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