What is Chocolate? A Jeopardy Question

Dear Sillies,
   How are you holding up?
   Allergies are kicking my tuchas. Anyone else contending with them? Any remedies to suggest besides snorting things up your nostrils repeatedly like a coke addict? (Probably not something to do in public.)
   Otherwise, I can't complain. Well, we can always complain. But it's better to be appreciative, in spite of life's miseries. I am. And I hope you feel the same, at least for moments in time.
   This past weekend, I took a little trip to Berkeley (approx 3 hours away).
   It's a colorful place with some lovely flowers, and fresh Bay air.

   There, I attended a sweet young guy's Bar Mitzvah* ceremony. (*The Jewish ceremony marking one's passage into adulthood at age 13. For girls, it's called the "Bat Mitzvah.") This young man, who I used to babysit, is a kindred spirit in his love for chocolate.
   During the reception, he and his classmates played Jeopardy. One question perplexed me. Well, I just lied. Many more than one question stumped me. This one, though, I really should have known: What is the name for the chemical formula of chocolate?

How could I have no clue?
That's not right. I'm a fraud!
The kids immediately shouted the answer - those smart, young Berkeley-ites.
Do you know, my smart, young and young-ish bloggy friends?

I'll post answer after the picture of more lovely flowers in Berkeley.

Here we go:

"Theobromine, formerly known as xantheose, is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant, with the chemical formula C7H8N4O2. It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, and the kola (or cola) nut."

WHO KNEW? I SURE DIDN'T!

Keep a smile and plenty of theobromine on hand, my dears.

Sweetest of Tests: Chocolate Tasting

Dearest Silly Hearts,
   Most tests cause anxiety. The taste test, however, that's a good one. Well, when chocolate is examined. Almost always, at least. So I've done some testing for you and for me.
   I think I sampled this Chocolate Tea (Numi Organic Chocolate Pu-erh) years ago. "Pu-erh is an ancient healing tea picked from 500-year old organic wild tea trees in Yunnan, China." Fair Labor.
   The svelt/hello beautiful chocolate drink is a local creation, very healthy for a chocolate product, high in the good stuff (protein), low in the bad (sugar, fats).

    As for the Puerh, well, I have cheap taste. This one tastes a bit too snooty. I can't love it. It's a little strong, gritty, but rich and smooth. The flavor is more down the lines of black licorice than cocoa. I like it, and I'm happy to support this high quality, expensive ($10 for the box) product, but I don't love the taste. Yet, this one's  unique, warming, and an earth-human friendly product. We'll give it an 8 on a 1-10 scale. 10 is best.
  The svelte is surprisingly good, considering it's surprisingly and relatively healthy. Tastes like good ole fashioned chocolate milk to be combined with oatmeal cookies. But the container's too small to make for a sufficient meal substitute. It won't fill ya up. Maybe three would, and that'd cost ya $6. I'll give it a 7. 

Last but most, I'm here (back) in Bali, on a chocolate factory too. HEAVEN! My "tour" consisted of getting geared up to remain in one room and taste approximately 30 samples of chocolate -- all off the charts (15+) in terms of richness, sweetness, orgasmic-ness. I think I found my happy place.

Be well, and keep things sweet, my dears.

Paradise, 6 Months After The Camp Fire

Dear Silly Hearts,

   I held out as long as I could, but upgraded last month. My old fashioned flip-phone kept cutting out. I thus caved and went the way of Android. 

   Please forgive my shaky hands in the 2-min video of Paradise; I'm still learning. We always are, aren't we? Some of us (pointing at self) have steeper curves than others.

   

   It's been six months since the Camp Fire. 

   A main point I'm making, one that's honest yet intensely sad, is that close to 400 (and not 85) people perished. Because every single life is worthy and should not be dismissed, I'd like to dismantle that myth. 

   To explain a bit, the statistic on the number of people unaccounted for had quickly disappeared, after I recorded it (296 or more). There's hush-hush around reports that hundreds of bodies were found huddled together, bodies that weren't identified. (85 is the number of identified, but I've seen claims of 85-88.) All forms of media have gone with this much lower number. It's easier to accept, although, very tragically, not true.  

   However, on a miraculous note, approximately 52,000 people survived. Given the fire so abruptly ravaged a region of land equal to the size of Chicago, this is incredible.

   Everywhere there are signs of sadness and loss, hope and renewal can't be missed.

   We are remarkably resilient, as is Mother Nature.

Go gently, and know that you're loved.

This sweet couple allowed me to post this. Between them is a heart in the fence, which she'd created. I told them that their love is exactly what I went to Paradise to capture.  

My dear young friend, Diego, made and is selling these cards for Camp Fire Relief. If you're interested ($4 each or $10 for 3), please message me at Rawknrobyn@aol.com. I'll take care of postage and send them to you. Thank you.

UGH. I have too much to learn. Sorry, seems you can't watch this...I'll work on it. Til then, be well and safe.