A Cup of Chocolate Tea
Chocolate what?
Yes, you did read it right!
When I spotted this product on the shelf of my local health-food shop, the idea of chocolate flavoured tea repelled me and intrigued me in just about equal measures. You see, I am fanatical about both chocolate and about tea, but separately.
I've never entertained in my wildest dreams the idea of mixing the two together, and why would I? It was like two completely separate parts of my life colliding unexpectedly.
Chocolate and coffee (mocha), somehow seems a much more acceptable combination; perhaps because they are both products of the bean. But mixing the cocoa bean with the subtle tea leaf seems a bit of an unholy union; the fun-loving chocolate is sure to corrupt the more austere, traditional tea...
Well, I suppose the main thought that repelled me was the idea of stirring a piece of chocolate into a cup of tea; not the best recipe I should imagine. It would surely result in a bitter and ugly flavour. It's wrong; just wrong I tell you!
But reading the box, I found that this product contains neither tea nor chocolate (at least not in the form that we know it). Which makes it a bit easier to understand why it should be on the shelf of a health-food shop!
This is, in fact a herbal tea, called Mayan Cocoa Spice produced by a company called Yogi Tea. Containing organic cocoa shells, cinnamon bark, cardamom, ginger and clove, this tea is made according to the ancient Mayan tradition of combining chocolate, or cacao with spices; to form a luxury concoction which would have been consumed by nobility. The cocoa pods themselves were thought to symbolise fertility and prosperity.
What's it like?
Because of my expectation that a chocolate drink should be thick and creamy, I was somewhat surprised by the brown watery consistency of this tea. But the heavenly smell more than compensated for this, as the rich spices, (especially the cinnamon), came together with the cocoa shells to produce a rather lovely aroma. A bit like chai tea, but sweeter (and more chocolatey!)
But does the taste match up? Well, it has a very subtle flavour, and so (after much extremely scientific experimentation) I would recommend steeping for the recommended seven minutes; - and then just leave the teabag in! It doesn't bear much resemblance to hot chocolate and doesn't feel indulgent in the way that most chocolate items would, but the combination of cocoa and spices is a strangely pleasant one. I found it to be a lovely, warming, relaxing and comforting drink, which seems to have captured some Mayan magic.
Not to everybody's taste (again, I've experimented - this time on my friends!), but if you like chocolate and sweet spices, and you're a fan of the spirit of tea, then this comes highly recommended.
Sources
Some other unusual chocolate products
- "Adult" Triple Chocolate Cereal
This cereal is choc-full of dark, milk and white chocolate curls. A very luxurious start to the day! - Chocolate Soap Massage Bar
Smells so good you'll want to eat it. (But don't!) And looks just like the real thing too. - Chocolate Body Paint
A sexy (and tasty) idea for chocolate lovers! - Dark Chocolate with Chilli
Rich dark chocolate with a surprising kick. - Chocolate Coated Liquorice
And another two of my worlds collide... Chocolate and liquorice, who would have thought it? But it works really well! - Chocolate Liqueur
I need to try this!
