#carob hot chocolate

[autoimmunehn]

Milk Chocolate Cocoa Powder For Sale

Savor the indulgence of Milk Chocolate Cocoa Powder—crafted for rich, creamy beverages and decadent recipes. Perfectly balanced with natural sweetness, it’s ideal for hot chocolate lovers and dessert enthusiasts alike. https://autoimmunehn.com/products/milk-chocolate-coco-carob-coffee-hot-chocolate-replacement?variant=48051150258449

[sircathy]

Carob Sauce / Hot Chocolate

½ cup white sugar ¼ cup carob powder A pinch of salt ¼ cup cold water ¾ tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan (on the bench), whisk the sugar, carob, and salt to get rid of any lumps. Add in the water and whisk until evenly wet. Then turn on the heat, but go gentle if you've got a hot gas stove. Bring it up to the boil, then take it off the heat. Stir in the vanilla.

I keep this in an old salsa jar in the fridge.

To turn it into hot chocolate:

2 tbsp carob sauce boiling water milk of choice

Put the sauce in the bottom of your mug. Pour freshly boiled water on it, until about 3/4 full. Stir to make sure the sauce is mixed in. Then top off with milk.

There will be a grainy residue in the bottom when you get there, that's just how carob is. Maybe you can use it to tell your future?

[chibifox2002]

F-fluffy chest 👀❤️

just redesigned him and now I've already drawn him with his shirt off... might be a new record or something-

[balkanikabg]

Description:

Hot Carob Drink Machine is a small appliance that can be used to make different types of hot carob (sweeter, healthier and non caffeine alternative to hot chocolate).  It can be found in buy mode under "Appliances -> Small  appliances". It costs 300$, and it comes in 7 different colors.

When you press on the object you'll see an option to make a cup or a pot. Each option will open a selection menu and you can choose from 8 different types. I also added my previous Hot Chocolates (Keto Hot Chocolate, Gingerbread Red Velvet).

Optional ingredients:

Health Nut Nook

Add On 

DOWNLOAD (Early Access)

Public Access: 27th of December, 2023 on Curseforge

@sssvitlanz @maxismatchccworld

[tyhi]

porridge for champions (only)

you gotta prepare some of this the night before, so that the phytase enzyme in the buckwheat can get to work on the phytic acid in the oats to release the minerals and make them bioavailable and generally make all of this easier to digest and stuff.

combine the following in a jar or saucepan and mix it up:

oat flakes, however much you want to eat idk. you can play with the oats-to-water ratio to make more of a dry/fluffy or a wet/smooth porridge. the range is around 40-110 grams for one portion, depending on what you're going for. a tablespoon of oats is about 10g

½-2 tbsp of buckwheat -- i use raw crushed groats. less processed = richer in enzymes. crushed is a good balance between cooking time and enzyme content, i think

1-2 tbsp sunflower seeds, chia seeds or pumpkin seeds for extra nutrients, variety, texture :) (optional)

pinch of salt

water - soak em. enough to cover the oats etc + a lil extra bc they soak it up and expand. NB if you want dry/fluffy porridge then err on the side of less water, ie just enough to cover the stuff.

cover with a lid and leave at room temperature overnight.

cooking: add some fat. i love using fatty coconut milk or just coconut oil, or goats milk butter or even some kind of animal fat. i turn the heat to medium-high at first to get it all hot while mixing it, and then i leave it on low for a while. takes like 30 minutes or so

completely optional, i usually add some of these b4 i start cooking:

plain protein powder (im a fan of hemp protein personally)

maca and/or ashwagandha

matcha powder - ive really been liking this lately

collagen supplement (if u have an autoimmune condition pls look into healing gut permeability btw. even if u dont have digestive problems. ily)

carob powder my beloved. or cocoa powder. or both

or if u like savory porridge: curry powder, smoked paprika, leek, herbs, pepper

egg

& some possible toppings:

any kinda nutt butter u like <33

stick some chocolate in there and watch it melt

jam. classic

honey and cinnamon

coconut sugar syrup

berries, frozen or fresh

some reading materials btw:

[inthesirensandthesilences]

hot carob i made is really lovely. its like secret chocolate

[unhonestlymirror]

Rating food of the countries I've been to, from West to East:

Disclaimer: it's veeery subjective

***

Spain🇪🇸 : 7/10. It's okay. I expected their fish and seafood to be better, tho. A LOT of relatively cheap fresh juices, 10/10 for health. They also make surprisingly amazing pasta and surprisingly average paella.

France🇫🇷: 9/10. Never visited cafes or restaurants there, but Carrefour has an incredible variety of good meat. I love their pineapple pie, too. There are a lot of products for vegetarians, Muslims, and, in general, different people who have different eating styles. There's a lot to see. And omg, their bazaar days are something worth attending: I still regret that I never tried clams with white wine.

UK🇬🇧 : 6/10. Not impressed. Something tells me that they deliberately make fish-n-chips that terrible. But I absolutely loved the strawberries under hot chocolate, which was sold by two cheerful Polish girls near Madam Tussaud museum.

Switzerland 🇨🇭: 6/10. Migros has nice buns with spinach and those Japanese "sandwiches", overall, your whole salary is gonna be spent on food. (Lithuania core lol😭) McDonald's there SUCKS.

Norway🇳🇴: 4/10. I expected a lot for some reason. Prices gonna cause you a heart attack, the quality is gonna give you a second heart attack. Also!!! THERE WAS NO FISH IN THE SHOPS EXCEPT THE CANNED!!! I was deeply injured. Norwegian salmon is super popular in Ukraine, how can they not have any normal fish in the big supermarkets...

Germany🇩🇪: 1/10. I may be just unlucky, but every time I visit Germany and pick a random cafe with lots of people(!), it has the worst food I've ever tasted in my life. It's like that scene from Desperate Housewives: "Really? A woman who orders Chinese food for Christmas dinner cooked a pineapple pie?" I understand now why Ukrainian women often marry Germans. My heart bleeds when I see what exactly you eat. I want to cover you with a blanket and cook you a normal soup.

Czech Republic 🇨🇿: 7/10. The soup was nice, ставлю вподобайку👍

Poland🇵🇱 : 8/10. Soup in bread, my beloved. Doughnuts were some kind of overcooked in oil, tho.

Montenegro🇲🇪: 10/10. I love you. I love your salads, your seafood, and I LOVE YOUR LEMON ICECREAM!!!!!

Slovakia🇸🇰: 7/10. I don't really remember what I ate, I am sorry. But I was really impressed with your supermarkets for some reason. Gotta visit it again.

Hungary🇭🇺: 6/10. It was my first time I've ever tried street food, and I liked it. You guys know how to cook meat.

Greece🇬🇷: 7/10. One day, I'll find the guy who can cook Karavidopsiha and beg them to cook it once again. Nice fish!!! I remember your arbutus honey as old women remember their best lovers. But. One time, a man served my family with unpeeled shrimps in batter. :/ What the hell was that? Is that some kind of a national dish I'm not aware of? Minus three points for such bullying.

Cyprus 🇨🇾: 7/10. I shouldn't be obsessed with your carob tree pastille that much.

Lithuania🇱🇹: 10/10. I love you. Although, I'd love to spend less money on food too. I love your Maxima and Rimi and Iki. I love your cafes. I love your bakery, I love your cocktails, I looooooove your soups, and I love your Asian food too. It's very easy to become an alcoholic with such delicious wines and tinctures.

Latvia🇱🇻: 11/10. Oh my god. Oh my god. I'm on my knees. Your cream chanterelle soup and Lidl croissants and marinated onion and šašlyk and fish and dairy products🛐🛐🛐. You guys know how to serve. I've never seen such pretty food designs anywhere. And of course, Lido. It brings me in tears of joy and makes me remember Puzata Hata. No, for real, is there any dish you don't know how to cook?

Finland🇫🇮: 7/10. That's okay. Nice street food.

Belarus ⚪️🔴⚪️: 9/10. Oh my dear Belarus, you're gonna be the best chef in Europe once you're free from russia. I wish I ate more machanka and drank your pine tincture when I had the chance. I love your chicory, it's a bit greyish, but it's much more delicious than an average chicory. Delicious meat in the shops. Other food is soviet-like, which makes me nauseous.

Ukraine 🇺🇦: ♾️/10. Вітчизно моя! Ти як здоров'я, наскільки ти цінна, тільки той знає, хто тебе втратив. I don't know if my favourite shops still work. I loved every single cafe I've been to, yes, even that shitty prorussian Mafia and Eurasia. I loved Puzata Hata. I loved Khlibna Kava, and its amazing cherry cupcakes. I loved Moloko Vid Fermera. I loved little kiosks with fresh Makadamia nuts and huge variety of vegetables and fruits. I loved Flagman and Silpo, Lvivśki croissants, and chocolate shops. I loved my seafood store. I loved giant frappes in Shevchenko Park. I loved my Continent with its old classical French background songs. I love my Japanese food stores. There are so many places I love. I used to find my bazaar so ugly and dirty, but I would give everything to buy the sea ​​buckthorn jam from the cheerful old lady. But it's not gonna happen. My bazaar was shelled by russians to the ground.

Turkey🇹🇷: 9/10. Your Katmer, seafood soup and baked shrimps(?) are something 🛐.

Jordan🇯🇴: 7/10. Nice! You cook paella better than Spain, be proud of yourself. Although, I'd love to not be scared for my life as a woman all the time. Your bazaar seemed very interesting, but unfortunately, I don't speak Arabic. And I am a woman, which also sucks, I guess. I was totally covered in black, except for the face and hair, and people still stared at me like on a zoo exponate. McDonald's kinda sucks too, but not as much as in Switzerland.

Egypt🇪🇬: 7/10. It's okay. I've tasted only hotel food.

Sakartvelo🇬🇪 : 10/10. Our guide forgot about our existence, and we had to find any source of food to not die from hunger, so we went to your local bazaar and asked to fry some cheap fish. It had lots of bones, and I hate fish with bones, but I ate it all, and it tasted amazing.

Saudi Arabia 🇸��: 6/10. Most of the week, I just cooked some simple spiceless products like pasta and eggs from the small store. You are far from the level of grocery stores in Turkey. Although, your cold orange juice bottle saved my life from dying in the middle of the desert.

Qazaqstan 🇰🇿: 7/10. I don't really remember your supermarkets, I guess they were okay. But your bazaars are definitely something worth attending. Millions of varieties of honey with millions of tastes and very salty hard cheese Kurt.

[twooowars]

nerdy bullshit analysis of what i think some of the edible crops from the cookie clicker garden probably taste like under the cut

there is no fun wording in the description to suggest that there is anything interesting flavour-wise about either baker's wheat or thumbcorn. gildmillet likely just tastes like normal millet seed (therefore delicious.......). ordinary clover is just a clover, golden clovers likely taste the same.

cronerice's description says it is related to the weeping willow, which is edible but apparently disgusting. it's usually used moreso as a medicine than for food, and apparently it's largely used to soothe achey joints. orteil is really funny.

elderwort is said to have a strange heady scent and for some reason that instantly makes me think of lily of the valley. i don't think lilies are edible (hence no shimmerlily on this list), so i'd probably say it is similar to how roses taste. i know it's probably inspired by creeping bog wort since it looks so much like it, but bog wort aoparently doesn't have a super distinct flavour besides being vaguely floral.

bakeberry is the one that perplexes me most, i think. as far as a crunchy outer shell i want to say it's something hazelnutty, or maybe something carob adjacent, especially given the description of bakeberry biscuits as being really good with hot chocolate. it might be a chocolate outer shell, but this does not seem Joyous. that said the creamy red inside could really be comparable to anything. red velvet ganache? red bean paste? god forbid, might they be cherry blossoms? (do they have cherry blossoms outside "canada"?)

chocoroot is apparently a normal bramble covered in something like chocolate syrup. i'd assume, then, that this chocolate is maybe a little sap-like. probably more like molasses in texture than traditional chocolate syrup and perhaps has a slightly earthy taste to it. from the appearance and the fact it grows out of the ground it might have more of a dark chocolate flavour. there are no specific flavour descriptors given for the root itself, or indication on whether or not it is edible.

white chocoroot is just a chocoroot with paler, sweeter syrup. this is Relaly interesting to me since real-life chocolate and white chocolate are not related and white chocolate is not actually chocolate at all. this implies, to me at least, that white chocoroot does not actualy quite taste like normal white chocolate but more like milk chocolate, since it is related to chocoroot.

whiskerblooms secrete a white milky substance that may or may not be edible. i might compare this to the sap that comes from a dandelion, considering dandelions also have a cat-themed name, and since the whiskerbloom seems to be a similar plant with long angular leaves that congregate at the bottom and one large flower that grows from a single stem.

drowsyfern is likely some kind of mint or mint-adjacent plant, given its appearance and use as a relaxing herbal tea. not a lot to say on this one.

keenmoss it probably less used for flavour and more used for aroma and scent. i have some oak moss scented candles that i love and i can only imagine keenmoss is like a slightly sweeter, fresher version of that. i didn't need to do a sidenote for this but i Love the smell of moss.

the queenbeet is a sweet ass beet that apparently produces white sugar. knowing that orteil is a funny silly guy i'm going to assume this means literal, processed, granulated white sugar. which i like. she tastes like sugar, next question. juicy variant is the same but Juicy.

duketater is just a sweet tuber, but interestingly it is also described in-game as having a "yellow" aftertaste. what the fuck that means, i do not know.

the only in-game description of the shriekbulb calls it a "nasty vegetable", and visually it looks exactly like a radish. i like radishes, but i get that they are polarizing. likely, this is just a radish that screams. (hell yeah).

i'm now also faced with the equally nerdy but interesting question of which garden plants are technically edible, which are typically eaten, and which are strictly inedible. i'd say most of the molds, rots and fungi are likely inedible, besides ichorpuff and cheapcap, which are typically eaten, fool's bolete which is technically edible but not tasty, and crumbspore, doughshroom and wrinklegill which might be edible. (crumbspore is a mold, but may still be edible. doughshroom is a fungus and it smells appetizing, but that doesn't make it good to eat. similarly, wrinklegill makes you hungry when you smell it, but no word on whether you should eat it. the fact that it makes you hungry is just a thematic thing in this context, but in the context of reality it would likely mean that the fungus was parasitic and spread through being eaten. this does fit the theme of wrinklers pretty well so i'm willing to accept it as canon, and it may be worth mentioning that this is kind of supported by white mildew being a rapidly spreading, ostensibly inedible substance that is intentionally appetizing (creamy and sweet-smelling).)

[olive-riggzey]

Listen, I don’t complain about a lot of things, but I wish that chocolate substitutes were more common the way there are gluten-free versions of stuff and vegan alternatives.

It gets really tiring having people offer me coffee at work, and then after I tell them I can't consume caffeine they offer me hot chocolate, only to have me tell them I can't have that either. And I have to specifically request that they have candy in the office that aren’t chocolate bars. Small annoying stuff like that.

When winter comes back around, I'll be bringing my own little bag of carob powder so I can enjoy a hot drink that won’t put me to sleep or make me sick, but I'll still be grumpy about it. >:|

[slugluvvr]

ive been summoned ⁉️ @versailles-dove thank you for tagging me 💅🏻 xoxo

rules: tag 10 people or less that you want to get to know better/think would have fun w this!

favorite color: its always a tie between hot pink and periwinkle blue 💖💙

song stuck in my head: i kissed a girl by katy perry 💅🏻💖 idk why washing dishes got that song a spinning on my cerebral turntable but hey 🤷🏼‍♀️

three favorite foods: 💥 chocolate anything yes anything fucking cocoa powder??? 💥 yeah add it 💥 fuckinggg PEACHES 💥 so good and 💥 ORANGES FUCK YEAAHHHH 💥💥💥

last song i listened to: it was policy of truth by depeche mode 🫡 a vibe

dream trip: take me to santa monica (known only for being the location of 2004 hit video game vampire the masquerade: bloodlines

last thing i googled: pretty sure i was looking up the motorola razr v3 on my computer for reference images for a 3D model im making lmfao. on my phone its "what is carob powder" 😐 still dont know and decided it wasnt that important

relationship status: [REDACTED] 🗿

tagging: @starlitflowers-secretgarden @makingbakingpancakes @mistymaples @stacispratt and an honorary tag for my sister @math-turbation even though i think i can guess correctly for all of these...)

[autoimmunehn]

Hot Natural Coffee Replacement

Experience the perfect start to your day with Hot Natural Coffee Replacement���a caffeine-free blend crafted for energy and flavor. Made with wholesome, natural ingredients, it offers a rich, satisfying taste without the jitters. https://autoimmunehn.com/products/milk-chocolate-coco-carob-coffee-hot-chocolate-replacement?variant=48051150258449

[lexidius]

1 cup of milk or barista friendly oat milk

2-3 teaspoons carob powder (can use cocoa powder but carob is sweeter)

1 cinnamon quill or 1/2 cinnamon stick

1 pinch of red chilli flakes, to taste

put all of this in a saucepan and heat to almost boiling (if it boils, just make sure it doesn't burn or bubble over)

strain and pour 1/4 of the warm milk into a french coffee press/coffee plunger with the fine mesh filter attached

grip the coffee plunger, make sure everything is secure and then plunge that thing up and down fast like a pumping action (yes it does kind of look like you're jacking off the plunger, ignore that and trust the process)

remove top of plunger and through the spout of the jug, barista style, pour frothed up milk on top of your warm mug of chilli hot chocolate

add honey, maple syrup or agave to taste, along with optional dusting of cinnamon sugar and more dried chilli flakes, feel free to add marshmallows or vanilla and whatever other wintery spices and flavourings you want (boiling a star anise with the cinnamon stick is something I've yet to try)

Chai tea bag + lil but of brown sugar + apple cider packet + 16 oz. mug of hot but not quite boiling water

it will not Fix You but like. maybe. maybe.

[shadows-starlight]

Shadows and Starlight

Book 46: Snowfalls and Snowflakes

-

As the morning sun's rays crept their way into the stoney cavern lair of Malakar, the sorcerer, his baby daughter, Aurora, was just waking up after a long night's sleep.

Her dark olive green eyes fluttered open as she yawned softly and stretched in her cradle. Suddenly, the baby went from sleepy to surprised at the sight that lay before her outside her window; the entire forest outside was blanketed in a thick layer of fluffy, white snow.

It was as if the forest had been covered with tons of whipping cream.

Aurora's eyes widened in surprise at the snowy wonderland glistening under the morning sun.

She had never seen snow before.

The door to the nursery creaked open and Malakar himself, walked in. His piercing blue eyes softened as he picked Aurora up from her cradle. “Good morning, Aurora,” he said, "did you have a good night's rest?"

Aurora smiled as she looked up at her father, reflecting the excitement of her discovery. She pointed to the window, showing Malakar the snow-covered forest outside.

Malakar noticed the snow-covered landscape. “Ah, I see,” he said with a smile. “It seems that it must have snowed in the middle of the night. Aurora, how about the two of us have breakfast, and then we'll go outside and explore the snow together?"

Aurora loved the sound of that. She let out a delightful squeal and clapped her hands.

After breakfast, which consisted of hot porridge drizzled with the honey that he harvested earlier in the year from a bumblebee's hive, Malakar and Aurora prepared for their wintery adventure.

The two of them were dressed in their winter clothes.

Aurora's winter attire consisted of her knitted white beret, a soft, icy blue fur-lined coat made from enchanted wool and fastened with small silver buttons and a matching hood, little chocolate brown boots, white mittens that Malakar had knitted, and a dusty blue knitted scarf that Malakar had also knitted that were embroidered with two graceful swans at one of the ends.

Malakar's winter attire, in contrast, was a long, dark navy coat made from enhanced velvet that was lined with luxurious, deep blue fur and had a high collar that could be turned up against the wind that was fastened with silver clasps, and had a matching hood, carob brown leather gloves, black boots that reached up to his knees with silver patterns engraved along the sides, and an umber brown scarf.

As they stepped out into the snowy landscape, the crisp, cold air greeted them. Aurora giggled as the breeze tickled her face and blew her hair gently. Malakar held Aurora using a large piece of pale yellow fabric as a sling that was strapped onto her chest. Aurora was facing forward so she could look at everything.

"Look at all of the snow, Aurora," Malakar said with a warm voice, "snow is one of winter's most magical gifts. Just like rain, the water turns into tiny ice crystals and fall gently to the ground, covering the world with a large, white blanket."

He conjured a little snowflake with a wave of his hand and showed it to Aurora, who looked at it with curious eyes. "No two snowflakes are alike," Malakar continued, "a tiny crystal all on its own. Just like you and me. Isn’t it amazing?"

He pointed to the trees with their tops covered with snow. "It looks as if the trees are fashioned with their own winter coats. And over here," Malakar said, walking towards the pond, that was completely frozen over since the last time they went, "you can see that the pond has been frozen over since our last visit. Winter does this. It takes liquids like water for example, and freezes it to make them solid. When the pond is solid, people tend to ice skate on it. One day, when you’re a bit older, you’ll be able to ice skate on it yourself."

Aurora, who was now out of the sling and sitting in the snow, watched as Malakar used his magic to create playful animals made from snow come to life—a frosty fox, a snow bunny, a majestic carabao, and a giant, yet friendly, polar bear—that frolicked around them. Aurora’s laughter filled the air as the magical creatures danced and played.

Then, Malakar made a small mound of snow and instinctively, Aurora touched the soft, cold snow. It felt chilly to the touch.

Next, Malakar decided to have a bit of fun. He carefully stepped onto the frozen pond with Aurora securely in his arms, wearing a pair of sage green and white ice skates. As they glided across the ice, Malakar tossed Aurora gently into the air and caught her with a loving laugh. Aurora’s belly laughs echoed through the forest. Malakar did figure eights, arabesques, spirals, and gentle spins.

After a while, when the temperature started to dip just like the sun, Malakar decided that it was time to head back home. He was keen to get back as soon as possible so that they wouldn’t be caught in a blizzard and that Aurora wouldn’t catch cold.

Fortunately, by the time they got back to the lair, the sky had already grown darker and a gentle snowfall began which would cover the forest with even more snow.

After a warm bath to thaw out, dressing in warm night clothes, and lighting a fire, Malakar settled into his armchair near the fireplace in the main hall with a warm fire glowing in the hearth and Aurora on his lap.

Malakar was sipping his teacup full of hot chamomile tea while Aurora drank a bottle that was filled with a special concoction he had created with a gallon of warm cow's milk mixed with honey. As they watched the snow falling gently outside from the warmth and comfort of their lair, Malakar began telling Aurora an impromptu story.

“Once upon a time,” he started, “snowflakes got their start as tiny, magical stars that decided to visit the Earth. They came every winter to cover the world in a beautiful white blanket. Each year, as the Earth turns cold, the snowflakes gather and dance, making everything look pure and new.”

When the story ended, Malakar looked down to see that Aurora had fallen asleep. The warmth of the lair, her father's embrace, and the bottle had caused her to doze off. Malakar decided to stay in the armchair a little longer, enjoying the tranquility of the moment.

He whispered softly to the sleeping Aurora, “Sweet dreams, my little snowflake.”

He knew that after today, there would be many more fun snow days to come.

[drritamarie]

Dairy-free, Keto, Cordyceps with Cocoa Recipe, Energizing Mushroom-Hot Choco!

This toasty and delicious hot chocolate is free of dairy, gluten, and carbs. This soothing cup is not only free of dairy and helps control blood sugar, but it also contains a wealth of minerals that help to support and fortify the adrenal glands. To further improve your health, think about incorporating medicinal mushrooms into your routine. Turn your cozy hot chocolate into a healthy mushroom latte by adding some cordyceps or other adaptogenic mushrooms.

These medicinal mushrooms are well known for their capacity to modify the immune system and can help maintain a strong immune system. This recipe for powdered cordyceps extract, creamy coconut milk, and a touch of decadent chocolate or carob form the foundation of this cordyceps with cocoa dish. This is not your typical hot chocolate; rather, it is a skillfully prepared wellness and delight.

[mygainyear2024]

Day 25 Carnation Revolution - 50th Anniversary

Today Portugal celebrated their 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which put an end to the longest-running dictatorship in Europe.

And to mark the occasion I participated in the local 10km Freedom Run (Corridada da Liberdade). A late 10am start, with 305 runners, we set off. About one minute in I regretted drinking those couple of glasses of vinho verde last night and also not bringing some water. Lots of runners overtook me and I was beginning to wonder whether I might be last. This thought crossed my mind a few times, but I didn't turn around, telling myself the only thing that mattered was finishing and to get some water, which came a bit late at the 6km mark! There were slippery cobblestones, a few hills, a bit of wind to contend with and the crappier songs coming up on my playlist, but luckily it was not too hot. I ran all the way, and was faster than my usual time, at 58:14! I placed no. 186, and I came first in my gendered age range (55-60), there were six of us. I have to say it was quite exciting and I don't usually like running with anyone near me.

With the remainder of the day free, and my growing confidence in driving, I tossed around a few ideas and decided to head to the inland village of Monchique.

The narrow streets were a bit tricky, but I found a park not too far from my first stop, Ochalá, a lovely tea room. I had carob cake and admired their art. A young man at the bar asked me if I was digital. He wanted to engage in conversation and show me something he was studying. I think he was a gamer, but his strong accent was hard to understand and I had a feeling I wouldn't get a way in a hurry, and I had a list!

I found Studio Bongard Ceramics and walked through their garden. The artist is half Portuguese/English and has quite an interesting style.

I then walked up to the very ruined Convento de Nossa Senhora do Desterro. On the path I got abused by a disheveled male busker, who swore at my for quite a while (I heard lots of mother fucking, probably the only english he could speak!!). I can only assume it's because I didn't put any money in the guitar case which was strewn across the middle of the path, while he was some distance away under a tree. I did wonder whether he would stone me on the way back (as loose cobblestones were plentiful). But I got my big girl pants on, walked cautiously and calmly past, as this time he'd moved closer down the hill, and was preparing for an attack! A Tripadvisor recommendation to visit the church is a desperate recommendation in my opinion. Two other disheveled older men were waiting to guide me through their makeshift kitchen, out towards some chickens to view two rooms that were accessible.

I then went in search for the local spirit / firewater Medronho, a traditional fruit brandy, obtained from arbutus berries - the fruit of the Medronho tree, also called strawberry tree. And it was pretty fiery. Thankfully I only ordered a thimble at €1. To be honest the liquor chocolate I purchased next door for €1 was definitely better value.

Last stop - elevation of 902 metres, Fóia is the highest mountain of Algarve. It is part of the Serra de Monchique range. On a clear day the Atlantic Ocean is visible, but sadly not today. Although towards the bottom of the decent the skies cleared up, but I wasn't that excited to go back up again.

[stumblngrumbl]

☕

i started drinking more than the very occasional coffee a couple months ago, using a moka pot about every other day and i realized after a while that i am indeed affected by caffiene - but it seems to take a while to build up and bother me

cocoa has theobromine which is a closely related chemical, and i can feel that very quickly with dark chocolate or a dark hot cocoa, but until now i've always assumed that i was just not affected by caffiene because any time i drank coffee i never felt anything, not right away nor later in the day

but after a few weeks of fairly regular use i started feeling kinda fucked up so now i'm back on my chicory beverage, now adding carob to it. very tasty, no jitters.