Okay, things have gone too far. I cannot raise plants in order to have chocolate. Although we liken the South to a rainforest, it does get too cool for cocoa plants. We might find a substitute for oil or cut back. But, peak chocolate (my term) news is scary.
Your turn
Does this strike terror in your chocolate-loving sweet tooth? Or, can you take or leave chocolate? Shall we start hoarding Hershey's cocoa?
Chocolate will be a great barter item...the new currency even in my opinion. For sure, try to stock up on it! I have tried but failed many times ....we keep eating !
ReplyDeleteI like the term " peak chocolate":)
LindaM,
DeleteAre you kidding me? Trade chocolate? If I were hoarding chocolate it would be to survive, and the zombie hoards would have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers. They would be happy to oblige. That would be a fearsome foe--hoards of women with pms attacking me.
I'm sure this opinion won't make me at all popular, but much of the every day chocolate we buy off the shelves is made from cocoa harvested by slaves. Mostly young children who were tricked into slavery by promises of a new bike or extra money to send home to their family, and who will most likely never taste chocolate in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI always think of this when I eat chocolate or bake with it, and try to make my chocolate purchases to reflect my choice against this practice by buying free trade chocolate (It will say so on the label.)
I've found free trade chocolate bars and baking cocoa in the organic section of the grocery store. Purchasing this clears my conscience though I still haven't found baking chocolate squares and will probably have to give up my favourite brownie recipe :-(
The freely traded chocolate is expensive, $3.50 a bar instead of .50 to $1.00 for the popular name brands, so I don't buy it too often.
Just my thoughts on the chocolate topic. Sorry if they aren't popular, but I felt compelled to share.
That's true- about the slave labour- but I read an article awhile ago that basically said things haven't changed much with fair trade chocolate. One of the loopholes in the program is that family members (children) can still work, which has led to a lot of young, distant 'cousins' being brought onto fair trade farms. Lack of resources for inspections, and the vast distances between farms also. Owners agree to follow fair trade on paper, but in reality, it's not often practiced.
DeleteInteresting. I would be at a loss without chocolate. Hoarding cocoa could exacerbate the problem. Maybe plant some chocolate mint or chocolate basil. Hmmm. Thanks for the article.
ReplyDeleteWendy,
DeleteI would hoard cocoa. At least it would make it a tad more difficult to dip into the stash. I have been known to take a spoon full of sugar and some cocoa and a bit of butter in a cup and microwave it. That solves the chocolate craving without eating lots or spending so much to drive and purchase it.
Sue,
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about being popular. You did not condemn anyone and stated your opinion and facts. I often oppose views on other blogs! My favorietebrownie recipe always called for squares of chocolate. I have always used cocoa and butter instead of chocolate squares. My conscience needs pricking now and again.
Wendy,
Cousins? There are people who will abuse the law and use children to do so, always. It is a shame.
There is so much slave labor involved in the production of our purchases as well as abuse of animals. It is difficult to figure out what to do when my pittance of social security does not cover my necessities, much less fair trade items. I don't drink coffee, so that is one less decision and expense for me.
This makes me hungry for my favorite chocolate bar: Endangered Species Rainforest, Dark Chocolate (72%) Mmmmmmm!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I've been somewhat absent from the blogging world for a couple months (hard time of year for me). How have you been?
TLC,
ReplyDeleteI understand your problem. Oh, I was terribly ill and nursed Fancy for a few days until she died a traumatic death. I even stuck a gloved finger up her for a gyno exam. It is all in the posts--her gyno. I must admit, I have never had Fair Trade chocolate. Maybe I should indulge.
I don't think there are enough people worried about it for laying in a supply of cocoa to be a problem. I already have chocolate chips in quart jars stored but that won't last long.
ReplyDeleteYou are probably right. I only buy one bag of chocolate chips at a time and store them in a spaghetti jar. I just eat a few each day.There is only one bag here at the present.
ReplyDeleteCan't stand Hershey's - you Americans have different chocolate tastes to us, as we do from a lot of the Europeans... Cadbury's Dairy Milk is where it is at - there are always a few bars of that lying about... well until my son came home for Easter that was - all gone in 48 hours!
ReplyDeleteFurtheron,
ReplyDeleteSome Americans are downright chocolate snobs, turning up their collective noses at those of us who like the lowly Hershey's chocolate. I like Cadbury's, Sees, Ghirardelli,Lindt, and a host of others. But, let's face it, most Americans grew up with the Hershey's candy on a shelf and affordable. Of course, I am not accusing you of being a snob, but you just reminded me of the annoying people here. Now, that last statement did not turn out right! I meant you stated your preference without demeaning the tastes of others and implying they were without class and couth.
Do I still have my foot in my mouth?
There are pretenders--Brach's is not the same as inferior Brock's!
My children would go to school the day after Easter after having warned me to leave their Easter baskets alone, that the chocolate bunnies had better be there in the afternoon. The two older ones helped the little one hide hers from me. They were 7 and 9, warning the 2-yr-old that Mama would eat all her chocolate, so don't trust her...sigh...and it was true!
I solved that problem by hiding a stash in the upper cabinet that was for me alone...lol.