LOKCHART MARTIN COCOA TEA:
The wonders of social media mean that these days a whole wealth of different chocolate and cacao products and producers are at the touch of a button. I discovered Lockhart Martin on Instragram and was lucky enough to win a sachet of their delectable cacao tea in an Instacompetition – unlike most cacao teas that just use the husks, these guys create a rustic blend of crushed cacao beans – so you’re not just getting the dreamy, almost earthy notes of the cacao shells coming through in this brew, but also the heady rich chocolatey notes (and nutritional benefits) within the nibs themselves. To coin a phrase (that’s already been coined by these folks) it’s “drinking chocolate without the calories”, never a truer word said! For maximum effect, use 3 heaped teaspoons of cocoa infusion in your preferred loose leaf tea spoon, pour freshly boiled water over them and steep for 2-3 minutes. If, like me, you are frugal with your cocoa items, the leaves will be good for up to two flushes, but after that they will need to be disposed of.
There’s more on offer in the infusions department; the inventive bunch at LM HQ are also branching into blends, the Cocoa & Mint infusion being the first in this range and I just can’t wait to try it! Cocoa infusions aren’t the only products these guys have going, they also create their own miniature bean-to-bar bars of 90% cacao. Watch this space for reviews on these shortly!
There is an honest and inspiring story behind these guys; founded by Sarah Martin after being diagnosed with Coeliac disease amongst other food intolerances, Sarah set about creating her own products she was able to eat, along with making artizan dark chocolate bars from the beans, she soon branched into cocoa infusions, and, realising her potential, started the Lockhart Martin company. Sarah, we salute you! Lockhart Martin are an online shop so head over to their website and grab yourself a cocoa infusion!
The Adventures of Elle Coco 