‘If you can’t remember my name, just say ‘Chocolate’ and I’ll turn around’ (Temptress Apothecary)

Let’s face it, anything really special in life has to have a stash of chocolate accompanying it, and when we introduce Ceremonial Cacao to the mix, it is quite literally the zenith of celestial celebrations with its blissful heart-opening qualities and nutrient-dense health benefits.

Cacao is known as a potent yet gentle plant medicine, and the spirit of Cacao is love. It knows no other way. Our ancients honoured and revered ‘xocoatl’ as early as the Mayan and Aztec times. The name of the chocolate plant itself, Theobroma (theos) means ‘god’ and (broma) means ‘food’ literally translating to ‘food of the Gods’. We pay deep respect to the ancient wisdoms of cacao with our pure 100% organic ceremonial grade Criollo bean (heirloom) Cacao which has been grown, harvested, fermented and dried with great care by small communities in South America. The cacao has a cache of nutrient-dense health benefits with a rich, dark chocolatey aroma. This celestial beverage is a luxurious delicacy that can be enjoyed in every day ritual or in larger amounts for sacred ceremony.

ABOUT TEMPTRESS CEREMONIAL CACAO

Pure, 100% certified organic, ceremonial-grade Criollo (heirloom) bean cacao. Nothing else added. Just the way we like it.

All of our cacao is from South America, whose climate and rich soils grow what we consider the best cacao in the world. We source exclusively from a number of certified organic community farms, located in areas with a long history as a prime cacao growing region.

Whilst all chocolate is made from cacao beans, not all cacao is created equal. Ceremonial grade cacao, including our own, has a number of important attributes:

• It’s produced from native Criollo bean (heirloom) Cacao strains: native meaning it’s found growing naturally, in the wild, with limited human interaction and cultivation. These strains are both the rarest and most concentrated in the compounds necessary for ceremonial use.
• Minimal processing: this means the beans still wholefoods and contain all of their natural compounds. These beans then undergo a fermentation process necessary for cultivating their flavour profile and activating certain natural compounds. The beans are then sun-dried, stone ground by traditional means, and formed into our chocolate bullion bars.
• Intention is everything: from tree to cup, ceremonial cacao is cultivated with intention, and in alignment with the Cacao Spirit. This means the lands, the farmers, the process, and the finished cacao are treated with compassion, love, respect, and reverence.

For us here at Temptress we are also committed to cacao farms and communities that are certified organic. Our core values include protecting the balance of ecosystems by avoiding GMO’s, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Organic agriculture supports biodiversity and promotes sustainable food production by looking after our planet’s natural resources. We implement a strict quality assurance program where we have traceability throughout the entire supply chain, from the growers to you, as the consumer.

TO HOLD IN CEREMONY

What do we mean by cacao ceremony? What we know with certainty, is that something ignites in all of us when we live with ritual and reverence. To make ritual means to hold ourselves, our lives, as sacred. That each moment is blessed with the capability and possibility of putting simple everyday doings into a divine space. To use our sacred hands to light a candle, lift our face to the morning sun, smudge sage, invite intention, clear space for ourselves, drink tea and cacao with our lovers and friends, pray, read, sit in stillness, hear the silence. Everyday doings, held in ritual, help move us from heart contraction to soul expansion, holding the potential to summon potent powers and incite mighty winds of change.

With this said, there is no ‘one way’ to hold ceremony. The main ingredients for a Cacao ceremony is high quality cacao in the right dose, mixed with the intention of openness and reverence for the plant and those people in your ceremonial circle with you.

In brewing your celestial Cacao beverage, she invites us to slow down and set aside time for ourselves and to step in to our own inner-guidance system, for self-care and nourishment, and to take-action from a place of inspiration (‘in spirit’).

Cacao ceremonies across the world have historically used many embodiment practices: dance and movement; meditation; yoga, kirtan, chanting, drumming, or dropping into sacred stillness. We invite you to create your own sacred ceremony that emanates from putting your simple everyday doings into a divine space, and perhaps then sharing this space with others.

Consumption (Dosage): For meditation and everyday use, the general doseof the holy bean is 20-25gms. For a ceremonial dose it’s between 40-50g. After 50g, especially for those who are just beginning their journey with cacao, the Cacao can be dense on the body and can cause headaches, nausea, and stomach discomfort due to its detoxifying effects.

OUR FAVOURITE CEREMONIAL CACAO RECIPE

Ingredients

• 20gms Ceremonial Cacao (shaved) (for everyday ritual or 40gms for a ceremonial dose)
• Water
• Sweetener (optional)*
• Nut milk (optional)
• Salt (optional)
• Pinch of chilli/cayenne (optional)
• *Natural sweetener of your choice includes honey, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, date syrup, coconut sugar etc. to taste. It is not necessary to sweeten the cacao drink but we find most people will find the drink more enjoyable this way.

Method

Warm a 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan over low heat. Take a heaped tablesppon or more and stir into the water until melted and smooth. Add extra water so to fill your cup, or for a creamier version, add your choice of nut milk and a touch of spice and sweetener. Turn off the heat and pour brew into a blender. Blend until soft and frothy (or hand whisk). Pour into a beautiful mug and serve warm and steamy. We recommend the chilli/cayenne spice as it helps potentiate the cacao.

Other serving variations

• Spice it up with a touch of turmeric, ginger, cinnamon or cardamom
• Add extra heat with cayenne pepper or black pepper or Chili,
• Open your heart with rose and vanilla
• Ceremonial cacao can also be used to make ceremonial chocolate treats and truffles or added to smoothies and other beverages, including coffee and wine.

NUTRIENTS IN CACAO

Popular claims proclaim that chocolate offer the properties of being a stimulant, relaxant, euphoriant, aphrodisiac, tonic and mood enhancer. Is this so? What we know from research is that pure Cocoa paste is a complex food that contains a host nutrients and bioactive compounds. Cocoa is rich in minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc and a range of flavonoids, including catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins which promote antioxidant activity, thus Cacao has been found to assist with anaemia, lower the risk of cardiometabolic diseases by improving the markers for triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and fasting insulin, improve brain function and our ability to focus. Cocoa has also been shown to protect nerves from injury and inflammation, protect the skin from oxidative damage from UV radiation in topical preparations, and have beneficial effects on satiety and cognitive function.

As for those heart-opening, blissful mood qualities, Cacao has a small amount of active ingredients that, whilst on their own, may not amount to much, but in combination can have profound effects on the brain. These include Theobromine (an alkaloid that has a stimulant effect on the brain. The ‘ine’ is chemically similar to caffeine, nicotine and morphine); Anandamide (a cannabinoid, that affects many of the same functions of the brain as THC, the major psychoactive active ingredient in cannabis); Phenylethylamine (PEA) (a chemical which stimulates the brain’s pleasure centres and which is released when we fall in love). Packed together, ceremonial cacao makes an in an inviting, steamy beverage, satisfying an ancient craving, that releases endorphins and ‘love feelings’.

FAQ ABOUT CEREMONIAL CACAO

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DRINK CACAO?

Every day if you like. Ask your body.

DOES CEREMONIAL GRADE CACAO CONTAIN CAFFEINE?

The main stimulating ingredient in Ceremonial Cacao is Theobromine, which is in the same family as caffeine, however it’s very low in actual caffeine and much gentler on the adrenal glands, nervous system, and much more alkalizing.

SHOULD I EAT PRIOR TO CONSUMING CEREMONIAL CACAO?

Eat lightly prior to consuming ceremonial cacao. This will allow the cacao to absorb more fully and not dampen the effects. No need to fast, just don’t drink it on a full stomach.

WHAT IS CACAO PASTE?

In the chocolate industry, cacao paste or liquor is the term used to refer to cacao beans that have been ground. The grinding process creates enough heat to melt the cacao butter, so it comes out much like a nut butter, or a liquid fudge. When it cools, it hardens into solid form. This is what you see here with your Temptress Ceremonial Cacao Bar.

HOW DO I STORE YOUR CACAO?

Our ceremonial cacao will last for years when stored in the proper conditions. If you live in a temperate place without high heat or humidity, leaving it at room temperature is best. If you are in a warm environment, we recommend storing your cacao in the coolest place in your house during hot weather. Keep the cacao out of the direct sun to avoid melting.