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A fascinating guide to the history and medical uses of cacao. The Secret Life of Chocolate is a book about chocolate. Not the sweet, mass-produced fatty confection most of us are familiar with, though. This book is about old-school chocolate; pre-Colombian, Central American, bitter-spicy-foamy-intense blow-your-socks-off chocolate; chocolate beverages made with toasted cocoa beans, water, and indigenous plants. Today there are many different forms of drinking chocolate in Latin America, most of which reflect European (Spanish) influence, incorporating sugar, cinnamon, and milk. The aim of this work is to peel back the years of cultural cross-pollination and anatomize the original Cacao-based beverages, which were richer, more complex, more potent, and darker (in every sense) than modern forms of chocolate. This book delves into the ancient history of the human relationship with the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao; it dissects the pharmacological properties of chocolate to the fullest possible extent; and it divulges the mythical and magical associations of human interactions with this incredible plant.
A concise guide to the medicinal and ceremonial usage of chocolate Following on from his magnum opus, The Secret Life of Chocolate, Marcos Patchett returns with a short yet in-depth introduction to the bounty of the cacao plant. Rich with thorough research, Pharmakakawa takes readers on a journey from the tropical forests of the Americas, (the ancestral home of the plant) to its global movements across the world in which cacao was transformed from a bitter drink to the sweet confectionary known today. Patchett expertly weaves the exceptional history of the cacao plant with its pharmacology, discussing cacao within its ancient ancestral context of Mesoamerican medicine, as well as in relation...
A concise guide to the medicinal and ceremonial usage of chocolate Following on from his magnum opus, The Secret Life of Chocolate, Marcos Patchett returns with a short yet in-depth introduction to the bounty of the cacao plant. Rich with thorough research, Pharmakakawa takes readers on a journey from the tropical forests of the Americas, (the ancestral home of the plant) to its global movements across the world in which cacao was transformed from a bitter drink to the sweet confectionary known today. Patchett expertly weaves the exceptional history of the cacao plant with its pharmacology, discussing cacao within its ancient ancestral context of Mesoamerican medicine, as well as in relation...
This “fun, sassy, and colorful” guide to herbal medicine “contains a wealth of information and offers a deeply profound and personal approach to herbalism” (Rosemary Gladstar). Take charge of your wellbeing by reconnecting with your local plants—and with the land, elements, and seasons—through the 5 tools of Sensory Herbalism. This book has been written for anyone who has heard the whispers of the wild and has been stirred to know more—for those with a political conscience and for lovers of the outdoors. Whether you are new to the ways of herbs or already a practicing herbalist, it explains how you can take your physical and mental health into your own hands using the plants th...
TREE TO BAR CHOCOLATE We've grown cacao since 2010, but cacao and chocolate became my obsession during the Stay-At-Home days during the pandemic. Before dawn I tempered and molded chocolate. In the daytime I took care of my trees and the trees at the University of Hawai'i, Hilo. I explored methods of fermenting cacao bean in tiny batches and making chocolate bean to bar. I chatted with experts, took online classes, and read books and scientific papers. This book is a synthesis of everything I've learned. It explains how to make chocolate from tree-to-bar and beyond. Covering topics of growing & harvesting, simple tiny fermentations, and chocolate & confections making, this book will bring mo...
An invitation to reconnect with nature through the art of willow sculpture. Lavishly illustrated with full colour photographs, this uniquely valuable book pays homage to the willow in many ways, providing an in depth discussion to the intricacies of willow sculpture, ranging from sourcing materials and basic techniques, to how to weave a variety of shapes and forms. Over the last three decades, Kim Creswell has dedicated her life to working with the elegant and abundant Salix; in A Celebration of Willow, she shares with readers the knowledge she has gathered through connecting with her plant ally, the familiar and flexible willow tree. Throughout the book, the author focuses on the importance of cultivating a deep and mutual relationship with the natural world, discussing in detail important concepts such as ecology and sustainability. She also explores explores working with the willow tree in herbal medicine. A Celebration of Willow not only provides a poignant introduction to the willow tree but acts as a pathway for readers to consider how they can connect with themselves as a part of nature.
'NDiaye is a hypnotic storyteller with an unflinching understanding of the rock-bottom reality of most people's life.' New York Times ' One of France's most exciting prose stylists.' The Guardian. Obsessed by her encounters with the mysterious green women, and haunted by the Garonne River, a nameless narrator seeks them out in La Roele, Paris, Marseille, and Ouagadougou. Each encounter reveals different aspects of the women; real or imagined, dead or alive, seductive or suicidal, driving the narrator deeper into her obsession, in this unsettling exploration of identity, memory and paranoia. Self Portrait in Green is the multi-prize winning, Marie NDiaye's brilliant subversion of the memoir. Written in diary entries, with lyrical prose and dreamlike imagery, we start with and return to the river, which mirrors the narrative by posing more questions than it answers.
Horary astrology is a fascinating and exacting technique, and here is the perfect book to hone your skills. Author Petros Eleftheriadis presents over fifty valid charts taken from his client files which demonstrate, in clear steps, how to reach an answer. He stresses the importance of starting with the correct question; for instance, he doesn't accept 'Should I?' questions, saying 'Astrology charts cannot possibly show something that will NEVER materialize, something that will never become reality, so they cannot show how your life would be, had you made another decision.' So rather than asking whether you will win the lottery if you buy a ticket, the correct action would be to buy the ticket then ask if you will win. Ideal for students and professionals with some knowledge of horary astrology.
Pada usia ketiga puluh enam, Paul Kalanithi merasa suratan nasibnya berjalan dengan begitu sempurna. Paul hampir saja menyelesaikan masa pelatihan luar biasa panjangnya sebagai ahli bedah saraf selama sepuluh tahun. Beberapa rumah sakit dan universitas ternama telah menawari posisi penting yang diimpikannya selama ini. Penghargaan nasional pun telah diraihnya. Dan kini, Paul hendak kembali menata ikatan pernikahannya yang merenggang, memenuhi peran sebagai sosok suami yang ia janjikan. Akan tetapi, secara tiba-tiba, kanker mencengkeram paru-parunya, melumpuhkan organ-organ penting dalam tubuhnya. Seluruh masa depan yang direncanakan Paul seketika menguap. Pada satu hari ia adalah seorang dok...