How have the mighty fallen? OT.

[Weatherlawyer]

Yet if you look closely at a wrapper, you will never see a blemish in the printing. Not a smidgeon. All fur coat and no knickers.

[Helen Deborah Vecht]

"Mary Fisher" typed

Wot, cocoa powder? I trust you have your sources.

It's not very palatable thobut...

[Dave Liquorice]

You've not heard about the leak at the THORP plant then... As leaks go the Cadbury one is really doesn't register on the scale.

I'd not touch any suspect chocolate no matter what reassurances were

Looking at our box of Freddo bars it has a 12 2006 BBE date so may well predate the leak. As I said several members of our family have eaten bars from that box with not a hint of any illness. Returning it is just a waste of resources.

[Mary Fisher]

Cocoa powder isn't cocoa solids though.

I've occasionally had chocolates (rather special ones) which have nibs of pure cocoa in them, they're a joy. But you can't buy the chocolates by themselves and I'd have to get through a whole box of (admittedly delicious) others just for the two very special ones :-(

Mary

[Helen Deborah Vecht]

"Mary Fisher" typed

So what *is* it? Educate me please!

[Dave Liquorice]

"Cocoa powder" as bought in the shops to make chocolate drinks is a mixture of dried milk, sugar and a bit of cocoa. The proportions vary depending on method of making the drink or intended use. Cocoa powder intended for cooking (cakes, etc) won't have as much dried milk as one intended for a drink.

[Mary Fisher]

No idea!

Mary

[Steve Firth]

You appear to be mistaking "drinking chocolate" for cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is de-fatted solids of cocoa, because the cocoa is acid it may be neutralised with alkali which some think improves the flavour. This is typical of Dutch cocoa powder such as Van Houtens.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 19:49:27 +0100 (BST), Dave Liquorice wrote: | |> "Cocoa powder" as bought in the shops to make chocolate drinks is a |> mixture of dried milk, sugar and a bit of cocoa. | |You appear to be mistaking "drinking chocolate" for cocoa powder. Cocoa |powder is de-fatted solids of cocoa, because the cocoa is acid it may be |neutralised with alkali which some think improves the flavour. This is |typical of Dutch cocoa powder such as Van Houtens.

Also Sainsbries which I found in our cupboard.

[Dave Liquorice]

You really are a jerk aren't you. Read the qualifications that I put in there FFS.

[Chris Bacon]

Rubbish. I have two containers of cocoa in the cupboard. One contains "100% cocoa powder", the other ditto, but "organic".

[EastneyEnder]

Cocoa powder is and always has been pure cocoa, as in "Bournville" etc. Are you buying Drinking Chocolate instead of cocoa powder? That's meant for drinks..... pure Cocoa is just cocoa, and nothing more; you can make a drink out of it by adding milk & sugar, but it's the thing you buy if you are wanting for cooking and baking.... Unless you are lucky enough to live near a south american food store where you might get chunks of pure mexican cocoa (intended for drinks, ironically, but much more the real thing).

[Guy King]

The message from "Dave Liquorice" contains these words:

Nope, I reckon Steve's right. Proper cocoa powder shouldn't have any dried milk or anything else in it. That's drinking chocolate.

[Chris Bacon]

...or Green & Blacks, etc. Frightful price, though, but good on Nov. 5th. and other occasions (as a drink).

That's Mr. Liquorice....

I have some 1Kg blocks, but from a different source.. I wonder how long it keeps!

Interestingly enough, beans taken from a ripe freshly-cut cocoa pod taste nothing *like* chocolate, cocoa, or anything, really. Very bland indeed, and unpalatable.

What's that chocolate (bar) that has little pieces of cocoa in it? On sale in Tesco, etc.

[Chris Bacon]

Even Cadbury's Cocoa is 100% cocoa, not even a little *bit* of shi^H^H^Hanything else in it.

[Steve Firth]

I read them, you were wrong, as others have posted.

You don't handle being wrong very well do you?

[Steve Firth]

Oooohhh he'll be plonking you next.

[Helen Deborah Vecht]

"Dave Liquorice" typed

Cocoa powder (*not* hot chocolate) has no milk or sugar in it.

[Steve Firth]

Right, you're in for a good plonking you are.

[<me9]

I've just checked my tin (well, cardboard container) of cocoa that I use to make the hot drink. It lists for ingredients 100% cocoa.

The other tin (what the children use) is labelled drinking chocolate, makes a sickly sweet drink, and contains (amongst other ingredients) dried milk and sugar.