Come October, my favourite Sunday pastime is wandering aimlessly here:
I have been stomping through this ancient Beech wood for the last 28 years. Nothing says home to me like this place. It is very, very, very special. Most cherished perhaps, because it was our family tradition to take off every Sunday afternoon for a lap of this patch of woodland above our home, come rain or shine. Just me, my dad and my sister (my mum got an hour’s peace after cooking our roast dinner!).
Engrained in every mound of moss and pile of sweet chestnuts are childhood memories: being hoiked onto my dad’s shoulders; the smell of his Barbour; losing wellies in muddy bogs… in short, happy, treasured moments. The kind that are invaluable as they go some way to lightening the heavy weight of grief.
So, with Country Bebe in tow, we headed off into the misty drizzle (or mizzle as we Devonshire lasses like to call it) and dutifully stomped in some bogs and collected some acorns. Making some new memories of our own, while remembering my Daddy with every step.
On our way home, collecting some groceries en route, I stumbled across this and realised it was what my new gluten-free life would be seriously lacking come winter. Hot Chocolate.
Not only is it gluten-free (tick) but it’s made by Sweet Freedom, so cane sugar free too (it uses naturally derived sugars to sweeten). You literally just squeeze and go. Which is another bug bear of making hot chocolate, the powdery lumpiness I always tend to get at the bottom of the cup. With Choc Shot you squeeze 3-4 tsp into a mug (it’s 14kcal a tsp too!):
Then froth some milk (I use my beloved Gaggia, but you could just heat some milk on the stove), add a little to loosen the paste, then combine and give it a good stir.
It tastes SO GOOD. I was worried it would be all carob-y and not sweet enough but it is creamy, chocolatey (but not as rich perhaps as Green & Black’s cocoa, say) and hits that post-walk spot; when only a blanket, the Sunday supplements and a mug of hot chocolate will do.
Enjoy!
CF x
I picked this up in the hot beverage aisle at Waitrose – It was between £2.50 – £3 I think – sorry, I forgot to make a note!