Holiday ode to theobromine

Molecule of theobromine

When holiday times start getting you down… theobromine.

Pick yourself up with a quick fix… theobromine.

You might just fall in love with this season… theobromine.

Against all odds and all reason… theobromine.

Its botanical origins discovered by our friends to the south… theobromine.

Well before the first Christmas ever existed… theobromine.

Why on earth do we consume such a bitter magical potion… theobromine.

It’s elementary, my dear Crick and dear Watson…

Theobromine, theobromine.  Your magical, mystical powers make my heart sing.  You make me feel good and give my mind focus.  You suppress coughs, relax airways, and tame inflammation. Your pharmacology truly works wonders for me… but only in small doses, you see.

Cocoa beans - Image source:  http://cocoa-beans.org/

Who on earth figured out how to get it?!… theobromine.

The beans of cacao – we collect it, ferment it; we dry it and roast it… theobromine.

But, it’s still not ready for consumption after all that… theobromine.

We grind it and press it, then send it off to make chocolate… theobromine.

Our friends in Europe perfected a most laborious art… theobromine.

Some like it dark, some like it light, some raise a glass for a toast… theobromine.

Give it some sweetness, give it some flavor… theobromine.

The possible culinary combinations seem endless… theobromine.

A final chocolate product.  Darker chocolate = more theobromine.  Image source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chocolate.jpg

Theobromine, theobromine.  Your magical, mystical powers make my heart sing.  You make me feel good and give my mind focus.  You suppress coughs, relax airways, and tame inflammation. Your pharmacology truly works wonders for me… but only in small doses, you see.

So holiday times getting you down just a bit?

Endless cooking, and cleaning, and holiday shopping draining your spirit?

Take a short moment, a deep breath, along with two, maybe more, pieces of chocolate.

Close your eyes, soak it in, and thank the Lord for this blessing… theobromine.

• Pronounced \thē-ə-ˈbrō-mēn\

• My favorite allergy-friendly theobromine sources – EnjoyLife, Vermont Nut-Free chocolates, and Hershey’s cocoa powder to make my own concoctions.
• A nice series on the origins and processing of chocolate from Cadbury