“A Festive Air” Organic Winter Infusion — cocoa shell, orange, cinnamon, clove

An organic winter infusion built on cocoa shell with orange, clementine, cinnamon and clove — the one that makes a kitchen smell like Christmas. French and fair-trade plants, made in France, assembled in an ESAT workshop. Compostable inner envelope, reusable or recyclable box, no plastic.

An important correction: this one is not caffeine-free

Biohême's infusions are generally caffeine-free, and the range is described that way. This blend is the exception, and it matters.

Cocoa shell — the husk left over when cocoa beans are winnowed — contains theobromine, and a small amount of caffeine along with it. Theobromine is a mild stimulant of the same chemical family as caffeine, and it stays in the body considerably longer.

Two consequences, both practical:

• It is not a last-thing-at-night drink for anyone stimulant-sensitive. Late afternoon is a better home for it.
• Keep it well away from dogs. Theobromine is precisely what makes chocolate poisonous to dogs, and cocoa shell is one of the more concentrated forms of it — cocoa shell mulch is a known cause of poisoning in gardens. A dog that gets into the box, or drinks the pot, or eats the used grounds out of the compost caddy, is a genuine emergency. Ring your vet immediately rather than waiting for symptoms.

Cocoa shell is a lovely and unusual ingredient

When cocoa beans are roasted, the papery husk is cracked off and separated — winnowed — from the nib that becomes chocolate. For most of chocolate's industrial history that husk was waste, or animal feed, or garden mulch.

Infused, it gives something genuinely distinctive: the aroma of chocolate with almost none of the fat, the sugar or the bitterness. Cocoa butter is in the nib, not the shell, so the drink is light and clear rather than rich. It smells far more chocolatey than it tastes, which is exactly the effect you want alongside orange and cinnamon.

The spices, and one thing worth knowing about cinnamon

Orange and clementine peel give the brightness; the citrus is what stops the blend becoming heavy.

Clove is the dried flower bud, and it is powerful — rich in eugenol, the compound dentists have used for toothache for a century and a half. A little goes a very long way, which is why you will find only a few in a blend.

Cinnamon deserves a note. Most cinnamon sold in Europe is cassia, which contains meaningfully more coumarin than true Ceylon cinnamon does. Coumarin is hepatotoxic in quantity, and several European food safety agencies advise moderation with cassia — particularly for small children, who reach a given intake per kilogram of body weight much faster than an adult. A cup of spiced infusion now and then is nothing to worry about; a large mug several times a day through December, for a small child, is worth a thought. If the pack does not state which cinnamon it is, assume cassia.

How to brew it

Fully boiling water, and a long steep. Cocoa shell, bark and dried peel are all dense material and none of them gives up flavour quickly — seven to ten minutes, and longer does no harm.

Cover the cup or the pot. The citrus oils are the most volatile part of the blend and they leave with the steam.

It is very good with a splash of milk or oat milk, which pushes it further towards drinking chocolate. It also makes an excellent base for a non-alcoholic mulled drink: brew it strong in a pan, add a little orange juice and honey, and keep it hot without boiling.

What we may not claim

EFSA has authorised no health claim for cocoa shell, cinnamon, clove or citrus peel, and none may lawfully be made. It is a warm, aromatic, low-sugar winter drink. That is enough.

The ESAT note, which deserves explaining

The box says the blend is assembled in an ESAT workshop, which means little to anyone outside France. An Établissement et Service d'Aide par le Travail is a French sheltered-employment establishment providing paid work and support for adults with disabilities. Blending and packing herbal tea is real work done by people who are paid to do it, and it is a meaningful thing to find behind a small line on a box.

Storage

Airtight, cool, dark and away from other strong smells — and away from dogs. Cocoa shell picks up and gives off aroma readily; keep it out of a cupboard with coffee in it.

Fully boiling water and a long steep — seven to ten minutes. Cocoa shell, bark and dried peel are dense and none of them gives up flavour quickly. Longer does no harm.

Cover the cup or pot. The citrus oils are the most volatile part of the blend and they leave with the steam.

Very good with a splash of milk or oat milk, which pushes it towards drinking chocolate. It also makes an excellent non-alcoholic mulled drink: brew it strong in a pan, add a little orange juice and honey, and hold it hot without boiling.

IMPORTANT — this blend is not caffeine-free, unlike the rest of the range. Cocoa shell contains theobromine and a little caffeine. Theobromine lasts longer in the body than caffeine, so this is a late-afternoon drink rather than a bedtime one if you are stimulant-sensitive.

KEEP AWAY FROM DOGS. Theobromine is what makes chocolate poisonous to dogs, and cocoa shell is a concentrated form of it — cocoa shell mulch is a known cause of poisoning in gardens. Keep the box, the pot and the used leaves out of reach, including the compost caddy. If a dog gets into any of it, ring your vet immediately rather than waiting for symptoms.

Cinnamon note: most European cinnamon is cassia, which contains more coumarin than true Ceylon cinnamon. Occasional cups are nothing to worry about; large amounts daily through December, especially for a small child, are worth a thought.

Store airtight, cool, dark and away from strong smells — not in a cupboard with coffee.