Peppermint and Orange were the first two flavors we started with back in 2020. Back then, the chocolates were made with coconut oil and cacao powder. We had moved to Northern California the year before, and the little grocery store down the road sold Honey Mama’s, refrigerated, in different flavors. I was hooked. When covid came and I was figuring out what to do with my spare time, I looked at the ingredients and thought ‘I could make these’.
The tulips in the background are from the Crystal Hermitage gardens in April. “Springtime at Ananda”. No real connection to peppermint except the red and white flowers remind me of peppermint candies, plus I wanted something that had the Ananda vibration. The original guru on the Peppermint wrapper was of Paramhansa Yogananda, but I’ve recently changed it to Babaji Krishna.
The photo of Babaji is taken at the Meditation Retreat just down the road. They have amazing gardens, plural because every nook and cranny seems to have its own distinct feel. The Babaji pictured here overlooks a small pond with Koi fish and reeds that used to be where the kitchen for the retreat once stood.
I don’t put much if any thought into which chant goes with which flavor. Peppermint is pretty standard as flavors go and is bright and awake but also soothing. Sri Ram, Jai Ram just seemed to fit, and I never get tired of chanting it when I make these peppermint chocolates.
Chandi Chocolates 