As many of you know, I love my mulch so much I could eat it. I really could, given that I have been sprinkling the discarded husks of cacao beans, willy-nilly in the garden this summer. I simply knock on the door of the Mast Brothers chocolate factory , and ask them for a heaping burlap sack of these fragrant, flaky skins. They are more than happy to get rid of their trash, and I am more than happy to drive around in a hot car when it smells like brownies baking in the oven.

Today I was finishing off some planters at The Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, where I will be celebrating the launch of my online store next Wednesday (more info on that to come). I thought it would be a nice touch to plant some herbs and greens on their balcony, for our use at the event. I dragged my hefty sack of cacao mulch up to the 6th floor an began to dole it out. Until I realized, the husks were not just husks at all, they were full-fledged cacao beans! If you have never had raw cacao, you are missing out. This is chocolate in its purest form, and a 12 oz. bag can set you back around $20.

Worried that the acidity of the cacao might have an adverse effect on the plants I quickly scooped the nibs out of the planters and back into the bag. At which point I realized that the lot was no longer suitable for return to the factory. Oh well, I guess I will have to figure out what to do with a lifetime supply of chocolate… When you eat as much salad as I do, you deserve your fair share of dessert.