March is Hump Month--A Time for Honey and Tea

By Cal Orey,

Here comes March tagged the "hump month"--a time between winter and spring.  It's a time for renewal. Depending on where you live, it can be cold one day and warm the next. Despite whatever Old Man Winter brings us, with chocolate and a bit of the Irish luck will help me (and perhaps you, too) get through the unpredictable days with flying colors.

As a kid, Saint Patrick's Day was a big event in my house because my mother was part Irish. And I can't forget the corn beef and cabbage as well as the dark chocolate cupcakes frosted with fluffy green frosting.
While I was researching and writing my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), chocolate boasting three types of chocolate: milk, white, and dark were in my home in all forms, thanks to chocolatiers. I'm talking chocolate frogs to bunnies. It was an unforgettable spring break.

More than a decade ago, on March 17th, I also received a sweet surprise. The deal was sealed for me to pen my latest Healing Powers book The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011). Could it be just a coincidence or perhaps luck was on my side because of the special holiday? Also, I read that Victorian people believed bees were messengers between heaven and Earth. What's more, they adorned themselves with bee jewelry to help boost their financial luck. For me, during the Recession "recovery" I believed eating dark chocolate and wearing a bee necklace or bracelet may have been helpful.

Meanwhile, may I suggest incorporating chocolate into your upcoming days into spring to help you deal with rain or snow and give you a mental and physical boost? I plan to include chocolate in my March meals--and, of course, I'll give them an Irish spin with a chocolate frog (or two).

BTW: Frogs are another symbol of good luck and yes, a ceramic one is sitting indoors by my front door.