You've Never Had Hot Chocolate
Oh, you may think you've had a cup 'o cocoa. Maybe you made something with a mix. Maybe you (horrors) microwaved a mug of chocolate milk. Maybe you went all out and simmered some cocoa powder and sugar on the stove.
To all your efforts I say, piffle. Not even close.
Fortunately, the real deal is within your grasp. You could make some actual hot chocolate by taking a paring knife to a good bar of 55-70% cacao, but there's an easier way. Head to your nearest source of fine teas and good coffee, and scan the shelves for a little tin labelled "Mariebelle Aztec Hot Chocolate."
That's it. Follow the label to pure bliss.
When you crack open that tin, you'l find that it doesn't contain a powder of any sort. Instead, it holds small chips of 60 - 70% cacao Venezuela chocolate. There's also a trace of chiles, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Don't think this is going to come off as one of those "just the way the Aztecs drank it" bitter mixes. Nope, there's just enough spice to add character.
Follow the "American Style" recipe, which calls for a 1/4 cup of the chocolate stirred into 1/2 a cup of milk just below the boiling point. Or go for European style, and mix equal amounts of chocolate and boiling water.
In either case, plant a dollop of whipped cream on top, and you'll have a dish that would be recognized from Seville to Krakow. That, people, is hot chocolate. Once you've tried it, all that powdery stuff in your house in on the fast track to the trash can.
Meriebelle's Aztec Hot Chocolate gets four beanies (****). It would get five, but I'm hoping out hope that there's something even better out there.
To all your efforts I say, piffle. Not even close.
Fortunately, the real deal is within your grasp. You could make some actual hot chocolate by taking a paring knife to a good bar of 55-70% cacao, but there's an easier way. Head to your nearest source of fine teas and good coffee, and scan the shelves for a little tin labelled "Mariebelle Aztec Hot Chocolate."
That's it. Follow the label to pure bliss.
When you crack open that tin, you'l find that it doesn't contain a powder of any sort. Instead, it holds small chips of 60 - 70% cacao Venezuela chocolate. There's also a trace of chiles, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Don't think this is going to come off as one of those "just the way the Aztecs drank it" bitter mixes. Nope, there's just enough spice to add character.
Follow the "American Style" recipe, which calls for a 1/4 cup of the chocolate stirred into 1/2 a cup of milk just below the boiling point. Or go for European style, and mix equal amounts of chocolate and boiling water.
In either case, plant a dollop of whipped cream on top, and you'll have a dish that would be recognized from Seville to Krakow. That, people, is hot chocolate. Once you've tried it, all that powdery stuff in your house in on the fast track to the trash can.
Meriebelle's Aztec Hot Chocolate gets four beanies (****). It would get five, but I'm hoping out hope that there's something even better out there.
posted by Mark Sumner @ 7:39 PM
1 Comments:
At 3:25 PM,
docangel said…
Mmmmm. This sounds superb. I hope I can find this product some place!! It reminds me of the film, Chocolat, when the main character makes some hot chocolate for the little boy. She also adds some chile and nutmeg.
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