Sunday, November 20, 2011

Chocolate Indulgence

Today I attended The Festival of Chocolate in Palm Beach, Florida. I have just completed book 4 in my Love by Chocolate series. After seeing all the wonderful chocolate items, I regret that I don't have another chocolate story to tell, but the event did spark an idea for a recipe book. Maybe I'll write the recipes through the eyes of my characters. Here's a sample of what I might include.
Laura Bush‘s Presidential Hot Chocolate Recipe.
Ingredients
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
6 Tbsp. sugar pinch salt
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups light cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch cinnamon powder (optional)
whipped cream
orange zest
Cooking Directions
Mix cocoa, sugar, and salt.
Add milk. Heat to dissolve.
Add light cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Heat to just under boiling.
Mix very well and pour into warm mugs.
Top with whipped cream, cocoa powder, and fine orange zest.
Do you make your hot chocolate from cocoa powder or melted from bars?

Here are some interesting facts I learned at the http://www.festivalofchocolate.com/Check the dates and see if it's coming to your area.
The original hot cocoa recipe was created by the Mayans. It was a mixture of ground cocoa beans, water, wine, and peppers. The Spaniards didn’t ship chocolate to Spain until 1585. They began heating the mixture and sweetening it with sugar. Milk wasn’t added until the drink was introduced in England. In the 1600’s chocolate drinks were not proper for Italian young ladies.
Luckily, for Chloe, the chocolatier in my Love by Chocolate series, all that has changed. She is known for her secret hot cocoa blend. Readers meet her in book one, Chocolate Secrets. The second book in the series, Chocolate Magic is her story.


I don’t have a preference for cocoa powder over melted chocolate.
For me the secret is in the foam. I like my hot chocolate or hot cocoa made with milk and topped with either marshmallows or whipped cream. How do you drink your hot chocolate?

1 comment:

Beate Boeker said...

.... oh, my mouth is watering already! I drink hot cocoa when I'm exhausted and need something to pick me up. During trade shows in New York, that happened every night. However, have you ever tried ordering hot cocoa at a restaurant in New York? The waiters all eyed me as if was crazy. (that was ten years ago, am not sure if it changed in the meantime?)