hot chocolate

When I tell people where I work how we travel, they all think we are crazy.  Pack the mattresses I have made in the back of the Suburban.  Add blankets and pillows.  Add a stove and tools.  Food.  Monkey backpack full of books for Small Mister.  Go.  Do not stop excepting for refueling (vehicle or bellies) or bathroom breaks until we get there.  This last trip, because of sick people, we actually spent a night in a hotel on the way home.  The bathtub was fabulous and not to smell like vomit for a bit was also fabulous.  

But the way we do this is audio books.  I can stay awake for an audiobook just like when I am reading a hardcopy book.  I cannot stop.  When I do get very tired, I find they are easier to sleep to then music and much less surreal.  Lately, the audiobooks we have chosen seem to have a lot of tea and hot chocolate in them.  We actually bought instant hot chocolate so my Beloved could fill his hot chocolate needs on the road.

I was taught to make hot chocolate by my Father.  He is a bit older and did not grow up with instant.  My Grandmother or the hired girl made it for him.  From scratch.  Which is how he taught me, especially after I read all the Little House books.  I made hot chocolate for my Beloved this evening from scratch.  He is still under the weather and we do have instant.  But this is a little bit more special and a little bit of love in a cup.  His eyes went very wide when he tasted from scratch hot chocolate.

Please remember, the hot chocolate is only as good as the cocoa you use.  You can also control how rich it is by how much cocoa you use.  I like a one to one proportion to cocoa and sugar but if you want it to taste more like instant, make sure to use more sugar.  My Beloved thinks he wants to try is with half the cocoa and sugar next time

hot chocolate

Note:  This is for one serving.  Adjust for quantity and how you wish it to taste.

2 soup spoons of cocoa (I use Valrhona because it is in the bulk section.  Yes, I buy bulk cocoa)

2 soup spoons of cane sugar (we do like the organic type)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

8 ounces of milk

Put the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and about a third of the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil mixing the whole time with a whisk.  You are working the clumps out (you can sift the cocoa if you do not wish to work so hard).  Once this mixture has come to a boil, let boil for about thirty to sixty seconds.  Turn the heat off.  Add the rest of the milk and whisk well.  

Pour into a china cup and enjoy.  

A hug in a cup.  Love in a cup.  A bit of relaxation in a cup.  A bit of soothing.  What we all need at times.