Saturday, August 27, 2011

Comfort - Food

So, right now I'm in the mood for a lovely, rich cup of hot chocolate.


Something very much like the above image would go down very well at this moment. This has become my latest interest. Making hot chocolate, making good hot chocolate. I've tried a few batches and really it's not that difficult at all. Dead simple, but so warm and soothing that you feel a bit guilty that you haven't put more effort in. All you need is some good chocolate, full cream milk, or cream if you want to be decadent, or rather more decadent. Since I can't afford "good chocolate" on a regular basis, it's a treat. And I can't really explain how good it feels to sit under the covers, after a tiring day, with a mug of chocolate. It's like a hug. It forces you to respond to it, you can't ignore it. Another variation, which does require slightly more effort than mixing warm milk and a few slabs of chocolate, involves making a simple custard and adding the chocolate to that. It's somewhat smoother, still delicious, best thing is you can shove it in the fridge, overnight, and you'll have a chocolate pudding. That's the thing about chocolate, unlike people, it's likable hot or cold.