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For me, the perfect antidote for a hectic day during the busy pre-Christmas season is a few solitary moments spent savouring a cup of good quality hot chocolate.
Chuao Chocolatier Winter Hot Chocolate
While shopping for Christmas gifts at HomeSense a few days ago, I found a brand of hot chocolate mix I hadn’t heard of – Chuao Chocolatier. (Chuao is pronounced Chew WOW.)
Packaged in an attractive container, the contents rattled slightly when I turned the tin over to check the price of the mix. I was curious about the rattling noise (hot chocolate mix doesn’t usually make much of a sound), but the sticker price made me temporarily forget any unusual sound effects – $12.99 for 340 g or 12 ounces! (The original price was $18.00 but HomeSense sells things at 20 to 60% off.) Hmmm…if price was an indicator of quality, this would make one mighty fine cup of hot chocolate!
I ignored the price and examined the three types of Chuao Hot Chocolate on the shelf: Winter, Abuelo, and Spicy Maya. The text on the green and brown tin of Winter Hot Chocolate said the mix was made from bittersweet Venezuelan chocolate. It promised a rich, velvety flavour with the spices of winter: ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and pepper.
Abuelo was described as silky rich hot chocolate, “made from Grandma’s strict recipe”.
A rediscovery of an ancient Mayan recipe, Spicy Maya was made from premium dark chocolate, chiles, cayenne peppers and cinnamon.
I was curious about Chuao Chocolatier and its hot chocolate offerings, especially the Winter mix with its combination of spices. If it tasted good, it could make a great Christmas gift for the chocolate lovers on my list. I tucked a tin into my basket, burying it under a couple other items so I couldn’t see it and stress about the price. Out of sight, out of mind, I rationalized. At least until I had to pay for it!
Shake, rattle and...voila! The chocolate is obvious in this hot chocolate mix!
At home later that evening, it was time to find out what $18.00 hot chocolate tasted like! When I removed the lid from the tin, the reason for the rattling noise was immediately obvious. Instead of a powdery smooth mix, this mix contained chunks of chocolate. Cool! Who wouldn’t want to actually see the chocolate in their hot chocolate mix?
I read the directions and proceeded as instructed, first boiling some water, then measuring 1/2 cup (125 mL) of it into a small cup. Three tablespoons (45 mL) of the chunky chocolate mix were stirred into the water. The chocolate melted easily with the heat. I then placed the mug in the microwave to bring the hot chocolate to a boil. About 30 seconds later, the mixture was boiling. (I kept a close watch on what was happening in the microwave as I didn’t want the hot chocolate to boil over.) I was then to whisk the hot chocolate for 30 seconds; instead, I used my battery operated hand-held frother to churn things up a little.
The result? A truly splendid cup of hot chocolate!
A cup of spiced Chuao Winter hot chocolate.
As promised, Chuao’s Winter Hot Chocolate was indeed a rich smooth drink and my small cupful was all I needed. I found the drink’s spicy nuances of clove and nutmeg and the bit of heat from the pepper to be most balanced when the hot chocolate had cooled a little.
The verdict? I may have to ration it so I can afford to drink it, but Winter Hot Chocolate might well become my drink of choice over the long, cold months ahead, especially when I just want to take a few minutes for a time-out during a busy day.
Because of the addition of spices, Chuao’s Winter Hot Chocolate might not be enjoyed by traditional hot chocolate drinkers. If you’re a hot chocolate purist, you might want to try the Abuelo mix.
You can visit Chuao’s web site to see what other kinds of chocolatey products they have for sale, but be aware the company does not ship outside the U.S. If you’re interested in sourcing Chuao’s hot chocolate mix, check the shelves of food products at your local HomeSense (or Winners), or try a gourmet or chocolate shop.
My friend Mike found a great cooking website recently which he shared with me and which I think deserves passing on.
Former home economics teacher Kathy Maister has created a website (and blog) – www.startcooking.com – full of instructional videos that contain helpful cooking tips and techniques and lots of sound and visual effects. The videos are fun to watch and educational too. The site also has a great selection of recipes with step-by-step directions and photographs to help both novice and experienced cooks perform better in the kitchen.
While poking around the site, I found a list of a dozen tasty ways to spice up instant hot chocolate. With cold weather moving into southern Ontario tonight (could snow be far behind??), hot chocolate seems especially appealing.
The Lee Valley Early Christmas catalogue arrived this week. Yikes! A sign of the season, I guess.
It’s not that I’m surprised to see a Christmas catalogue. After all, Christmas is just a little over two months away. It’s just that there’s too much on the calendar between now and then. No doubt it will – as usual – be a mad race to meet the festive season deadlines (i.e. Dec. 25th!) and still remain sane.
Okay. So I just took a time-out to do some deep breathing and relaxation exercises. The thought of the impending arrival of Christmas had the heart rate and blood pressure up for a minute, but I think a few deep breaths and mental images of lying on a white sandy beach in Mexico have brought things under control. I think. Now, where were we? Ah yes, the Lee Valley catalogue…..
As I paged through the catalogue, an item sandwiched between a finger wrench and a tea ball infuser on an insert between pages 16 and 17 caught my attention. Called a Rimroller, the gadget promises to “effortlessly unroll rims on paper cups”. It was invented by Paul Kind of Ottawa, Ontario as a tool to roll up the rims of the gazillions of cups of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. purchased at Tim Hortons during their RRRoll Up The Rim To Win contests. The Rimroller reveals whether you have won something or are invited to “Please play again” with a quick push down and a pull up motion, and more importantly, without chipping a tooth or breaking a nail (as one might do if performing this task manually!).
Although Tim Hortons provides tips on unrolling cup rims, or as their web site calls it – becoming a master roller, I invariably fight with the rims of my empty hot chocolate or hot smoothee cups to reveal the hidden message that will tell me if it’s my lucky day. The Rimroller, which conveniently doubles as a keychain, sounds like it would be a helpful gadget. Since there will likely be another RRRoll Up The Rim To Win contest in 2009 and the Rimrollers are just $2.50 each, you really can’t go wrong picking up one for yourself and some to give as stocking stuffers. (The catalogue price drops to $2.00 each if you purchase five or more.)
You’ll find more information about the Rimroller on the Rimroller website and in this CityNews report. Look for it here in the Lee Valley catalogue. Oh, apparently you can buy it at Zellers too.
Our recent trip to Georgia, U.S., included a short visit to the charming city of Savannah. One afternoon doesn’t do this southern belle justice, but it was all the time we had. I’d love to go back to Savannah and explore the city more thoroughly some day.
We arrived in Savannah about noon on a Friday in early August. We had booked a 3:30 p.m. reservation for afternoon tea at The Tea Room on East Broughton Street, so to make the most of the short time we would have in the city, the Visitor Information Center was our first stop. (Conveniently, we were able to park our car in the Information Center’s parking lot for a nominal fee while we toured the city for the rest of the afternoon.)
At the Information Center, a friendly attendant outlined a walking trip through the historic downtown that would enable us to see most of the 22 public squares. The Tea Room was on the route. (At the Information Center, you’ll find information on the host of tours available including a Paula Deen tour and a movie tour as well as suggestions for accommodations and dining.)
Savannah’s historic downtown contains beautiful homes and stately mansions, cobblestone streets, park-like public squares, lush foliage and greenery, and Spanish moss and oak trees that arch across the streets to form overhead canopies. There are also fountains, statues, hotels, restaurants, shops and boutiques….and lots of history. These images will give you a visual sense of the city and its rich heritage.
By 3:30 p.m. we had made our way to The Tea Room. Reservations are required by 11 a.m. for full afternoon tea ($25.00 per person) which includes quiche and sorbet along with finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, preserves, dainties and tea. Not aware of the 11 a.m. deadline, I had called to make our reservation just before noon. We would have been fine with afternoon tea ($20.00 per person) but the woman who answered the phone at The Tea Room graciously allowed us to book for the full tea.
Murray chose Assam-Mangalam tea which he quite liked. He prefers to drink full-bodied black teas which can stand a good splash of milk and generous dose of sugar. The Assam-Mangalam was exactly this kind of tea. I chose the house blend, Emperors Bride, a blended tea (Assam and Ceylon) with dried pineapple and orange bits. It was also a good choice.
We enjoyed tea at a table for two in the “library”. There is also seating outside the “library” just beyond the retail area where teas, books, and tea accessories are sold. I had been looking for a copy of the latest issue of Tea A Magazine and was pleased to find that the magazine was sold at The Tea Room. I was also tempted to buy some books on tea, but it was nearly closing time, and it was threatening to rain outside so I didn’t linger long. My recommendation, however, is to be sure to save some time for browsing before or after enjoying tea should you visit The Tea Room. You can also shop online.
In addition to various afternoon tea options, The Tea Room’s menu includes salads and quiches. You can view the menu on The Tea Room’s website. For reservations or information, call 912-239-9690. The Tea Room is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
The Tea Room in Savannah, Georgia
Full afternoon tea at The Tea Room was delicious and filling.
A flower-garnished dessert plate completes full afternoon tea at The Tea Room
A really bad hair day! Just look at what a little rain does to spiked hair!
During the mile walk back to the car after tea, the heavens opened and the rain POURED down. Unfortunately we were caught unprepared and without an umbrella!
We could have ducked into a store to wait it out, but it looked as though it was going to rain for a while, and we needed to get back on the road. It had been a hot afternoon and the rain almost felt refreshing. Of course as soon as we reached the car, the rain stopped!
It was a memorable afternoon in Savannah!
The Perfect Cup of Tea
Want to make the perfect cup of tea?
Know what not to do, such as overboiling the water or using too small a strainer for the tea leaves.
Read about The Top Seven Mistakes Tea Drinkers Make and learn simple tips for preparing a delicious cup of tea on Tea Party Girl’s blog. You’ll find lots of information and ideas for enjoying tea on this blog.
Berry Banana Smoothies
When it’s too hot to cook, a thick, smooth, cold, creamy beverage can fill me up and chill me down – all at the same time!
I’ve always got the basic ingredients to make smoothies (frozen fruit and ice cream, yogurt or sherbet) in my freezer. Fresh fruit can also be used to make these creamy smooth beverages, but for a really frosty, thick drink, I prefer frozen fruit. You can freeze fruits like berries and peaches during the summer and fall when they’re in season so you have them on hand year round. Or, you can purchase bags of prepared frozen fruits.
Since I always seem to buy too many bananas and their yellow skins darken and flesh softens before we get around to eating the bunch, those that have ripened beyond my preference automatically go into the freezer. To make it easier and less messy to use them later in smoothies (or baking), and to keep them from turning brown, before they get added to the large resealable bag of frozen bananas in my freezer, I peel them and wrap each one individually in a small piece of plastic wrap.
Frozen yogurt, sherbet or ice cream will also help add thickness to a smoothie. If you don’t have any of these options on hand, but you have some yogurt in your fridge, place the required amount in a plastic container and put it in the freezer until it’s firm (about 4 hours), stirring occasionally.
You almost can’t go wrong blending ingredients to make a smoothie. And experimenting is half the fun!
Here’s the recipe for a smoothie I enjoyed last week while sitting on our deck – book in one hand, beverage in the other! (I used the last few blueberries from last season to make the smoothies.)
Berry Banana Smoothie
(Makes 2 servings)
2 cups (500 mL) milk
1 cup (250 mL) orange sherbet
1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
1 frozen banana, cut into pieces
In a blender, combine milk, sherbet, berries and banana. Process until smooth. Pour into two tall glasses. Serve with a straw.
Variation: Instead of orange sherbet, try another fruit-flavoured sherbet or vanilla or fruit-flavoured frozen yogurt. Vanilla ice cream can be substituted too.)
Another blustery wintery day in southwestern Ontario!
A perfect afternoon to stay indoors, curled up with a book and a steaming mug of spiced hot chocolate. To complement the beverage choice, and in honour of this sweet month of February, I picked out JoAnna Carl’s chocoholic mystery, The Chocolate Cat Caper, from my library of culinary mysteries.
Spiced Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Rim Trim
Before filling my mug with hot chocolate, I dipped the rim in a mixture of cocoa powder, sugar and ground cinnamon. Hardly essential, but it made for a pretty presentation – and an extra bit of spice and sweetness with every sip!
Spiced Hot Chocolate
(Makes about 4 cups/1 L)
3 oz (90 g) semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons (45 mL) water
2 teaspoons (10 mL) sugar
3/4 teaspoon (4 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground allspice or nutmeg
Pinch salt
4 cups (1 L) milk
In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate, water, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Place saucepan over low heat and stir until chocolate is melted and ingredients are blended together. Remove from heat. Add milk. Return to stove. Over medium heat, stir frequently until milk is not, but not boiling. Remove from heat. Whisk until frothy or use a frother to froth. Pour into mugs and serve.
Optional: To decorate mug rims, combine about 2 tablespoons each (about 30 mL) sugar and cocoa powder with about 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon; stir to blend. Pour mixture into a plate; give plate a shake to spread mixture out evenly, about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Dip rims of mugs in water, then into the cocoa powder/sugar mixture. Fill mugs with hot chocolate and serve.
Icewine loving pigs?
This article in the Niagara Falls Review tells the tale of farmer Kevin River’s Berkshire pigs who dined on barley, soybeans and icewine (a dessert wine made from frozen grapes) for 40 days. Chef Frank Dodd of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Hillibrand winery then experimented with the results.
Over the Christmas holidays, Murray and I enjoyed a three course fondue meal with his sister Lorna at The Melting Pot Restaurant in Winnipeg, Manitoba. All that dipping inspired us to buy a new tea pot.
What? You don’t see the connection between fondue forks and tea pots? Well, let me explain. But I’ll start at the beginning and describe our meal in case you get a chance to visit this fondue restaurant.
We started with a salad (a Sunshine salad for me – mixed greens, feta cheese, red onion, olives and pecans, drizzled with a sun-dried tomato dressing). Salads were followed by a classic cheese fondue made with Gruyere and Swiss cheeses, wine, kirsch, and a medley of spices that included a wonderful punch of nutmeg.
We continued our dipping with a “surf and turf” bouillon fondue of scallops, prawns, chicken, beef and pork with three sauces (seafood sauce, a dill sauce, and a chili sauce, if memory serves). This fondue was accompanied by rice and Thai-style vegetables.
A chocolate fondue with fruit dippers finished the meal on a very satisfying note.
Along with the dessert fondue, Murray ordered tea. It was served in a see-through tea pot that housed an infuser for the tea leaves. The word “BrewT” was stamped on the tea pot.
The pot was a little taller and larger than the one shown on the left.
We were intrigued by the pot with its pronged feet. Although we had all seen clear tea pots before, this one appeared to have no pouring spout.
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Here’s how the pot works.
Tea leaves and boiling water are placed in the pot (1 teaspoon (5 mL) tea leaves and 1 cup (250 mL) water per cup of tea). The tea is allowed to steep for a few minutes.
After the leaves have steeped, the pot is set on top of the cup. This pushes the release valve open which allows the tea to pour into the cup.
The three of us were impressed by the pot’s efficiency, probably because most restaurant tea pots pour so badly you usually have tea everywhere but in your cup.
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Of course the trick with this pot was knowing when to lift it off the cup so it would stop “pouring”, otherwise the tea could overflow the cup.
But judging when the cup was nearly full proved to be not that difficult. You just had to lift the pot for a look, and to immediately stop dispensing tea.
Once we were back home, Murray was on a hunt to find a similar tea pot.
An online search revealed that BrewT was available through Cornelia Bean Ltd. in Winnipeg for $24.99.
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We decided to check a local tea shop to see whether they sold anything similar. Sure enough, Distinctly Tea in Waterloo (Ontario) carries three different styles and sizes of this type of tea pot. Each comes with a round coaster on which the pot sits to catch any drips.
