TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Hot Chocolate On A Stick
During our childhood, our parents had tea with breakfast; we kids got hot cocoa. We craved it even in the warm weather.
While Mom used Hershey’s or Droste’s cocoa mixes, our evolving palate led us to hot chocolate, a richer drink made from bits of shaved chocolate. With cocoa powder, half of the cocoa butter has been removed (see the difference between cocoa and hot chocolate). We’ve reviewed dozens of gourmet hot chocolate and cocoa mixes. But hot chocolate on a stick is a novelty. A block of quality chocolate is placed at the end of a Popsicle-type stick and served with a cup of hot milk (or water, which some people prefer). The fun is then to stir and stir until the chocolate melts in the milk. It takes a while, but it’s an amusing activity, every now and then. (Note: If you don’t have patience, don’t buy hot chocolate on a stick. Instead, chop, grate or shave two ounces of fine chocolate and whisk in the boiled milk.) |
Stir in hot milk until the chocolate melts: That’s Swiss hot chocolate. Photo courtesy TheTicketKitchen.com. |
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The Ticket Kitchen is a Bay Area chocolatier that specializes in hot chocolate on a stick, in nine varieties (we’ve had four of them, all delicious): The products are sold at fine retailers and online. Read our full review of Hot Chocolate On A Stick.
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