Polka Dot Ceramics Collection, available now at SurLaTable.com, $31.50 for four pieces as shown (the feathered chickens are $9.95 and $19.95).

We received our weekly marketing email from Sur La Table today. If only we had room for all of the wonderful merchandise they dangle in front of us!

As New York City apartment dwellers, we live by a goods accounting principle called SOSO—Something In, Something Out. Otherwise, we’d be sharing our bed and bathtub with extra sets of dishes, woks and 10 cookbooks we’ll never get to read.

Don’t we wish we had room for this gay, polka dot breakfast set: a plate, bowl, mug and individual teapot for $31.50!

Instead, we’ll have to content ourselves with the pancakes, as we do have a pantry with white flour, buckwheat flour, regular cornmeal and blue corn, plus genuine maple syrup and some of Robert Lambert’s exotic fruit syrups (Golden Date, White Ginger, Grapefruit, Texas Lemon, Kaffir Lime, Bergamot Orange—who said Maple had exclusive claims on pancakes?).

Don’t monkey around: Purée a ripe banana and add it to hot chocolate.

One banana is enough for two eight-ounce cups (it stretches further if you want just a little banana flavor). Here’s the simple recipe,

We’re not saying this is a health drink, but it combines potassium and antioxidants and it sure is a mood elevator. For more variety, see our 25 ways to glamorize your hot chocolate. You can find our favorite products in the Cocoas and Hot Chocolates Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine—we’ve reviewed more than 75!
 
RECIPE: BANANA HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients For 2 Cups

 
Preparation

1. ADD 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and a grind of fresh nutmeg to the banana purée; then divide the mixture evenly between two mugs.

2. POUR the hot chocolate (reheat as needed) over the purée and stir well. Garnish as desired and serve.

Banana purée is just one way to glamorize hot chocolate. See our 25 Tips and enjoy a different variation almost every day of the month.
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COCOA & HOT CHOCOLATE

There is a difference between cocoa and hot chocolate.