What's on menu at The City Bakery

In February, everyday is a hot chocolate day at New York's The City Bakery's Hot Chocolate Festival:

Monday, February 1: Lemon Hot Chocolate
Tuesday, February 2: Chile Pepper Hot Chocolate
Wednesday, February 3: Chinese Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
Thursday, February 4: Espresso Hot Chocolate
Friday, February 5: Ginger Hot Chocolate
Saturday, February 6: Banana Peel Hot Chocolate
Sunday, February 7: Caramel Hot Chocolate
Monday, February 8: Vanilla Bean Hot Chocolate
Tuesday, February 9: Earl Grey Tea Hot Chocolate
Wednesday, February 10: Introducing….Moulin Rouge Hot Chocolate!
Thursday, February 11: Tropical Hot Chocolate
Friday, February 12: Bourbon Hot Chocolate
Saturday, February 13: Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate
Sunday, February 14: Love Potion Hot Chocolate
Monday, February 15: Vietnamese Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
Tuesday, February 16: Hi Ho Pistachio Hot Chocolate
Wednesday, February 17: Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate
Thursday, February 18: Darkest Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate
Friday, February 19: Creamy Stout Hot Chocolate
Saturday, February 20: Happy Hot Chocolate
Sunday, February 21: Sunken Treasure Hot Chocolate
Monday, February 22: Ginger Hot Chocolate
Tuesday, February 23: Arabian Nights Hot Chocolate (read how Rubin wrestles with this one here)
Wednesday, February 24: Ode to the Polar Bear Hot Chocolate
Thursday, February 25: Beer + Brown Sugar Hot Chocolate
Friday, February 26: Shangri-La Hot Chocolate
Saturday, February 27: Banana Peel Hot Chocolate
Sunday, February 28: Festival Finale TBD

No hot chocolate for you!

Last night our puppy doo, Wally, decided to bring us box of Target plastic bags to the game room upstairs. It was funny at the time until I realized that the box came from the same shelf I store my hot chocolate and cocoa mixes. Which meant...it was time to reorganize and remove my favorite beverages to a non-reachable location.

A few years back, I went through a major organization of my hot chocolates. Now with Wally being a busy puppy, it is imperative we keep him safe. The cocoa infused teas stayed on the baker's rack and the opened hot chocolates were moved to high shelves. I am still looking for more storage due to the number of tins I have, but at least they have been removed from Wally's reach.

What a hot mess!

Horchata hot chocolate?

Just returned from a little late night shopping at HEB. Since browsing the hot chocolate, hot cocoa and baking aisles is a mandatory requirement, I came across Horchata by Klass. Horchata is a traditional beverage among Spanish, Latin American and Mexican families. Although each region placed their own flair on the drink, it usually consists of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts and is served cold. Originally, Horchata was made with barley. But rice has since replaced that ingredient.



The ready to drink carton purchased today is made with a rice, cinnamon and milk. I look forward to trying this tomorrow with one of my cocoa powders or hot chocolate mixes.

Is it that easy? Homemade marshmallows

Lately, I've been thinking about making my own marshmallows to pair with a few of my favorite hot chocolates. Or, to perk up a poorly tasting hot chocolate conquest (I can never get myself to throw out a bad cup of hot chocolate).

So, I reached out for a little how to lesson...

Heavenly Hot Chocolate with Chef Christopher Brooks

Colonial Inspired Hot Chocolate

Transporting us back to our American chocolate roots, Mars, Inc. launched the American Heritage line of chocolate, coffee and tea. The colonial inspired beverages are served at the only 18th century coffeehouse in America, R. Charlton’s Coffeehouse. Constructed over 240 years ago in Williamsburg, Virginia, the coffeehouse was newly reconstructed on its original site. Founded in the early 1760’s by Richard Charlton, a local wigmaker, R. Charlton’s Coffeehouse was located just steps away from the state capital. Open for ten years, the coffeehouse was a gathering place among politicians, mostly notably our first president George Washington, conspirators and local patrons to dine and converse about the ever changing nation.

Paying homage to a long history of chocolate indulgences, the American Heritage Chocolate is based on an authentic colonial recipe. The handcrafted, all natural and preservative free chocolate product line consists of a Chocolate Block, Grated Chocolate Drink, Chocolate Sticks and Chocolate Sticks in a Muslin Bag. Indulge in hot chocolate the way our American founding fathers did.







If you are interested in learning more about the archaeological aspects of this coffeehouse, click here for more information about the reconstruction efforts of the Richard Charlton Coffeehouse provided by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

18th annual hot chocolate festival

Get ready for New York City's The City Bakery's legendary Hot Chocolate Festival! Don't forget to bring your knitting needles. This years theme is How to Knit a Marshmallow.

A new addition to the menu is a dark chocolate, espresso, pomegranate and lemon hot chocolate that has yet to be named.

The 18th annual event starts February 1st and ends February 28th.

A Simple Hot Cocoa Receipe

For a quick and easy hot cocoa beverage:

1 cup milk
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp cinnamon orange sugar or pre-blended sugar mix

Pour milk in a microwave safe mug. Heat in the microwave for 25 seconds. Remove mug and add cocoa powder and sugar. Blend ingredients well. Return to microwave for 60 seconds or until heated appropriately.

Remove mug from microwave. Garnish with whipped cream or chocolate shavings.

To create this recipe, I used Droste Cocoa Powder from Holland and a Cinnamon Orange Sugar from Surfas. The pre-blended sugar provides a simple way of creating a savory chocolate beverage without a lot of hassle.