Chocolately drink great way to grab child’s interest

Even reluctant young cooks can be lured into the kitchen by the promise of hot chocolate or cocoa. While you’re assisting with the heating and mixing, you can astound the children with some chocolate facts: “Chocolate grows in the tropics on cacao trees, which produce pineapple-sized pods that contain the seeds called cocoa beans; “Cocoa has always been very valuable, in ancient times given as gifts at ceremonies such as a child’s coming of age or even used as currency; and “Hot chocolate and cocoa have been drunk since ancient times, probably beginning with the Olmecs, the oldest civilization in the Americas, and followed by the Maya. “Cocoa is technically a drink made from powdered cocoa beans (which have had all the cocoa butter removed) dissolved into hot water or hot milk. Hot chocolate is made by melting chocolate bars – full of cocoa butter – into milk or cream.

Making the real thing is a far cry from the instant variety that comes in packets.

Curious children might like to conduct a taste test, preparing and then sampling instant cocoa mix, homemade cocoa, and homemade hot chocolate.

Hot chocolate and cocoa lend themselves well to variations: try bits of peppermint candies, fresh orange zest, cinnamon, almond flavoring, or whatever the children are adventurous enough to try.

Angelina’s Hot Chocolate

(That’s the Angelina Cafe in Paris, not the celebrity. This recipe and the above facts courtesy of Linda Stradley at http://whatscookingamerica.net)

6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup water, room temperature

3 tablespoons hot water

3 cups hot milk, divided

Sugar to taste

Whipped cream, if desired

In a double boiler over low heat, combine chocolate and 1/4 cup water until melted, stirring occasionally; stir until smooth.

Remove top of double boiler pan from.

Whisk in 3 tablespoons hot water. Pour into pitcher or divide among individual 4 mugs.

Either stir 3/4 cup hot milk into each mug or serve milk in a separate pitcher.

Pass sugar and whipped cream in separate bowls; add to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Green and Black’s Cocoa

4 teaspoons Green & Black organic cocoa

Cold milk

3 cups hot milk

Sugar or other sweetener

In four mugs, mix one teaspoon of cocoa powder with a small amount of cold milk to make a smooth paste.

Add hot milk, stirring well.

Sweeten to taste.

For a Mexican-style hot cocoa, stir with a cinnamon stick.

Makes 4 servings.