"hot cocoa" news and stories

Try though you might, Starbucks is making sure that you just can't escape their brand, regardless of where you go. In a joint venture with PepsiCo, Starbucks plans to expand their hot coffee offerings to the world by the use of vending machines. Apparently they will be located in places where full-sized stores just aren't feasible, such as universities and train stations.

Since the company is already selling chilled bottles of their various Starbucks beverages in gas stations, convenience, and grocery stores, the new vending machines will focus on their hot beverage line-up including roasted coffee, various lattes, and hot cocoa. They plan to test the machines this summer, and will reach broad distribution by wintertime.

So, this means that on any given day consumers can brew their own Starbucks beans at home, pick up a latte at a Starbucks store, crack open a bottled iced Frappucino, or pop some coins into a machine and wait a few moments for their hot drink to brew. Is this too much, or are the Starbucks lovers out there glad you can access your favorite beverages wherever you go?

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Is this the same as their Chocolate Sensation that was introduced a few years ago? I saw this on the shelf and didn't find the other stuff, so I'm wondering if they've replaced that Chocolate Sensation with dark chocolate, which seems to be all the rage now.

I like it. It tastes a little different than other dark hot cocoas are on the market, the more expensive brands. This one actually tastes like they took big hunks of dark chocolate and melted them in hot liquid. That's not an insult, by the way, I like the way this tastes.

It's also a hot chocolate that isn't ruined if you add a bit of milk, even though it already has milk in it and you just add water. I've followed the instructions to a T (6 oz of hot water for each packet), so I'm not sure what happens if you have a big mug and add more hot water than that.

Update: Hmmm...I found this for sale on Amazon, and even though it says "Dark Chocolate Sensation," it shows the old "Chocolate Sensation" box. Am I drinking the old stuff under a new name? Have my taste buds been deceived?

I come from a family that bought Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa in the packets and mixed it with water. It wasn't until later on in my teen years that I even knew that there were people who drank it with - gasp! - milk.

Now I can't make it with anything else but milk. Making it with water just makes it too, well, watery. I've switched to Ghirardelli (though I still get Swiss Miss if the store is out of Ghiradelli), and it just tastes better with milk (even the non-fat stuff I use). My roommate just bought one of the Keurig machines and it comes with "specially formulated" Ghirardelli chocolate for the Keurig maker (though it comes in the regular sized packets and not those individual cups things, so I'm not even sure how you're supposed to make it - do they sell reusable cups you can put the hot chocolate in?), but I'm not going to use water. I like it creamier now.

So, what do you make it with, water or milk? And do you call it "hot chocolate" or "hot cocoa?"

New Year's Eve, coming right in the middle of winter (for most of us) as well as in the middle of the night, is not always the warmest occasion. There is the body heat of standing in Times Square with thousands upon thousands of other people, but there's no denying the fact that near freezing temperatures and a combination of rain and snow are less than pleasant to be out in.  A warm drink is perfectly suited for the occasion. In fact, this combination of peppermint and hot chocolate is warming, chocolatey and almost refreshing. If you don't want to use schnapps, add about a half teaspoon of peppermint extract. Don't forget a peppermint stick or candy cane as garnish and a marshmallow or two!

Peppermint Spiked Hot Chocolate
6-8 ounces hot chocolate
1 1/2 ounces peppermint schnapps
peppermint stick
marshmallows

Prepare hot chocolate according to directions. Add peppermint schnapps and stir with a peppermint stick. Add marshmallows, to taste, before drinking.
Serves 1.

[Photo by Nicole Weston]