When the snow starts to fall, there is one treat that is sure to please everyone. Homemade Hot Chocolate, "Cocoa", is something that Larry grew up on. His Mom made it when it snowed, and we try to as well.
I keep this product in the house year round but stock up a little in winter time.
The recipe is on the back of the container of cocoa. We quadruple it which requires a gallon of milk. The first step is to boil the cocoa, sugar, a dash of salt and a small amount of hot water for two minutes which creates an absolutely delicious chocolate syrup.
Then the milk is added and constantly stirred to heat it without scalding.
It is this step that makes this warm beverage special because it necessitates a gift of time. Thirty minutes is about right to heat a large pot of hot chocolate. The anticipation is high as we all look forward to a big mug (or two) of chocolatey goodness. When I was a kid, we felt the exact same comfort and appreciation of the process when my Dad made homemade tapioca pudding.
Larry's Mom always added a can of evaporated milk to make it creamier. She kept a lot of "canned milk" in her pantry and used it in mashed potatoes and sausage gravy as well.
On a snowy day it is well worth the time to prepare hot chocolate from scratch to enjoy in the warmth and comfort of home.
