But then, one day last week, winter did come and I’m still feeling a bit of a chill because of it. Though it only stayed for a brief moment and it’s already back in the 50s, it was still rough. So rough, in fact, that it required a new hot cocoa recipe. One of the ginger variety as you might’ve guessed. I have this friend named Lacy who loves ginger candies so much she can eat a whole bag before realizing what happened. She also runs marathons a lot. This is why I think she’s crazy. Ginger candy. Honestly, I don’t get it. I popped a giant ginger square in my mouth after hearing Lacy loved it so much and I haven’t stopped regretting it since. Ginger has such a strong, spicy flavor, which is why I prefer it as a complementary flavor, not the main squeeze. After some experimenting I found the perfect role for ginger to play: Ground ginger (or you could sub fresh) went into the hot cocoa itself and a ginger candy was used to line the rim of the serving mug. How perfect. That way every sip has a hint of ginger without being too overwhelming. The result, i think, was quite perfect. This hot chocolate has a lovely warmth. It’s sweet, creamy and chocolatey and not-too-spicy due to a conservative amount of ginger. But, if you love the stuff like Lacy then by all means, pop a few ginger candies in your mouth while you’re making a batch and throw in a whole teaspoon of ginger instead of half. Go wild, I don’t make the ginger rules, I merely twist them to suit my taste. I do, on the other hand, write the breakfast rules. Don’t, mess, with my breakfast. You have been warned.
