What She's Drinking

Olive doesn't like to engage in needless hyperbole, but when she sat in the doctor's office and was sternly told "no dairy or soy" her first panicked thought was of hot chocolate! How does one make said fortifying drink without the help of a decent cow or at least a soybean?

Well, a few months passed, cocoa-less and far less enjoyable on the palate, until one day Olive discovered true "drinking chocolate." The grandchild of the potent brew consumed by Aztecs, today's South American mixture is an aromatic mix of quality chocolate, "spices, chilies, honey, vanilla, or even cornmeal." Traditionally stirred with a molinillo - a grooved stick - Olive's latte whipper also did the trick. Although it can be made with milk, Olive found using water just fine (so there, Doctor). Follow this recipe and tell Olive if the humble cow cannot be put out to pasture!

Pssst... A little extra fun: According to the Texas State Library and archives commission, children in Mexico sing this (scroll down) song while stirring their morning chocolate with the molinillo.

Information: edible Vancouver
Image: chocolate.com