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Hot Chocolate (and Toast)

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One of Mick’s Coca Cola mugs, worn down, much loved

I was reading Pam’s wonderful Christmas tale, “The Last Christmas Gift”.  Do please go and read it here … it might help explain my sudden inspiration to “pen” this.  Pam’s story was so beautifully written that I found myself sitting in the circle she described, drinking my own cup of hot chocolate or coffee, or both, that I stopped reading and went to make myself a mocha coffee before returning to her tale.

Fry's Cocoa - Baking Cocoa (227g) – GoJava TorontoMemories were now evoked of the times my mother made for us, and that I later made for my kids, hot chocolate, using real cocoa from the yellow and red Fry’s can, sugar, and a small amount of cold milk to create a smooth, mud-like texture before slowly adding the hot milk while stirring it all together.  No lumps guaranteed if you make it this way.  Sometimes there were marshmallows, most times not.  Mom wasn’t into instant anything, except Minute Rice, but that was only for her rice salad, never anything else.

Why is it that things that take just a bit longer to make, meaning you had to wait for it, taste so much more?  To make this come-in-from-the-cold treat all the better, Mom served it with buttered toast.  And that’s another thing, what is it about afternoon or nighttime toast smells and tastes like it comes from a whole other dimension?  You can’t even compare it to the toast served with your eggs and yet it’s the same product.

Now I’m mad at myself for not making a toast to go with… then again, it’s not late enough in the afternoon to justify it.  I think this is my cue to go out and get my 10K steps.  There are only seven days left for me to be able to say I did it for one whole year.

For the Canadians and Brits and the areas in the States that celebrate, Happy Boxing Day!  For those with no holiday, Happy Sunday!  I hope you have been able to take time away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations and over-eating and just be.

 

98 thoughts on “Hot Chocolate (and Toast)”

      • Sound like a good way to go out for the season’s beatings. I had to run out to Costco on Christmas Eve. I was expecting it to be mobbed. There was hardly anyone there. It was a pleasant surprise. The checkers were waiting for people to check out. I think that’s the first time I checked out at Costco without waiting in line.

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  3. That’s heartwarming Dale. My mon made chocolate pudding that we ate before it cooled off. Burnt tongues were the rule. I made hot cocoa with grilled cheese sandwiches cut in triangles for my little guy ( over 6 feet now). No Boxing Day here. As Tim said it’s unboxing day. Lots of love to you!

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    • Thank you, Rene. I love your share. Hot chocolate with grilled cheese? Why not? If we can eat it with ketchup… that sweet salty thing.
      So glad my story evoked by Pam’s story, evoked a memory for you!

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        • Ah gee! Of course you are going bananas. How can you not? So sorry your son has it but relieved it seems to be a mild case (as it is for my brother-in-law, nephew, nieces and, I last heard, my sister… Fun stuff.

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  4. A super post, Dale. It’s funny, but I remember the hot cocoa that the grade school cooks made for Safty Patrol boys during the cold winter school days. (our job was to stand on the curb at a crosswalk and make sure the kids would look both ways and only cross when safe. We were the last into school and to a mug of hot steaming cocoa as a reward. I haven’t thought of those days for eons. Such is the memory power of your post. Thanks.

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  5. Dear Dale,

    There are those precious memories that are unique to each of us. Thank you for sharing yours so generously. Your toast memory triggered mine although not the same. My mother’s ‘sick food’ wasn’t chicken soup as you might expect from a Jewish mother. It was a soft boiled on buttered toast. Or warm milk with butter and sugar for a cold and sore throat.
    Sweet memories.

    Shalom and memorable hugs,

    Rochelle

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    • Dear Rochelle,

      I love when a post like this evokes memories in others – and that they are generous enough to share them. This is the best part of this whole blogging thing, don’t you think? I love the idea of a soft boiled on buttered toast. Butter and sugar with warm milk, tool Glad I triggered some sweet memories for you , too.

      Shalom and lots of memorable love,

      Dale

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  7. Q

    Me and Ari drink Abuelita’s Hot Chocolate. It’s a spicy, Mexican hot cocoa that is like a candy bar. You take a piece and break it off and melt it in a saucepan with milk. As you say, it takes a little time to prepare this, but damn if it’s not the best. So worth it! It’s always that way, when you take a little extra time . . so much better than Swiss Miss! 😉

    Happy Boxing Day(?)! I KNEW you guys were aggressive but this is getting ridiculous!

    B

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  10. A cup pf hot chocolate sounds great right now as we, snug in our lair, watch the snow falling gently over the land. Now that the snow has started it seems set to just keep on.

    As to Boxing Day — or Boxing Week — I was a little dismayed to see “Boxing week sale starts early!” ads appear about Dec 15th. Sigh. In the US this is likely the kickoff for Post-Christmas Sales, or End of Year Blowout Sale. Ours will be “Boxing Week Sale” right up until “New Year’s Extravaganza” starts Dec 31st. (I know — I’m becoming a cynic. 😉 )

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    • Hot chocolate is always so nice when it’s cold outside. We had some yesterday and today, too.

      Ugh. I am so done with the Boxing Day, Week, Blowout… Ridonkulous. I’m so not a fan and I refuse to shop during these.

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  11. Made-from-Scratch always tastes better. However, for Christmas, my spouse received Stonewall Kitchen’s peppermint hot cocoa mix and I must admit it is the best I’ve ever had. Their secret must be the cocoa, cuz’ sugar is just sugar. 😉

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    • That it does. And Stonewall Kitchen anything is a cut above so, I can totally believe it’s a good quality cocoa. And, if you heat milk to make it, it’s a level up from the instant with boiling water 😉

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  12. Happy Boxing Day, Dale! I will have to come back to read the story, but I commented earlier on someone else’s blog that I always used to make hot cocoa and cinnamon toast for my kids for when they came in from playing in the snow. Yes, always real cocoa!

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    • It IS like a secret you want to keep safe. I like that. I am getting ready to go out there. it is 1F and I shall be treating myself upon my return 🙂
      Happy Monday!

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      • We had our hottest Christmas/Boxing Day on record — 43C. It just isn’t Christmas if your not sweating like a pig. 😀🥵. Mind sending some snow? -1C is good hot drink weather with a good book.

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        • Eeesh… We hit that type of hot and humid in the summer and it’s positively wretched. Today is way chillier. it’s -11, feels like -17 so I shall have to add a layer when I go out for my walk… But, the return will definitely merit a hot chocolate with toast, don’t you think?

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  15. Ah, Dale… beautiful, mouthwatering memories. I wonder why everything tasted so much better then…
    Happy Boxing Day and week ahead. Last one of the year and 7 more days to go (about time! 🤣)! Woohoo!!!! 😉

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  16. Lovely ‘penned’ yearning, Dale. Such wonderful pleasure need no justification. I’m a day late, so happy National Fruitcake Day (December 27th in United States).

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  17. We don’t celebrate Boxing Day here, but I’m good with another holy-day! My daughter-in-law sent some Korean (or Japanese?) cappucino in a box. We shall see how this goes. It’s lovely reading your toast & hot chocolate memoirs. (I was going to write memories but memoirs came out of the typing fingers instead.)

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    • It is more of a Brit holiday that we Canadians kept. Interesting. Do let us know how it tastes! So glad you enjoyed my memoir which is really a memory, isn’t it? 😀
      Have a lovely Monday!

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  19. First off, I’m so glad you made yourself some! Sounds like a lovely hour of relaxing. And second, I couldn’t agree with you more on things that take a bit of time. I made homemade lemon curd this Christmas and it really does blow away the store-bought kind. Same with oatmeal–I make it the long way and it’s so much more enjoyable. Happy Boxing Day to you, Dale!

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    • I’m with you Kristine on all of that homemade version vs store-bought. I also make the slow oatmeal. Mmmm. So satisfying!
      Happy Monday to you, Kristine! 😀

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  20. Your memories brought so many memories, Dale. Delicious writing and I loved that the Minute Rice was only used for the salad which speaks volumes about your Mother. PS Enormous well done for your 10K, what an achievement.

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    • Thank you, Jilly. Try as she might to make her rice salad with regular rice, it was all wrong! I have a box for the exact same reason 🙂 And thank you. Five more days and I can walk or run without worrying how many steps they include 😉

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  21. It’s Tuesday morning here in New England, and now that I’ve read your post (after reading Pam’s as you suggested!) I’m off to make myself a toast (with peanut butter – need the protein) and a mug of hot chocolate. Yum – thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
    PS (I only make the slow oatmeal, and the slow Cream of Wheat. Yes, slow tastes better)

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    • Tuesday afternoon here. And I am so glad you read both. Peanut butter has its place, that is for sure! Yum. Hope you enjoyed your cup and toast!
      🙂
      Of course you do. We completely understand that slow is always better (well, for many things 😉 )

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  26. That’s how I’ve always made hot cocoa!
    Many have become too, conditioned to making a food or drink that takes mere minutes to make from scratch.
    It reminds me of an old SNL skit from the original cast… years ago.
    “frozen toast”…just take it out of the freezer, and pop it in the toaster! Lololol!!!
    xoxo ⚡️💥

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