The drink of choice after a brisk
autumn hike or any activity that hints at frostbite is a steaming cup
of hot chocolate. We love the taste of chocolate, and have relied on
the same staid formula over and over. But this classic drink is more
versatile than we ever imagined. In Hot Chocolate, author Michael
Turback opens new vistas for this warming cup.
A gift to the world from Central
and South America, the cacao bean was farmed by the ancient Mayans who
used it solely as a drink. The bean traveled to the old world then back
to the new, changing into bars and molded candies, becoming an ingredient
for sweet desserts of every type, however, we've never lost the taste
for chocolate as a liquid.
Working with preeminent chocolatiers around
the globes, Turback has developed recipe variations that fall into many
categories. He begins his book with what he calls 'ancestral' hot chocolate,
these admitting of the fire of spices that also originated in the Americas.
He continues, offering recipes that are nostalgic but possess a new
twist, such as Hot Butterscotch with White Chocolate.
The book has a
section for European classics, modern variations and sophisticated drinks
that incorporate another warming ingredient - alcohol. There are 60 recipes in all, each
a mouthwatering variation on this favorite theme. You can try Hot Chocolate
Eggnog, Mexican Hot Chocolate Fondue, Hot Chocolate Nightcap Tequila,
Chinese Five-spice Hot Chocolate. You can try Peppermint Hot Chocolate;
Mocha Voodoo; Chinese Five-Spice Hot Chocolate and the famous Frrrozen
Hot Chocolate from Manhattan's Serendipity.We like to nibble as we sip, and
author Turback has included a section he calls 'convivial companions."
Here you'll find recipes for Tuiles, for Cherry-Chocolate Ricotta Beignets,
for flavored marshamallow treats.
There is also a section on ingredients,
tools and techniques, as well as a list of resources for the finest
gourmet ingredients.Do we need an excuse to drink hot
chocolate? Here's the good news: a 2003 study by Cornell University
found that a cup of hot chocolate is twice as rich in antioxidants as
a glass of red wine and contains up to three times those found in green
tea.
About the
author: Michael
Turback trained as a restaurateur at the Cornell University School of
Hotel Administration and operated Turback's of Ithaca for nearly three
decades. He is the author of The Banana Split Book, A Month of Sundaes,
and the recent Greetings from the Finger Lakes. He lives in Ithaca,
New York.
The author has kindly shared these
recipes:
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