Drinking Chocolate

I was first exposed to drinking chocolate during my professional chocolatier program. Like most people, when I thought of chocolate as a beverage, my mind went to powdered hot chocolate mix or homemade hot cocoa (made with cocoa powder and milk). But actually melting down chocolate and combining it with milk (or cream!) -- that's a whole other level of decadence that I never knew existed! 

On a related note, years ago I frequented a coffee shop in Edmonton called Remedy and drank what I believed at the time to be the best hot chocolate ever. While a friend insisted that's because it was made with love (the barista had an outgoing personality and an appreciation for gingers), the reality is that it was just steamed chocolate milk. But I digress... where was I? Right, drinking chocolate.

For most of chocolate's history it was a beverage -- and not the sweet ones to which we're accustomed. It wasn't until cacao travelled halfway around the world that added sugar became commonplace and, later, that its bar form emerged and became popularized. During the Baroque period, chocolate was believed to be medicinal and, initially, it was expensive and available only to the elite. Like all good things, though, eventually mass production stepped in to make it more affordable and its consumption spread like wildfire. In the process, chocolate also lost its association with health, though those associations (and claims) are once again returning in the 21st century (perhaps the topic of a future blog). 

During my chocolatier program, I didn't have time to experiment with drinking chocolate, though I remember interacting with a classmate who intended to incorporate drinking chocolate into her storefront offerings. As I reflect on it now, I can't help but imagine an exclusive chocolate lounge called "The Chocolate Bar" where you drink chocolate. 

A few years ago, I watched a Jamie Oliver Christmas special on the Food Network and made a note to try his "Ultimate Hot Chocolate" which used chocolate shavings among other ingredients. When I finally did make (on New Year's Eve in 2021), I was disappointed. It wasn't nearly as thick and delicious as I expected it to be. 

And now fast forward to the spring of 2023. It's not really drinking chocolate season (if there is such a thing), but drinking chocolate is back on my mind. And that's because on a recent trip to the flea market, I found a unique piece of china that I couldn't walk away from. It seemed very unusual for a tea pot. I picked it up for a song and then set about trying to learn more about it. What sort of tea pot would have that kind of handle? Looking more at the shape, I wondered if it was a coffee pot, perhaps with Turkish influence. I sent a photo to (codename) Delta Charlie. Her response? "Wonder if it could be a 'chocolate' pot because of the location of the handle."

A chocolate pot? Did such a thing exist? Had a chocolatier just stumbled upon a unique piece of chocolate-related china from England? I did a quick google and concluded it was a solid possibility. And then I slipped down the rabbit hole and spent another hour or more (ok, it was several hours) searching for this maker, pattern, other pieces, etc., and not finding a great deal. So, if you're reading this blog and happen to know anything about Allertons Old English Bone China in the Trellis pattern, #2745, or about this style of pot more generally, please get in touch!

Anyway, that's how I landed on drinking chocolate for this evening's chocolate study. There are many variations on the theme -- some infuse spices like cinnamon or nutmeg into the milk before adding the chocolate, while others use only milk and chocolate. I decided to use ChocoVivo's method for "sipping chocolate" for my first foray. Since I don't own a molinillo (traditional stirrer used in making drinking chocolate), I used a regular run-of-the-mill kitchen whisk. My chocolate of choice? Callebaut 54% callets. And the results? 

Wow. 

That is the best "hot chocolate" I've ever tasted hands down. Like most simple things, the quality of ingredients will make a difference here. And the ratio of milk to chocolate is likely key. No need for thickening agents, like the cornstarch found in some recipes (I'm looking at you, Jamie Oliver). And a very rich, satisfying flavour. It's definitely worth trying this with your favourite dark chocolate -- and if you do, let me know how it goes!

Now, if you're a collector of dishes, like I am, this presents a fantastic opportunity to either use what's in your collection or grow it (or both)! Those demitasse cups you have even though you aren't much of an espresso drinker? Voila! They now have a purpose thanks to drinking chocolate. 

If I may, though, maybe keep the rectangular cups for display only. It isn't particularly easy to drink from them. Some dishes are form over function, but we love them anyway, right Delta Charlie?