Cocoa vs the Real Deal

Before I get too far with my research and blogging, I should explain the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate, because they are two very different beverages, and what I am obsessed with is the latter.

All too often hot cocoa is erroneously referred to as hot chocolate, which is an insult to the real thing. Hot cocoa consists of cocoa powder (the non-fat components of chocolate) and a sizable amount of sugar, usually pre-packaged and mixed into heated milk or water. It is often pale in appearance and equally pale in flavor. Many of us grew up drinking hot cocoa on chilly winter days, with soft white marshmallows floating on top often being as appealing as the beverage itself.

Hot chocolate, on the other hand, is more than a mere drink to warm you up on cold afternoons. Premium-quality dark or bittersweet chocolate is chopped or shaved and gently melted into milk and/or cream that has been heated to just below the simmering point. A good hot chocolate is silky and seductive, its appearance and flavor dark and rich. Savor hot chocolate slowly, letting the complexity of tastes delight your tastebuds. 

Dark chocolate is also abundant in antioxidants, so consider it a health drink. At the very least, it's almost guaranteed to make you smile!

Next up, the San Gines recipe, and more on chocolate itself.