So this afternoon, before work, I decided to test run another recipe combination. This particular one uses Hershey's Cocoa Powder 100%
Cacao Natural Unsweetened.
I thought, how bad could unsweetened cacao be? Turns out it can be rather unappetizing in beverage form. I hastily added the requisite tablespoon of sugar the egregious oversight I made and took another sip. It was...exactly like the hot chocolate one would make from a pouch, which is to say: bland and watery (even though I used whole milk). Thus I immediately commenced test run two, replacing half of the milk with heavy cream.
Success! The cocoa was still mild but no longer bland, and it was much creamier, just the way homemade hot cocoa should be.
Now, if you're getting impatient waiting for the big reveal of the secret recipe, fear not! I have a solution. Make way to the nearest gas station/convenience store with a cappuccino machine. Serve yourself some of their instant hot cocoa, buy a bottle of orange juice from the cooler, mix et voila!
... Seriously. ... Okay, okay. I jest. Especially since the gas station attendant might look at you funny (I know I would if someone did that in my gas station).
No reward/bonus tonight, sorry... Don't give me that look.
...
Okay, fine. An excerpt from Coming in from the Cold.
I thought, how bad could unsweetened cacao be? Turns out it can be rather unappetizing in beverage form. I hastily added the requisite tablespoon of sugar the egregious oversight I made and took another sip. It was...exactly like the hot chocolate one would make from a pouch, which is to say: bland and watery (even though I used whole milk). Thus I immediately commenced test run two, replacing half of the milk with heavy cream.
Success! The cocoa was still mild but no longer bland, and it was much creamier, just the way homemade hot cocoa should be.
Now, if you're getting impatient waiting for the big reveal of the secret recipe, fear not! I have a solution. Make way to the nearest gas station/convenience store with a cappuccino machine. Serve yourself some of their instant hot cocoa, buy a bottle of orange juice from the cooler, mix et voila!
... Seriously. ... Okay, okay. I jest. Especially since the gas station attendant might look at you funny (I know I would if someone did that in my gas station).
No reward/bonus tonight, sorry... Don't give me that look.
...
Okay, fine. An excerpt from Coming in from the Cold.
There was a steady
trickle of customers for the next hour, until suddenly it seemed that customers
were pouring through the door. They were coming in twos, threes, fours, and
fives. Halfway through the rush Declan finally asked Chelley, "Is it always
this busy around this time?"
"Only when we
have a homegrown music showcase. Tonight the local band Jay's Jamz is going to
play until a half hour before close. As a matter of fact, that's them."
She pointed to a group of four men and one woman that walked through the door laden
with cases of equipment and instruments.
"Oh. So does
this happen every Friday?"
"Just once a
month. One Tuesday night out of the month is the poetry showcase. One Wednesday
out of every month is the art and photography showcase. And one Thursday out of
every month is the storytelling showcase."
Declan nodded
mutely. What an interesting concept. A coffee shop devoted not just to one type
of art but many. He grabbed a rag and started cleaning the counters while
Chelley worked on making the orders for the band.
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