Some people are addicted to coffee, some to Coke but my vice of choice is hot chocolate--can't get enough, I'd drink it all day every day if I thought I could handle the calories.Last year Andrew and I got in the habit of going out to get "the Good Stuff," the real hot chocolate that they make at espresso stands and restaurants and after sampling around town I determined that Borders Books' coffee shop has the best. Though my opinion may be swayed by the six inches of whipped cream, white chocolate shavings, drizzling of chocolate syrup and stick of dark chocolate that they pile on the top. It's the drink that eats like a dessert. Perfect.
But Lucy, my fellow hot chocolate addict, got me thinking. Could I replicate this sensual experience in the comforts of my own kitchen?
There's a store here in Anchorage, M & M Distributors, that sells wholesale restaurant products like syrups and supplies for espresso stands. I buy my yeast there because it's the best place in town to get it--better and cheaper than Costco. Gotta love cheaper.
Sure enough, they had the super juice in three different brands and for the magical price of $8.30 I now own my very own 64-ounce bottle of Ghirardelli chocolate syrup, just like the restaurants use. And I got a pump to make the dispensing easier. Four 1/4-ounce shots in your mug mixed with warm, frothy milk and you've got Chocolate Heaven.
The nice thing about this stuff is that I can make it richer by using half and half (half cream, half milk--and Land O'Lakes has a fat-free variety that is really good) or I can make it more calorie-challenged by using regular milk. I made up a mug using 1% milk and the results were oh-so-pleasant.
You know I'm going to be loving this! Now the question is, how long do you think a 64-ounce bottle will last me?
And notice the mug? You thought I was kidding about the merchandising, didn't you?
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A big thanks to Jaycee at Semantically Driven who kindly pointed out my error in the HTML of my template and I hope now that the background graphic is visible to everyone. If you can't see it still would you mind leaving a comment to that effect and which browser you're using. This de-bugging thing is such a pain!
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Congratulations to Karen from A Musing Blog who was this week's Saturday Giveaway winner and will take home the Shrek Cookbook and Screamfree Parenting.
Technorati tags: hot chocolate, Ghirardelli, drinks
44 comments:
I did think you were kidding about the mugs. Do you send them to your fellow hot chocolate addicts :) ?!? What is the price?
My next question, is what is the best way to get the milk frothy. I can't wait to see if my city has a local shop to buy the gold at. They better. After all, I live in the Coffee Capital!
I give you three and half weeks :) !!
The next time you buy some ask the manager where they get their stuff and then see if they'll sell to you. The link I provided sells it, but with shipping it might be a bit expensive.
I got that mug made up when I got my logo just for fun, but they're too expensive to really just pass out randomly and I can't imagine anyone actually wanting to buy one so there it sits, helping me to feel so cool when I have my hot chocolate.
As for the milk, you know what I'd try? Heat it in a pan and then use one of those handheld mixers with the shafts on them to zap it in the pan and froth it up.
Ah, but do you have white chocolate shavings, six inches of whipped cream, the drizzle and the stick of dark chocolate?
I just finished a cup of plain old cocoa...I guess I am glad I drank it before reading this or I would have been disappointed in it.
We have United Grocers here, aka Cash and Carry, and I know they sell those syrups and what not. Some people might have United Grocers locally to get their supplies.
Your own mug! Now you can really say you've made it.
I could never have the syrup at home, I'd be stealing shots straight out of the bottle just like a junkie.
MMM...Hot chocolate...I love the opening of hot chocolate season.
That bottle is amazing. I have a feeling you're going to go through it very quickly. ;)
P.S. Love the mug and the new look of the place.
This really tempted me - I checked amazon.com and they have the sauces (for a lot more!) and also a less expensive powdered double hot chocolate or a mocha hot chocolate by Ghirardelli. Has anyone reading here tried the powdered mix, since it is more affordable and easier to store.
Scribbit: you could probably get mugs like that made up through Cafe Press. You might be surprised - some of your readers might buy them!
Pam
Oh. I want a mug too. Maybe I can convince Mr. Right to make up one for my Christmas gift...
Love the mug! I can see the background now too. It looks great.
I give you just over a month--5 weeks to polish off that bottle.
3 weeks tops. I love to get different creamer flavors for my cocoa and change it up a bit. Hazelnut to go with the pumpkin pancakes, and right now I have some chocolate mint truffle in my mug. Yummy! I'd love some of the "good" stuff, though.
Michelle, did you see the ABC Evening news last night? The last story was about Mommy Blogs! I thought of you. The story is here.
Mmmmm...Chocolate.
I love the new look. It's so pretty. I've tried to change mine but I lose all my widgets :(
Nice mug! Did you use Cafe Press?
Ghirardelli chocolate is the best. I do not drink coffee either. I do like tea but hot cocoa is the best. Running off to buy some syrup!
Excellent! It wouldn't last long in my house, and I doubt the syrup would even make it into a mug ;-)
I love, love, love, Ghirardelli Chocolate...it makes me all warm and happy and blissful.
I once made an excellent Costco buy on a 12 pound bag of chocolate chips. I don't think I actually ever made a batch of cookies and the bag was polished off in three months flat.
I give you five weeks, if you are using it personally and NOT sharing with the children...if you add the kids to the equation, maybe two weeks.
The mug is great! If I had chocolate syrup in the house, I would drink straight from the bottle...I can not be trusted!
Wow... I had a hot chocolate at Ghirardelli in San Francisco a few years ago. It was pure heaven!
We once had Ghirardelli hot chocoalte shavings. You melted them in hot milk and it was like rich liquid earth pouring down your throat. If you drink hot cocoa like I eat ice cream then I give you one week before the bottle is empty (and that is without sharing). Enjoy your special treat.
=)
Yum!
I do drink hot chocolate EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even in the Nevada heat of summer. I just don't think about the calories. So I'm blissfully happy. But I think I will be much happier if I can find an online store to buy some of that Ghirardelly chocolate syrup. I know they aren't going to have it in our town where the biggest store is super Wal-Mart. The next 'big' town is three hours away. Looks like I've got another thing to add to my online shopping list!
Have you tried Schwan's Frozen Hot Chocolate? That stuff is heavenly! The best part is they deliver right to my doorstep. Even way out in the boondocks!
I HAVE to HAVE this! I love hot chocolate.The designer stuff sounds so yummy.
Trixie
mmmmm...that sounds so yummy. I love the mug!
BTW-- The graphic is now showing on IE6! Yay!
my oldest son and i love hot chocolate. we've started whisking in marshmallow fluff, and it's yummy. i prefer just hot milk and chocolate with the good chocolate (like droste or the one from TJs). but it's fun this way....
i use a whisk to froth the milk, but i want to know how to froth it for my coffee!! it always sizzles into the coffee....
oh love your mug, very cool!! :)
ooo, Ghirardelli chocolate, so heavenly! Did they also stock the white chocolate syrup? There's a coffee shop down the street from my work that makes white hot chocolate with the syrup and steamed milk, one sip and I melt into a puddle of happiness!
No matter how long it takes to polish off the bottle, I'll bet you're still saving money over buying from a coffee shop. Although with the convenience of having it in your home to make as often as desired, maybe you aren't saving that much...
You mean that hot chocolate has calories? Darn.
Heavenly! That sounds wonderful! I will definitely have to try that!
We have been giving our cocoa machine a real workout over here. It definitely helps to keep everything evenly distributed, frothed, and really hot.
PS- Love the mugs- very cute!
I am thinking I should find the Ghirardelli chocolate and try to make my own. Even though it sounds hard and it probably won't taste that good if I make it.
Have you been to Ghirardelli square in San Francisco? One of my favorite places to go and we always eat chocolate, and ice cream. ;)
I just heat milk on the stove in a saucepan, whole milk, sometimes half n' half. I use the Ghirardelli cocoa, and just stir constantly. That way it doesn't form a skin. Sooooo good with Sausalito cookies! I didn't know there was a syrup, I will have to look into that.
I can see that back ground - Firefox.
I think it will last you a week. [optimistically]
Cheers
Yum hot chocolate is my big weakness as well. I can't stand coffee.
I can't see the background now, but I could before you fixed it. I have been using Firefox both times. Very very strange.
I don't think I can actually remember the last time I had a nice rich hot chocolate! Seriously I cannot remember! Yikes. I think its time to start hunting for a good hot chocolate joint 'round here because that sounds so yummy right now!
Now if I just give up food, I can let my hot chocolate habit come alive! =)
I love the new template and can see the background graphic just fine in Safari and Firefox. But I do miss the drop down tabs you used to have, which were so handy for finding recipes or other interesting posts to read. Do you plan to add that to this template? Just wondering.
Nope refreshing doesn't fix it :(
But if everyone else can see it maybe it's just my laptop? I will check back this afternoon to see if it works then. It's probably me, not your layout.
Yea! I'm tickled that someone was able to figure it out :)
Hmm. I'm still drinking hot Ovaltine here. I need to upgrade, I think.
LOVELY MUG!
I like your mug! I wan't one too...except with my logo on it!
The ghirardelli syrup wouldn't last long here either. The hubby may not like chocolate but I wouldn't be a girl if I didn't...now would I?
oh my goodness! I didn't know that chocolate in a bottle existed in a way that I could get my hands on it!
Man, I just don't know if my hips can handle all this....well, I'll try ;)
When did I last have some really good hot chocolate? I can't even remember. I'm sort of a purist--if it's the packet stuff, I can't stomach it. But yours sounds perfect.
michelle:
love the mug with your stuff on it. how did you do that? did you do that? or did you have that made? very cool! kathleen
Hubby loves hot chocolate so I'm getting him this yummy stuff for Christmas :)
How did I miss this?! I also LOVE hot chocolate. I saw something new from Nestle this week: Gourmet "Double Chocolate Meltdown" hot chocolate. I was sorely tempted, but didn't buy it yet. I think I may just have to do a product review of my own!
Has anyone tried this kind?
Love the new template. :)
Do you have a machine to froth up your milk, or just heat it in the microwave, like we would be reduced to doing around here?
I love chocolate to bits but I think I could give it up for lent, I say think because I have no intention of testing my willpower just yet hehe.
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