Snowy Day Chocolate

There is a Caribou Coffee shop at our grocery store, and whenever he can T rushes to their counter for a hot mug of chocolate.  Sometimes he offers a sip to me, but more often than not he finishes his hot chocolate before he finds me in the produce aisle.

There must be something magical about Caribou's hot chocolate.  A friend of mine told me about her first cup of the stuff.  She was sitting in front of the fire, across from the man of her dreams, sipping the brew. "It was like an out of body experience!" she raged.  "I couldn't even concentrate on what this man was saying.  All I could think was that this was the most amazing thing I'd ever had in my mouth!"

I watched T through the front windows as he shoveled over a foot of snow from our driveway for the umpteenth time this winter.  Unwilling to ski to our local Caribou for a steamy mug of chocolate milk, instead I greeted him at the door with this home version.

Hot Chocolate
Serves 2

Bring to boil 1/3 cup water; whisk in 3 tablespoons cocoa powder.  Reduce heat to medium and add 2 to 3 cups whole milk and half a vanilla pod; heat but do not allow to scald or boil.  When milk gets hot, add sugar to taste.  Pour into mugs and garnish with marshmallows, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings.