Comments on: Epileptic Fit Hot Chocolate http://tleaves.com/2005/12/29/epileptic-fit-hot-chocolate/ Creativity x Technology Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:09:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cynthia Closkey http://tleaves.com/2005/12/29/epileptic-fit-hot-chocolate/comment-page-1/#comment-2298 Cynthia Closkey Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:31:51 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=536#comment-2298 About this time last year, I was working at the local coffee/candy shop when Starbucks came out with their super-rich Chantico. Not that the Chantico poses any real threat to our local coffee/candy shop, but I suggested that we counter by making something better, along the lines of what you describe. We concocted some prototypes, using melted chocolate that they were using to make nut bark and blending a little milk in with the froth nozzle of the espresso machine. Man, it was good. I had less than the amount of an espresso shot, and it still gave me heart pains. But we couldn't come up with a way to make it quickly and easily -- for a coffee chop, the production methods need to be fast and foolproof, and yet generate little waste. Ever since then though, I've been trying to think of a usable method of mass production. It's just too great a taste treat to abandon. About this time last year, I was working at the local coffee/candy shop when Starbucks came out with their super-rich Chantico. Not that the Chantico poses any real threat to our local coffee/candy shop, but I suggested that we counter by making something better, along the lines of what you describe.

We concocted some prototypes, using melted chocolate that they were using to make nut bark and blending a little milk in with the froth nozzle of the espresso machine. Man, it was good. I had less than the amount of an espresso shot, and it still gave me heart pains.

But we couldn’t come up with a way to make it quickly and easily — for a coffee chop, the production methods need to be fast and foolproof, and yet generate little waste. Ever since then though, I’ve been trying to think of a usable method of mass production. It’s just too great a taste treat to abandon.

]]> By: Amos the Poker Cat http://tleaves.com/2005/12/29/epileptic-fit-hot-chocolate/comment-page-1/#comment-2297 Amos the Poker Cat Fri, 06 Jan 2006 04:29:31 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=536#comment-2297 If I wanted hard core chocolate flavour, I would use only water, and no milk. I was surprised by it, but I tried both at L.A. Burdick's in Cambridge. Unfortunately, I can't pass up the creamy dairy goodness. (Channelling Foamy the Squirrel: Creamy, creamy, cheesey, creamy.) Last week's "Sugar Rush" featured Vosges (in Vegas). They have a Aztec Elixir Cocoa ($22/16oz). It has both ancho and chipotle chillies, along with Mexican vanilla beans, cinnamon and thickened with maize powder. The other two cocoas are not thickened. They also have a $19 Molinillo. I bet they chuckle every time they carve one in Mexico to sell for a 1000x markup in El Norte. If I wanted hard core chocolate flavour, I would use only water, and no milk. I was surprised by it, but I tried both at L.A. Burdick’s in Cambridge. Unfortunately, I can’t pass up the creamy dairy goodness. (Channelling Foamy the Squirrel: Creamy, creamy, cheesey, creamy.)

Last week’s “Sugar Rush” featured Vosges (in Vegas). They have a Aztec Elixir Cocoa ($22/16oz). It has both ancho and chipotle chillies, along with Mexican vanilla beans, cinnamon and thickened with maize powder. The other two cocoas are not thickened.

They also have a $19 Molinillo. I bet they chuckle every time they carve one in Mexico to sell for a 1000x markup in El Norte.

]]> By: John http://tleaves.com/2005/12/29/epileptic-fit-hot-chocolate/comment-page-1/#comment-2296 John Tue, 03 Jan 2006 19:48:21 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=536#comment-2296 Maybe it's just me, but that's exactly how my Mom always made hot chocolate when I was a kid (upstate NY). She used baker's chocolate, which is not the best in the world, but the milk was very fresh (dairy country). My grandmother's secret for making instant hot chocolate taste richer than it is: corn starch. Apparently it makes it SEEM creamier. Maybe it’s just me, but that’s exactly how my Mom always made hot chocolate when I was a kid (upstate NY). She used baker’s chocolate, which is not the best in the world, but the milk was very fresh (dairy country). My grandmother’s secret for making instant hot chocolate taste richer than it is: corn starch. Apparently it makes it SEEM creamier.

]]> By: Shelby Davis http://tleaves.com/2005/12/29/epileptic-fit-hot-chocolate/comment-page-1/#comment-2295 Shelby Davis Tue, 03 Jan 2006 13:12:33 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=536#comment-2295 This is the general idea behnd the 'european style' hot chocolates you can get in 'finer coffeeshops' nowadays. The Starbucks version can't hold a candle to things like a homemade cup, or one from the chocolate place in the strip or Jacques Torres in nyc. Now I just need to convince the chocolate store out behind my workplace to serve this sort of thing. This is the general idea behnd the ‘european style’ hot chocolates you can get in ‘finer coffeeshops’ nowadays. The Starbucks version can’t hold a candle to things like a homemade cup, or one from the chocolate place in the strip or Jacques Torres in nyc.

Now I just need to convince the chocolate store out behind my workplace to serve this sort of thing.

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