Thirsty Thursday: First Snow of Fall Hot Chocolate

by Jake McGlothlin on September 11, 2014

in Thirsty Thursday

The buzz around Bozeman this week has been the possibility of snow in town today.  Sure enough, woke up this morning, walked out onto our back porch and it was gently snowing.  The rooftops around us had a nice whitish tint to them, but snow hasn’t really accumulated yet.  Thank God, it’s too early in the year for snow piling up around town.  Sounds like the mountains and places with higher elevations have been getting quite a bit though.

Days like this are always kinda nice.   I like the colder weather, and after spending last winter in Washington I didn’t get much chance to see a whole lot of snow.  Fall is always a great season.  And the first snow of the year always makes me laugh, as it drives the people who just moved here over the summer and didn’t realize it actually gets cold and snowy here crazy.  (Seriously, every year people complain to me about how they moved here in the summer and didn’t realize it actually snowed in Montana.)

Today is an off day, and apart from a few errands I don’t really plan to do much.  This is a perfect kind of day to get some work done and then either crash on the couch and watch movies or tie flies.  Something that would go along great with that?  A cup of homemade hot chocolate.

hershey-baking-cocoa_md

Here’s what you need:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa 
dash of salt
1/3 cup water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Combine the sugar, cocoa, salt and water to boil for about two minutes.  Add the milk and vanilla and heat until almost boiling.  Serve in a big mug, and feel free to combine with some Peppermint Schnapps.  Use whole milk if you can, the richness really comes into play.  This recipe makes roughly about four mugs worth, so adjust the size as needed for your group.