By Robbie Jordan from Maddie Day's novella "Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse" in Christmas Cocoa Murder, book 6.5 in the Country Store Mysteries.
Hey, all. We're been busy decorating Pans 'N Pancakes, my country store restaurant, for the holidays. I'm a native Californian, so I thought I'd serve Mexican hot chocolate for the season, and I made up packets of this mix to sell in the store. Too bad half of them were confiscated by the police!
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
1½ cups granulated
sugar
1 cup all-natural
unsweetened dark cocoa
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne
pepper (use ½ teaspoon if you want more heat)
Whisk together all
ingredients in a medium bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 2
months. To make 1 serving of Mexican Hot Cocoa, heat 1 cup whole milk in a
small saucepan over medium just until hot and milk begins to steam, about 5
minutes (or in a microwave for about a minute and a half). Remove from heat.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons cocoa mix. Serve immediately with whipped cream and a
dusting of cinnamon.
For the Killer Characters Seasons Readings,
my author will send one US commenter a signed copy of Christmas Cocoa Murder, and you'll
also get novellas by her talented co-authors Carlene O'Connor and Alex Erickson!
Readers: What's your favorite hot drink in cold weather? The giveaway stays open until December 5 at midnight EST.
Maddie Day creates the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. As Edith Maxwell, this Macavity- and Agatha-nominated author writes the Quaker Midwife Mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries, and award-winning short crime fiction.
Maxwell/Day lives north of Boston with her beau, where she cooks, gardens, and wastes time on Facebook. She blogs here and with the other Wicked Authors. You can find her on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, and at her web site, edithmaxwell.com.
My favorite cold weather beverage would be hot chocolate, usually prepared using Nestlé's Quick cocoa mix. I plan to try your recipe, however, never had it made with cinnamon or cayenne pepper. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI love most hot chocolate: white, caramel,spiced, mint, and cherry.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love hot chocolate but mostly drink hot tea in cold weather. I have never tried the Mexican hot chocolate but may have to give it a try! I would love to read Christmas Cocoa Murder! Thanks for the chance! almaj80(at)suddenlink(dot)
ReplyDeleteI love hot chocolate. I’m not a coffee or hot tea drinker
ReplyDeletejwhaley4(at)aol(dot)com
I love both hot chocolate and chai tea so it is a tossup for me. I can't choose just one lol. I've had Mexican hot chocolate but prefer just regular hot chocolate. suemngirl(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteSue, you are the randomly chosen winner. Congratulations! Please check your email.
DeleteMy favorite hot drink is hot chocolate. mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com
ReplyDeleteThe recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate sounds interesting and delicious. I've never tried that version of cocoa. Maybe it's the salt that has made my previous attempts lacking something. One of my favorite hot winter drinks is a wide variety flavors of homemade cocoa with my favorite still being rich milk chocolate flavor topped with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top and using a candy cane for my stir. I also love hot spiced apple cider. Nothing beats warming up in the winter than warming up from the inside out.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the chance to hear more from Robbie in "Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse" with the opportunity to read "Christmas Cocoa Murder".
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Hot chocolate is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going to make Robbie's Mexican Hot Chocolate -- it sounds amazing, and I love cinnamon in hot chocolate. My favorite cold weather drinks are chai tea lattes and salted caramel hot chocolate. Happy Holidays! bobandcelia(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI like to make my own mochas , either decaff, half-caff or good ol' full caff . Then , my fur babies and I chill in the big chair .lol
ReplyDeleteI like various hot drinks and it depends on the time of day which one I prefer. I have to start my day with coffee. During the day, I like to drink hot tea, hot chocolate, or hot cider. Thanks for the chance! Merry Christmas! bernice-kennedy(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
ReplyDeleteMy favorite drink is Rum Chatta in my hot cocoa!
ReplyDeleteI drink coffee during the day but in the cold weather I do enjoy a cup of hot tea and during the holidays rich, creamy cocoa always seems the perfect choice. Thanks for the giveaway. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com
My absolute favorite is hot tea particularly English brands...but I do love hot chocolate every so often...
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
My favorite hot weather drink is hot chocolate, with a big mound of whip cream on top. That makes it a beverage plus a dessert.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite drink in all weather is hot tea, however, I do love a sweet cup of hot chocolate and a god book on a cold winter’s day.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Susan--hot tea is my favorite.
ReplyDeletecoffee...vadershepard@embarqmail.com
ReplyDeleteHot cocoa has always been my favorite cold weather drink. kittygirl15401(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI like a good cup of coffee with whipped cream instead of cream for my cold weather drink.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Hot chocolate with whipped cream 😍
ReplyDeleteHot chocolate with marshmallows or hot apple cider. schmokercarol(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI am a coffee drinker so none of the fancy drinks-just a good bold coffee!
ReplyDeletejwisley(at)aol(dot)com
Up until my teens it was Chocolate flavored Ovaltine. Now it's strong hot tea with honey... Ovaltine because it was the sponsor of a show I watched after school every day.
ReplyDeleteNoraAdrienne (at) gmail (dot) com
Chai or ginger tea
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
Hot apple cider!
ReplyDeleteHot tea definitely!
ReplyDelete-mollie. Iemercedez@aol.com
I love pumpkin hot chocolate! Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMy favorites hot beverage is Carmel Apple Spice Cider.
ReplyDeletexzjh04(at)gmail(dot)com
Hot chocolate with plenty of marshmallows and sometimes I stir with a candy cane.
ReplyDeleterjprazak6(at)gmail(dot) com
I like hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows. I've been trying different flavors of chocolate lately.
ReplyDeletekozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love a warm cup of hot cocoa with mini-marshmallows. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteematov (at) comcast (dot) net
Hello from Northern CA! I love hot cocoa with marshmallows!! Thanks for the chance!!
ReplyDeletelindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
Coffee or hot chocolate. Thanks for the chance to win! jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is a hot toddy made with herbal tea, usually with gin or whatever I have on hand. Just a bit of alcohol added to peach or berry tea really hits the spot, maybe with a cinnamon stick. mhunter972@aol.com
ReplyDeleteMy favorite hot drink in the winter, and really anytime, is coffee. I like just plain ol' black coffee - no sugar, no cream.
ReplyDeleteI will occasionally have some hot chocolate, or warm cider, but a little is enough for me.
Opps, my email
Deletedonna (dot) durnell (at) sbcglobal (dot) net
I happen to like Constant Comment tea.
ReplyDeleteI like hot tea, but I am thinking of trying this recipe.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
favorite hot chocolate is from starbucks, but love tea.
ReplyDeleteWe love hot chocolate on cold winter mornings. Sometimes with a bit of cinnamon. Sometimes with extra vanilla. Sometimes with minimallows. We did the Mexcian style a couple years ago. Decided against the cayenne pepper. My daughter doesn't care for the stronger darker chocolate either. I do, I prefer the stronger chocolate flavor. Have you tried the burgundy chocolate? deepotter at centurylink dot net
ReplyDeleteHot tea. 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteSorry to say, chocolate has never been part of my Chistmas. Very little candy. We were pastry people.
ReplyDeleteCoffee with Bailey's Irish Crème! tWarner419@aol.com
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cold weather drink is hot chocolate or hot tea. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteDefinitely hot chocolate but I do enjoy hot sweet tea in the winter.
ReplyDeletejohnnabooks(at)hotmail(dot)com
My favorite is hot cocoa with marshmallows or whipped cream. kc20083@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteSue L is our randomly chosen winner. Congratulations! Sue, please check your email.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a copy for everyone, but please check back on the blog for a giveaway every day until Christmas.
My favorite is a chai tea latte but I'd take a cup of coffee or regular hot black tea any day too! Peppermint hot cooca is delightful as well! As you can see, I'm not picky.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite hot drink in cold weather: Hot tea with a little honey. I love Black tea with blueberries and Rooibus Black Tea quilting lady 2 at Comcast dot net
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Edith Maxwell! I am so grateful to be chosen and look forward to receiving my book from you. You have given me an early Christmas present!
ReplyDelete