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Adult Cocoa



It’s perfectly acceptable in Paris to order a hot chocolate at a café for yourself. It’s not just for children. By the way, I hate when adults skateboard. Just saying. Anyway, I don’t think I have ever ordered a hot chocolate as an adult in America. I think I would be too afraid that the waiter would look at me like, “Coming right up, fatso.” But not here in Paris…I order hot chocolate, chocolat chaud en français, without blinking an eye and my daughter Gracie orders a glass of wine. Boy, have roles reversed around here! Without a doubt, the best place for hot chocolate in Paris is Angelina’s. In a Belle Epoch café on rue Rivoli, Angelina’s has been serving decadent African hot chocolate since 1903 to the likes of Coco Chanel and Marcel Proust. But the only problem with going to Angelina’s is that everyone else in the entire world is there as well…with cameras. So, obviously, you have to avoid this place even though it’s the best hot chocolate ever. I am all about the ambience so my favorite place in Paris to get hot chocolate is at my husband’s favorite café near the Place Victoire. It’s all pedestrian, so there are no Mini Coopers zooming by disrupting your peace and it is definitely a little hidden so it feels special. No tourists, no attitudes, no flamboyance…just regular French locals enjoying regular French fare. The best part about it is that it faces my favorite church in Paris. The waiters serve you a big warm teacup with a little silver pitcher of piping hot milk on the side. On a little plate is a big cube of milk chocolate on a stick. First, you put the stick of milk chocolate into the teacup and then pour the steamy milk over it and stir it until it melts. Pure heaven! All you have to do now is sit back, relax and watch the world go by.

So, today’s blog is all about hot chocolate. Adult hot chocolate. Save the Nesquick for the children. I put together a Pinterest board dedicated to hot chocolate that you can check out HERE. But first, let’s look at a few for the blog. You can click on the name of the hot chocolate for the recipe.


 


 



 
  

 


Don’t those look delicious!

*Something you don’t know about me? I am quite the athlete. Well, I should say I was quite the athlete. No, I still am actually. Once an athlete, always an athlete. I’m just taking a break right now from my sports. :-) My parents took us to Aspen, Colorado every winter and my brother, sister and I would ski from sun up to sun down. We would only stop to have our lunch of hamburgers and hot chocolate in the lodge for one hour and then back on the slopes. I think this was my parent’s ploy to wear us out so that we would be “calm” when we got back to the house. We were three very hyper, very mischievous children. We have never really had a repeat babysitter. My parents decided to hire a nurse as our babysitter once. Skiing at least tempered us. Our ski instructors were our babysitters in Aspen…forced babysitters. We didn’t care because all we wanted to do was ski…




 


18 comments:

  1. I have read the CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK front to back.......and learn that about YOU!The ASPEN routine!By the way it's a WINNER TOO...............I made a list yesterday and you have me in parts of the grocery store I have never been too!KNOR'S hollandaise sauce packets!!Eggs Benedict coming up Saturday morning!Do you know I have NEVER had A RUM drink either!!!
    You are going to bring this CONTESSA up to SPEED!
    Hot chocolate I adore.........and I would order that from STARBUCKS across the street from my ANTIQUE shop come winter.As my shop had NO HEAT!The building was built in the 1800's......old window panes, no insulation....newspaper I think and well DRAFTY!But your HOT CHOCOLATE sounds so much better!A silver pitcher for the hot milk!YEP............that works doesn't it!......You partake for moi this holiday season.
    Thought you would be happy to know I read out loud your bit about Christmas tree lights and the husband followed your instruction!I am off to TARGET today to get more!I sat like YOU on the sofa and enjoyed every minute!XOXO

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  2. Ellie.. first of all, I love seeing all your old family pics!! About hot chocolate... when my girls were in high school, they were on the tennis team. They had a tournament on a particularly cold day and one of the perfect little skinny little tennis moms bought Starbucks Hot Chocolate for all of us. I had never had it before - a very skinny latte was my poison. I took one sip and thought that it was the most delicious HC I had every had. As I was gulping/smiling and enjoying the moment one of the other skinny moms came over and said she would never drink one because they were 800 calories. Instead of letting the beatch ruin the moment, I smiled and asked if I could have hers. She rolled her eyes and walked away. Gotta run to your Pinterest board, although you had me at salted carmel sticks and the peanut butter HC!

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  3. OOH~ I could use one of these right now…I am headed to be an outpatient tomorrow…this would hit the spot for me right now, comfort, I lOVE chocolate….love chocolate covered almonds….trying to get my little pictures of my tree of driftwood to you…not the typical but all I have with me during this packing mode! yum yum! I buy a great one from Williams Sonoma! OX

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  4. Lovely post. Just had it in Angouleme the other day when out Christmas shopping with a friend. There's something wintery magical about the stuff. I hope you will enjoy a cup of hot chocolate very soon again...maybe even today? Love your family skiing photos and have to love

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  5. Sorry, something wrong with my iPad when trying to leave comments. Was going to say I love Katie Clooney's response to the spoil sport calorie counter!

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  6. My favorite place for Hot Chocolate in Paris is at Jacques Genin's chocolate shop, along with a lemon tart. I agree that Angelina's has suffered from becoming too well know. Next time I am in Paris, I will try to spot your favorite place and not tell anyone else about it. Here in the States it is becoming ok for adults to sip HC - even having a few places similar to Paris.
    Bonnie
    Bonnie

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  7. Enjoyed the post. Nothing beats French hot chocolate and Rocky Mountain Powder!

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  8. Do you know where I liked to go for chocolat chaud this time of year? Fauchon. Save that I just looked it up and it seems that they have redone the deco in a style that can be best be described as Laudurée craycray. So maybe not any more but holy canoli do I get cravings for the good stuff. Apparently, they don't really DO good cc ("cc the world!") in Provence because that is for les Parigos. Of course, I could always make it with one of these fine recipes but it would not quite be the same as having a slightly grumpy waiter pour it for me gracefully in some lovely tea salon, now would it? :)

    I am assuming that is your Sister in the first ski photo? So you are trying to tell me that you have a Sister that is a) named Heather who is b) a redhead with c) (possibly) blue eyes and that we looked so much alike at that age it is odd? Ok, save for the ski part as me+sports=nope. But above the shoulders it is good to go. All of those photos made me really happy to see.

    Bon Weekend ma Belle...

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    1. I do believe that is ELEANOR in the FIRST PHOTO......HEATHER!!!!
      Could be wrong..........maybe her sister will HARK in HERE!
      Do Tell.........PLEASE!

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    2. The first picture is me with my upside down goggles. XOXO

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  9. Thank you for reminding me of the important things in life. I am new to your blog and I have found it to be so insightful in so many ways. God bless you! Please know you are touching many hearts out here. xoxoxo

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  10. i detest when adults skateboard too... ha! i just love that you wrote that bc i think it every time i see an old skate rat.

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  11. LOVE your ski photos and your chocolat chaud ideas are to die for! Out for a LONG day of lacrosse with my sons, I will be whipping one of these divine creations up this evening!

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  12. Im going out today just to get hot chocolate. .alas the only decent place in va beach to get it is Starbucks....xozo

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  13. Hot Chocolate for breakfast could be a winner here.

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  14. Now I'm dying to know the name of that café :D

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