Since cocktail parties have gone the way of the DoDo bird, try a hot chocolate party instead. Everybody loves it, and you’re part of a long tradition — hot chocolate was reportedly served at Catholic mass in Spain ages ago. (And you thought folk mass was something?)
As a kind of prayer for the day, I end every breakfast with a square of 85 percent organic dark chocolate from Green & Black, so you know I’m not kidding when I say hot chocolate deserves to be classified as one of the world’s most sensual comfort foods. Who doesn’t love sitting around holding a warm cup of dark liquid delivered, it seems obvious, from heaven?
There are as many versions of hot chocolate as there are chocolate maniacs. I like Mexican for a change. Happily, there is always room for something new if your brain needs a task while you are immobile on the MRI table, or commuting. (Hmmm…what would happen if I made whipped cream and sprinkled the top with crushed chocolate-covered pretzels?)
Remember, this is pretty much a stress-free affair, made in advance, a terrific excuse to have people over. (And not to worry about your gluten-free and vegan friends. Hot chocolate is usually free of gluten, and the non-dairy folks will be grateful if you heat up an extra pot of almond milk.)
RECIPE
• Here’s a recipe for Boozy Mexican Hot Chocolate, originally from Epicurious
