cocoa

(written at a previous date)

    Dear Harriet Walter,

    Here is my recipe for Badass Hot Cocoa.

    Twoish heaped spoonfuls of storebought hot cocoa mix
    Oneish heaped spoonful unsweetened baking cocoa
    Fourish or fiveish vigorous shakings of cinnamon powder (unsweetened?)
    Threeish shakings of nutmeg
    (add very hot water)
    One and a half squeezes of chocolate syrup
    (stir)
    One precisely calculated dash of milk, just enough to make the hot cocoa drinkable but not so much that it ends up cold sooner than you're warm
    (stir)
    Top with marshmallow or two and whipped cream
    Replace whipped cream twice throughout course of beverage

    And that is my recipe for Badass Hot Cocoa.

    (Later footnote: I've been going a little more minimalist lately - the mix, water, cinnamon, syrup, marshmallow and whipped cream are the real essentials.)