Posted on 01/31/2025 7:53:39 AM PST by Red Badger
NATIONAL HOT CHOCOLATE DAY
Each year on January 31st, National Hot Chocolate Day warms up people across the country by celebrating the timeless cold-weather beverage.
#NationalHotChocolateDay
Hot chocolate is a warm beverage made with ground chocolate, heated milk or water, and sugar. In America, we often use the terms hot chocolate and hot cocoa interchangeably. However, the two beverages are different.
Cocoa vs Hot Chocolate
We make hot cocoa with cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar. We're able to do this thanks to a process developed by father and son chemists. For the thicker, more flavorful beverage, we make hot chocolate from ground chocolate containing cocoa butter. It is also called drinking chocolate. Hot chocolate has also been around longer than hot cocoa. In the early 1800s, Casparus van Houten Sr. developed a process to separate the cocoa solids from the butter. His son, Coenraad Johannes made those fats more soluble in water. Together their processes made cocoa powder possible.
But before then, everyone drank hot chocolate. This thicker, creamier beverage often offered medicinal benefits for stomach ailments during the 19th century. In fact, long before the beverage's popularity in Victorian times, it served in ceremonial culture.
However, humans have been drinking chocolate for a long time. The Mayans likely created the first chocolate beverage 2000 years ago. The Aztecs also included a cocoa beverage as an essential part of their culture by 1400 AD. When Europeans began exploring Central and South America, explorers brought chocolate and the beverage back with them to Europe from Mexico.
Make it and Benefit
Hot chocolate can be enjoyed in a variety of combinations, topped with whipped cream or marshmallows. Sometimes a sprinkle of cinnamon or a dash of peppermint makes the chocolate extra special. In the United States, many people enjoy an instant form of hot chocolate. It is made with hot water or milk and a packet containing mostly cocoa powder, sugar, and dry milk.
There are health benefits to drinking hot chocolate. Cocoa contains significant amounts of antioxidants that may help prevent cancer. Studies have shown the flavonoids in chocolate may have a positive effect on arterial health and memory.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HOT CHOCOLATE DAY
Make some hot chocolate.
Add a variety of toppings.
Invite a friend to join you for hot chocolate.
Sample different flavors of hot chocolate.
Taste the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa.
Take a photo and use #NationalHotChocolateDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL HOT CHOCOLATE DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues researching the origins of this chocolatey beverage holiday.
Hot Chocolate FAQ
Q. Is hot chocolate thicker than hot cocoa?
A. Yes. Hot chocolate is made by melting high-quality chocolate into the milk. It's almost like syrup but slightly thinner. You can thin it down further by adding more milk, though.
Q. Will I like hot chocolate if I like hot cocoa?
A. Both are delicious but hot chocolate is a little more luxurious than hot cocoa. Some prefer one over the other and many people enjoy both equally.
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Notable Birthdays for January 31
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft (1800-1842) - One of the first noted Native American poets.
John Randolph Tucker (1812-1883) - Naval officer for the Confederate Navy.
Joseph Augustine Cushman (1881-1949) - Paleontologists who developed a system of discovering petroleum deposits.
Betty Parsons (1900-1982) - Artist considered to be one of the most influential and dynamic figures of the American avant garde movement.
Julian Steward (1902-1972) - Anthropologist who developed "the concept and method" of cultural ecology and the scientific theory of culture change.
Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) - Baseball HOF and first black MLB player for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Chuck Willis (1926-1958) - Singer who is remembered for his C. C. Rider and What Am I Living For.
Norm Prescott (1927-2005) - Co-founder of Filmation Studios.
Lorraine Warren (1927-2019) - Paranormal investigator.
S. Newman Darby (1928-2016) - Inventor of the sailboard (wind surf board).
Morton Mower (1933-2022) - Co-inventor of the automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
Gene DeWeese (1934-2012) - Author of Star Trek.
Philip Glass (1937-Still Living) - Composer and pianist considered as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
Rynn Berry (1945-2014) - Pioneer in the animal rights and vegan movements.
Jeff Hanneman (1964-2013) - Lead guitarist for the rock band Slayer.
Buddy Rice (1976-Still Living) - Champion auto racer.
Jeremy Wariner (1984-Still Living) - Six time gold medalist and world champion runner.
Memorable Events for January 31
1846 - The towns of Juneautown and Kilbourntown merge and become the city of Milwaukee.
1851 - The first orphan asylum (orphanage) was founded in San Francisco.
1863 - The first black Civil War regiment is formed in SC.
1865 - Congress passes the Thirteenth Amendment and abolishes slavery.
1944 - Operation-Overlord (D-Day) postponed until June.
1961 - The chimpanzee Ham travels into outer space.
1986 - Mary Lund (the first female recipient of an artificial heart) receives a donor heart.
2022 - Wordle is bought by the NY Times.
Another CHOCOLATE DAY!...................
Today is my Mom’s 95th Birthday....happy birthday, Laura Beecher!
Golden Chocolate Milk (perfect drink!)
Coconut milk
tableSpoon Turmeric
teaspoon cinnamon
tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
liquid stevia
after heating and mixing, heavy cream to top
.
White Hot Chocolate / Caramel Sauce / Serves 1
Make this indulgent hot chocolate. Add nutmeg, cinnamon or cardamom for added spiciness.
Ing 200ml milk 100g white chocolate fine-chp ½ tsp vanilla whipped cream mini-mallows caramel sauce pinch of sugar sprinkles pinch of cinnamon
Micro milk til steaming. Pour into heated mug chocolate and vanilla then hot milk; stir 30 sec til chocolate melts. Top w/ cream, mallows, Caramel Sauce drizzle; a pinch of sprinkles and cinnamon.
The Aztec version of hot chocolate is for grown up tastes.
6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
6 teaspoons vanilla
4 cup boiling water
ground chili pepper to taste
Grate the unsweetened chocolate into a bowl and cover it with a little of the boiling water. Mash the mixture into a paste. Add the rest of the water and vanilla and mix. When cool, beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the chili pepper to liven up the drink.
The chocolate will not totally dissolve and will have a grittiness to it.
If you really want to get things going, use high cocoa chocolate instead. Lindt makes it up from 65% to 100% cocoa.
That sounds good. And no milk. I thought it always had milk.
I remember that one!................
That’s quite the Milestone! Congrats and Happy Birthday, Mom!
Hot Chocolate Truffles / makes 3 dozen truffles
Melt-in-your-mouth Truffles; just 5 simple ing amped up w/ Kahlua.
Ing 14 oz semisweet chocolate, 1 cup h/cream 1 tsp espresso powder 5 1/2 tbl unsalted butter in cubes at room temp 1 tbl Kahlua; chocolate coating: 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate grated or fine-chp
Steps On low heat, warm cream til small bubbles form at pan sides. Offheat add espresso powder and chopped chocolate; whisk smooth. Cool 5 min. then stir in butter and Kahlua. Cool to room temp, then cover tightly and refrigerate 4 hours or more til firm enough to scoop.
Chocolate coating: Grate chocolate using coarse grater, or finely chop. Hold in shallow dish.
Assembly: Scoop out tbl chilled chocolate; hand shape into a ball. Roll in grated chocolate, then set on w/papered baking sheet. Repeat w/ rest mixture. Store airtight in fridge up to two weeks.
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