Chocolate, revisited

I thought there wasn’t any more kick ass way to read Chocolat than inside a chocolate shop with my mocha. Wrong-o.

While checking out Joanne Harris’s website* (I really am a dork) I came across a cookbook of hers, that just so happens to have a recipe for “Vianne’s Hot Chocolate.” (Vianne is the main character in the novel). It involves chili pepper to give it a special zing, just like the ancient Mayans priests would drink it. I’m really not sure if the chili also enhances the aphrodisiac quality, like the film implies, but after drinking mine… well, you’ll have to see for your self.

Here’s the kick ass recipe with my modifications. I recommend drinking this with friends while watching the movie, on a cold day like I did.

Vianne's Spiced Hot Chocolate (Serves 2)

Place the milk in a saucepan; add the vanilla bean (for more flavor press out the seeds with the back of a knife blade before dropping both seeds and pod into milk. A beautiful French cook taught me this trick), cinnamon stick, and chile, and gently bring it to a shivering simmer for 1 minute. Grate the chocolate and whisk it in until it melts. If you must, then add brown sugar, but do try without it. Take off the heat and allow it to infuse for 10 minutes, then remove the vanilla, cinnamon, and chile (obviously not if it’s powder). Return to the heat and bring gently back to a simmer. Serve in mugs topped with whipped cream, chocolate curls, or a dash of cognac or Amaretto.

*http://www.joanne-harris.co.uk/v3site/books/frenchkitchen/index.html

v       1 2/3 cups milk

v       1/2 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise

v       1/2 cinnamon stick

v       1 hot red chile, halved and seeded (or 1/8 tsp chili powder. Add more if desired after tasting).

v       3 1/2 ounces bittersweet (70 percent) chocolate (I used Dove, but I’m a big supporter of Lindt. The point is, the quality really matters).

v       Brown sugar to taste (optional)

v       (I added an eetsy pinch of sea salt)

v       Whipped cream, chocolate curls, cognac, or Amaretto, to serve

Harry Inspires Students

Oh boy oh boy. Oh wizard. I started checking out some of these Harry Potter websites mentioned in our readings – The Daily Prophet, Fiction Alley (which led me to James Goodridge’s illustrations) – and I was sucked in for hours. Kind of like when Harry dips into the Pensieve and joined another world of memories, only time did not stop for me.

But the point is these articles are right. For anyone decent literate and into charming fantasy, Harry Potter has the power to draw you in, even after the books are complete and the movies are just about finished. I’ve never thought of myself as a fan fiction girl, but the snippets in the Writing Harry’s World article were still interesting, despite my cringing at the awkward bits, just because I am a member of this beloved world. The Harry Potter world exists in original print, films, vids, blogs, fanfic, fanart, amusement parks etc, because first and foremost it exists in our heart.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire brought the series to a whole new level in terms of relating to the millennial generation as students instead of just youngsters. The dancing lessons mirrored some of my more awkward gym experiences, the Yule ball represents a first dance, school spirit and pride becomes prominent when Durmstrang and  Beauxbatons show up for the Triwizard Tournament, rock music and fashion crop up, girls start becoming labeled as pretty or popular…

It doesn’t make me want to go back to middle school or high school again, but I do feel a bit of nostalgia for those younger days when I sat around the cafeteria at school making up funny abstract stories about what was going on in the books that we were reading. A good friend of mine actually became a contributing writer for The Daily Prophet at one point, and she saw J.K. Rowling twice at children’s conferences. I’m really impressed that the series has encouraged children to write more on their own. I’ll always be a purist, preferring the original books only, (although I have to say the 7^th Potter film went way beyond my expectations and I’m planning on seeing it at the Free Friday Films on campus soon), but I’m glad that the Boy Who Lived still lives on.