Mexican Hot Chocolate with Mezcal Whipped Cream

Usually I really enjoy summers in Boston. Sure, it can get pretty hot, but it rarely comes even close to rivaling the Louisiana temperatures of my childhood. Plus we have to make up for all those frigid months of winter. Summer is when I plant herbs on my balcony and vegetables in my backyard garden. It's when my husband and I sit outdoors and sip cocktails and watch the sunset. It's when most of the fun events occur around town. It's a great time of year.

This summer, however, I'm just not having it. Being pregnant kind of negates a lot of that summer fun. Admittedly I've had very few unpleasant symptoms these last few months, but I'm just so tired all the time - thus the lack of any blog posts the last couple of weeks. And the heat seems to make it worse. Instead of working out in my garden or sitting on the balcony, I'd much rather be curled up inside under a blanket. And on some evenings, when I'm feeling particularly achy and exhausted, I pretend it's already fall, take a warm bath (not hot - add that to the list of things I'm looking forward to in October), and curl up on the couch with some tea, warm milk, or hot chocolate. With the AC blasting, of course.

That, I hope, sufficiently explains this hot chocolate recipe in the middle of August. Although I would argue that there's never a bad time for hot chocolate. It's a delicious, comforting, all-purpose beverage. Don't argue with a pregnant woman.

At first, this was going to be a non-alcoholic Mexican hot chocolate, made with cinnamon and chili powder. But then the idea of mezcal whipped cream popped into my head, and I decided it was genius, because one little dash of mezcal is a-ok for baby but adds a surprisingly intense, smoky agave flavor to a batch of whipped cream. And then it occurred to me to add Ancho Reyes to the hot chocolate, and it was really a lost cause at that point. A simple suggestion wouldn't do - I had to at least hash out the proper proportions so that I could guide you all to spicy, chocolatey perfection. You can make this recipe with or without it, but whether you go non-alcoholic or full-on boozy, this hot chocolate is so good I promise you'll enjoy it - even in August.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 oz. Ancho Reyes or 1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine chocolate chips, cinnamon, and cayenne (if using) in a small saucepan. Add milk and put on stove over medium heat, whisking constantly, until chocolate chips are melted, spices are incorporated, and milk is warm. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from heat and stir in Ancho Reyes (if using) and vanilla. Serve in a mug topped with Mezcal Whipped Cream, a pinch of cayenne, and a cinnamon stick.

Mezcal Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. mezcal (optional)
1/2 tbsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, whip cream with the whisk attachment of a mixer until it begins to thicken. add sugar, vanilla, and mezcal (if using). Continue to whip the cream until it reaches the desired consistency, with firm peaks that hold their shape.

Verte Chaud

Winter hit hard this weekend. We lucked out in Boston; our six inches of snow felt like nothing compared to what fell in some places south of us. And the storm was even accommodating enough to hit on a weekend. With nowhere to go, we hunkered down in our apartment and watched the snow slowly collect. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

As I thought of what cold-weather drinks might be appropriate for this weather, a strange thought popped into my head: Chartreuse hot chocolate. I'm not really sure where it came from, but I know I have been to at least one bar that had this on the menu. I remember thinking that it was so odd it just might be good, and I suppose I filed it away in the recesses of my brain for a day like Saturday, when the snow was falling outside, and there was both Chartreuse and hot chocolate inside.

A quick search for any existing recipes that might fit the bill uncovered the Verte Chaud (translated far less poetically as "hot green"). It's apparently a popular "après-ski" cocktail. The concept of après-ski is not one with which I am intimately familiar; my first (and last) experience on skis ended with me running into the side of a building, and there were no cocktails involved. But I think I can get behind the idea. Après-snow-shovel, anyone?

I knew the Chartreuse-and-chocolate combination was going to be unusual, and I was a little afraid that it would result in a waste of both Chartreuse and chocolate, a true tragedy. But though it was odd at first, I liked the result. The Chartreuse comes off as very vegetal right at first. The chocolate flavor hits you in the middle of your sip, and then the herbal notes of the Chartreuse linger. It's very strong, very sweet, and will definitely warm you through-and-through, whether you've just come in off the slopes or you're holed up in your apartment watching the snow fall.

If you're not sold on the Verte Chaud yet, maybe I can cinch the deal: you can light it on fire. When building the cocktail, pour the Chartreuse into your mug and ignite it. If you're making it for guests, you can serve it like this with the hot chocolate on the side, ready to be poured in to quench the flames. In addition to being fantastically dramatic, the fire serves to warm up the mug.

As for the hot chocolate and whipped cream, you owe it to your bottle of Chartreuse to make them yourself. See below for my favorite simple recipes.

History: As far as I can tell, the Verte Chaud was invented by Jamie Boudreau, former blogger and bartender at Vessel in Seattle, currently owner of Canon. It turns out there's also a cocktail out there called the Charles de Gaulle that is essentially the same as this one, but I can't find out much about it.

Verte Chaud

2 oz. Green Chartreuse
6 oz. hot chocolate*
Whipped cream**

Pour Green Chartreuse into a mug. If desired, ignite with matches or a lighter and let burn briefly to warm the mug. Pour in the hot chocolate. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

*For hot chocolate, combine 1/2 cup of good quality chocolate chips like Guittard or Ghirardelli with 3/4 cup milk in a saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is hot. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

**For whipped cream, pour 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream into a bowl. Whip with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thickened. Add 1 tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tbsp. vanilla. Continue to mix until the cream forms soft peaks.

Recipe from Jamie Boudreau, Spirits and Cocktails.