The two old ladies

Two very pretty old ladies
Mariana and Marina,
are sitting on the balcony:
Marina and Mariana.

They wear gowns of ribbons,
Mariana and Marina,
and braided hairstyles:
Marina and Mariana.

Drink chocolate, old ladies,
Mariana and Marina,
in porcelain cups:
Marina and Mariana.

One says: “What a beautiful evening,
isn’t it Marina? ”
The other says: “Just as the waves dance,
Mariana isn’t it? ”

“Yesterday I was little,”
Marina says.
Yesterday, we were children, ”
says Mariana.

And take to mouth the little cups,
Mariana and Marina,
the cups of porcelain:
Marina and Mariana.

Drink chocolate, old ladies,
Mariana and Marina,
in porcelain cups:
Marina and Mariana.

Cecilia Meireles

Viennese hot chocolate

For 4 people:

125 g chocolate 70%
500 ml mineral water
50 g powdered sugar
25 g cocoa powder

150 ml cream with about 35% fat
10 g powdered sugar
Cocoa for dusting

Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
Boil water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to light boil.
Add cocoa powder and bring to boil again, beating vigorously.
Pour over the chocolate slowly, stirring to mix and beat again.

Beat the cold cream, mixing the sugar, until firm.
Pour the chocolate into cups, put the cream on top and sprinkle with cocoa.
Serve immediately.

Source: Pierre Hermé

I ignore the grey wet window. I ignore the bent tree and the umbrella trimmed strees. At home, the eternal summer tempers itself at 25ºC and away from the cold’s chastity, the blog refreshes itself with chocolate, coffee and Coca-Cola.

“Refresh yourself.”
(Coca-Cola slogan, 1924)

Iced chocolate with Coca-Cola

Serves 4-6:

120 g 55% dark chocolate, finely chopped.
500 ml whole milk
30 g icing sugar
150 ml coffee
12 ice cubes
300 ml Coca-Cola, chilled
4-6 scoops vanilla ice-cream

Bring the milk to boil with the sugar.
Add the chocolate and combine until it boils again.
Remove from heat and add the coffee.
Let it cool down and reserve in the fridge.
Place the ice-cubes into the glasses.
Add the Coca-Cola to the chocolate and mix.
Pour this mixture into the glasses and top with an ice-cream scoop.

Winter comes romantically…
Takes off the scarf to warm the cup, bites a churro and licks the chocolate.
On our side of the window time stands still… the world can wait…

Churros

125 ml water
25 g sugar
½ tsp fine salt
12.5 g butter
100 g flour
1-2 eggs
Sugar to sprinkle

Bring the water, butter, sugar and salt to boil.
As soon as it boils add all the flour and reduce to low heat stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the eggs combining well with the mixer with the dough hook attached until smooth.
Let the dough cool.
Put the dough into a churrera (or pastry bag with a star tip) avoiding air bubbles in the inside.
Squeeze strips of dough into hot oil.
Fry until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side.
Drain on paper towels.
Roll churros in sugar or dump the sugar on the pile of churros.

Hot chocolate

Serves 4:

125 g 67% (minimum) dark chocolate, chopped
500 ml mineral water
50 g icing sugar
25 g cocoa

Bring the water to boil with sugar.
Add cocoa and stir well.
Bring to boil again and remove from heat.
Pour this mixture into a bowl with the chopped chocolate (one third at a time).
Stir gently in circles from the center to the edge.
Mix for 5 minutes with the mixer.
Serve imediately.

I shuffle the cards and distribute them but I keep an ace in the hole to the weekend’s gambling!…
… Winning is my game!

Mango Lassi

Makes 500 ml:

260 g de ripe mango
100 g yoghurt
20 ml cream
100 g ice
30 ml honey

In a blender, mix all the ingredients together.
To create a sugar-rimmed glass, rub the drinking surface of the glass with corn syrup so it is barely moist. Dip the edge of the glass into sugar.