Bite into a piece of chocolate and your taste buds send you on a gastronomic history that dates back to the mid-1800's. Yet, sip a cup of a chocolate beverage and you go back in time at least 4,000 years. Although chocolate beverages have changed in appearance and taste over the eons, it's sometimes hard to believe that as a species we've been drinking chocolate much, much longer than we've been melting it in our mouths.

I've been subscribing to Merriam's Dictionary Word of the Day (www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/mwwod.pl) and low and behold, today's word was imbibution, which means the act of drinking or taking in of liquid or knowledge. Sounds like my kind of word. Naturally, my mind began to wander reminiscing of my drinking experiences over the years- of chocolate, that is!

Although the term hot chocolate commonly refers to all kinds of hot chocolate beverages, there is a technical difference. Hot cocoa is made with cocoa, the dry material resulting from extracting cocoa butter from the crushed cacao beans. Drinking chocolate, on the other hand, is made with solid chocolate. They are both delicious. Most people prefer one over the other. A good hot cocoa is tasty and nostalgic. A good drinking chocolate is, well, the closest thing you can get to chocolate intravenous therapy!

Sierra Cacao High

Growing up in San Francisco's North Beach, I was no stranger to delicious Ghirardelli hot chocolate made from cocoa out of that orange tin. Yet as a new National Park Service seasonal In Yosemite Valley in the mid-80's, I went to a staff potluck and discovered my first drinking chocolate.

Our staff gathered at the home of our supervisor, Jeff Samco, which was located not far from the Visitor Center on the valley floor. Towards the end of the evening we gravitated towards the kitchen and found ourselves huddled around the stove. We all watched the pot of hot milk like eager children witnessing an ancient ritual, as Jeff slowly and patiently melted the solid chocolate into its dreamy, liquid state. It was quite the finale to wonderful meal together.

Even though the resulting drink was made with one of those big Hershey milk chocolate bars, all I know is that I experienced something special that evening. I had never seen a cup of hot chocolate made by hand from scratch. That night in Yosemite Valley, I guess you can say I experienced a “chocolate brain warp” at 3000 feet above sea level.

Jeff was way ahead of his time. Not only was he a confirmed foodie before the term was coined; he was making something similar to what Europeans have been enjoying for years. We're just now playing catch up on this side of the Atlantic.

Also while in the Sierra, I was introduced to one hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps and another with unsweetened coconut milk. Although a purist at heart, I surprisingly found these two drinks to be wonderful, especially on a cold winter's night. Add a cozy fireplace- and presto-you've just created a little piece of heaven on earth.

Old and New Memories

What are your personal memories and experiences of hot chocolate? Do you have a preference of hot cocoa or drinking chocolate?

I hope this article encourages you to migrate directly into the kitchen to make yourself a cup of hot chocolate. What better way to toast to the final official month of winter? For our long awaited spring is (hopefully) just around the corner.

Make it your way: with cocoa or solid chocolate, ala natural or with some creative augmentations, with milk, water or milk alternative. Try a Hershey bar for a sensory trip down memory lane or experiment with some new, higher cocoa-content artisan chocolates.

Personally, I like both hot cocoa and drinking chocolate, depending on my mood. However, there is something almost meditative and nurturing about slowing down and taking the time to make a cup of drinking chocolate by hand. We can all use a good excuse to decelerate from the speed of life these days.

You can find some good recipes to get you started at www.scharffenberger.com Click on the “recipes” and then “drinks” links. For flavor suggestions check out: davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2105 Lactose intolerant? You might want to take a look at: nytimes.com/2009/02/11/dining/11appe.html

Whether we call it a beverage, drink or imbibution- hot chocolate is definitely a special indulgence for the brain, body, and soul!

Cheers!