Night Court Cocktail – ACOTAR

This recipe hails from the world of Prythian, in Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorn and Roses (ACOTAR). I first read the series several years ago, but have been enjoying her other novels over the past year. And given that the third book in her Crescent City series drops later this month, I knew I had to revisit Prythian, from the creativity of my own kitchen.

There isn’t a great deal of food actually described in Maas’s book. So I started where I always like to: desserts and drinks. And what better way to explore the latter than with some themed drinks? For a cocktail representing the darkly mysterious and seductive Night Court, I wanted to start with some dark fruits, like blackcurrants, and I always like the idea of a little absinthe, too. Maybe it’s a little punny, but I felt like leaning into the addition of a green fairy to a drink representing the fictional fae.

When I searched the local liquor store for Cassis, the only one in stock was unexpectedly a local one, from Putney Mountain Winery. I couldn’t be happier-It’s made with blackcurrant, blueberry, and raspberry, and so delicious that I occasionally have a little glass of it as a nightcap. And it was a perfect starting point from which to build a cocktail recipe worthy of the Court of Dreams.

I asked my good friend Chris (who has a prodigious knowledge of some truly inspired mixology stored in his head) for suggestions on what could be done with both cassis and absinthe. He suggested making a riff on a Cazador, which is usually made with rum. I subbed in some brandy in place of the rum, since the bat boys are always quaffing whiskey and the like.

The finished drink is smooth, decadent, fruity, and subtle. I can vouch that it’s entirely too easy to drink, and believe me when I tell you that several servings went missing throughout the course of trying to get a great photo. It’s one of my new favorite mixes, and one that I expect will definitely contribute to my efforts to make it through this winter.

I’m hoping this can be the first in a series of ACOTAR (and other Sarah J Maas) cocktails, so keep an eye out for those over on Patreon a bit early, and then here!

In the meantime, I’ll raise a glass to you all: “To the stars who listen, and the dreams that are answered…”

Recipe for Night Court Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 oz. brandy
1 oz. cassis
1/2 oz. maple syrup
dash of absinthe
dash of lime juice
edible star glitter (I used this) for the rim of the glass

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with a few ice cubes and give a few good shakes to combine. Pour into a highball or other decorative glass, and enjoy.

For an added dash of pizazz, drop a small chunk of dry ice into the glass before serving. Be sure to let the dry ice melt completely before enjoying the cocktail. I always want to do this, but haven’t yet sourced any here.

Mocktail Variant: Use a fruit juice, like apple or grape, in place of the brandy a blackcurrant syrup like Ribena in place of the cassis, and the tiniest portion of a licorice flavoring. You may also wish to decrease the amount of maple syrup, to taste.

Blackstrap Coffee – 7 Days to Die

“Blackstrap Coffee. This 2 century old favorite coffee was a staple among miners in the 1800’s. Otherwise known as ‘Muckmen Blackstrap’ this strong blended roast will give you long lasting energy and keep you warm for hours”

I don’t have a ton of time these days for playing games, and certainly nothing like I once enjoyed. But the one game I always make time for is one that I’m fortunate enough to play with a group of close friends: 7 Days to Die

For those unfamiliar, it’s an open world zombie survival and crafting game, heavy on the base building, with something enticing for everyone to do. It’s my happy escapism place, and you can usually find me roaring around on my motorcycle, looting far flung locations for the supplies the rest of our group needs to survive one more week, and one more horde night. Early on, obtaining food and clean water (or the ability to boil water) is completely essential.

This was not my smartest recon run, but I’m a survivor!

Now, in our game, we have a fully kitted out kitchen in each of our fortified bases, complemented with a massive garden that grows everything we need to feast like the kings and queens of the apocalypse we truly are. Amidst all that, there are coolers stacked to the ceiling, all full of blackstrap coffee. It’s become such a staple during play that I obviously had to tackle it with a real recipe.

My first test of this recipe produced a punishment of a drink, something I suspect is pretty damn close to the bitter, terrible coffee one would be able to make with foraged ingredients in a true zompocalypse. I didn’t finish the cup, instead passing it around to anyone who walked through the kitchen to demonstrate its true awfulness.

After that, I did a bigger deep dive into the WHY of the gunpowder. Buckle up, because this is a journey… (or skip to the recipe below)

Gunpowder consists of potassium nitrate (saltpeter), charcoal, which is mostly carbon, and sulfur.

Anecdotally, soldiers in Napoleon’s army (and probably many other times/places) used gunpowder to season the meat when they were in dire enough straits that they were forced to eat their horses. Seems strange, until you learn that saltpeter is a naturally occurring mineral (which can be mined in 7 Days, incidentally), and was historically used as a curing agent. It gave foods a salty taste and helped preserve them. Potassium Nitrate has also been used as an ingredient in matchheads- anyone remember Holden grating matches into his coffee to make it more palatable in The Expanse? Same idea.

I know a guy who could probably get me some gunpowder, but not everybody has that friend, so I’ve opted for some substitutions. Also, uh, it’s not great to consume in any quantity, so let’s all take a pass on that, maybe. I’d like to taste some at some point, for the sake of knowing, but for now, let’s get creative with some alternatives.

I started with an old jar of instant espresso that’s been kicking around in the back of the pantry for… I’m not actually sure how long, but it’s been a while.

SO. We’ve got a pinch of salt swapped in for the saltpeter, and activated charcoal for the charcoal in the gunpowder. I suspected it might need just a little extra zip of something, so I dug out some of my reserves of amazing Viking smoked salt from Auntie Arwen’s.

The verdict?

I was up obscenely early with kids this morning, and this coffee is the only thing that has saved the entire day. I’m on my second cup, and it’s strange and compelling, and now I want to share it with people passing through the kitchen not as an example of horror, but as a proper curiosity. The charcoal, in particular, mellows any bitterness of the coffee and blackstrap, leaving you with a slightly sweet warming beverage that is entirely too easy to drink down.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go harvest some doorknobs for brass and load up my bike with a stack of Blackstrap Coffee and Hobo Stew. There are zombies that need killin’ and buildings that need lootin’!

Stay safe out there, survivors…

Recipe for Blackstrap Coffee

makes 1 serving (but can be easily sized up)

*Note* Activated charcoal can interfere with essential medication, so use with caution, even in small doses!

Ingredients:

8 oz. just-boiled water
2-3 tsp. instant espresso powder (I used Cafe Bustelo brand)
2 tsp. blackstrap molasses
pinch of activated charcoal
pinch of smoked salt

Combine all the ingredients in a heat-proof mug, stir to combine, and enjoy.

For added amusement, be sure to check out the cooking reel I also made to go with this recipe! ;)

A Discovery of Witches – A Caudle

Here’s a fun recipe that’s both fictional AND historical. You know I love when that happens. ;) This is from Deborah Harkness’s All Souls trilogy, just out as a television series (as A Discovery of Witches), and from what I’ve watched so far, it’s fantastic. Seriously, can we get more history professors writing awesome fiction, please?

This recipe comes from the second book in the trilogy, and is deceptively simple. Although the main Diana Bishop doesn’t quite nail the beverage in the books, it’s well worth a try in your own kitchen. Caudles were often served to the sick or infirm (and are thus related to the term “molly-coddling”), but I think they’re a nice little robust drink that deserves a little love of its own. Consider it a cousin of eggnog, and you’ll already be on the way to thinking well of it.

The resulting drink, made correctly, comes out somewhat thick and rich. The egg yolks give it a nice velvety smooth texture, and the sweetening softens the alcohol. I can’t vouch that it’ll cure what ails (ales!) you, but it can’t do much harm, and that’s saying something as far as historical recipes go. ;) So give it a try, and see what you think!

A Caudle for pains in the Head

For my proportions, I’m pulling from the historical collection very succinctly named “Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Books”, which you can peruse here, if so inclined (protip: try reading it aloud, if you’re struggling to understand the non-standardized spellings!). Neither these intrepid cooks nor Diana give measurements for the liquid amounts, so I’ve had to adapt it for our somewhat more specific cooking needs.

“Take faire tryed yolkes of eyren, and cast in a potte; and take good ale, or elles good wyn, a quantite, and sette it ouer ye fire. And whan hit is at boyling, take it fro the fire, and caste yere-to saffron, salt, Sugur; and ceson hit vppe, and serue hit forth hote.” -Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Books

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
2 cups ale, white wine, or hard cider
pinch of saffron (optional)
pinch of salt
sugar or honey to taste
pinch of fresh nutmeg

Beat together two egg yolks in a small pot along with the ale, saffron, salt, and sweetener over medium-low heat, whisking gently all the while. After about 5 minutes, the mixture should have thickened noticeably(go slowly, or the mixture may split!). Remove from heat, strain into a clean heatproof glass, and top with a pinch of nutmeg.

Hearthstone Drinkalong, week two – Starseeker Sour

To celebrate the launch of the new Hearthstone Innkeeper’s Tavern Cookbook, I’m hosting a virtual drinkalong. Each week I’ll post the recipe on Tuesday or Wednesday, then we’ll make the drink on Thursday (or whenever you can!), sharing the photos of our drinks online. Be sure to tag your photos on Facebook and Twitter with #HearthstoneDrinkalong, along with the name of the weekly beverage so I can add them to each week’s gallery. This should be a blast, and give you a taste (literally) of what the new recipe book has to offer.

The Roster

Week 1: Grimy Goose

Week 2: Starseeker Sour

Week 3: Tauren Tumbler

Week 4: Deathrattle

Week 5: Mystery drink?

Week 6: Mystery drink!

So, down to business. This week’s offering is a mocktail inspired by the intrepid explorer Elise Starseeker:

This one was a fun drink to put together. I started with a simpler version of a historical lemon drink, but instead of adding the sugar in with the lemon, I opted for a flavored simple syrup. Lavender actually goes beautifully with lemon, and I added a dash of food coloring for extra pizzazz.

For the photo staging, I tried to mimic the cluttered study in that image above, with surveying tools, maps, etc. You can’t tell from the picture, but those flat maps are actually of parts of Azeroth; I spent several hours one day tea-staining them all. That lovely brass doohickey on the left is an antique surveyors compass that I couldn’t resist at a flea market when I was 15, and have been holding onto ever since.

Starseeker Sour recipe

For the simple syrup, you’ll need:

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 Tbs. dried lavender (available in many health food store bulk sections)
violet food coloring (gel is best for pure purple)

For drink:

2 lemons
a little more water
ice
lemon wheel for garnish

Start everything off by making up the simple syrup: combine the sugar, water, and lavender in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from heat, cover, and let steep for around 20 minutes. Strain into a clean container, discarding the lavender. Add food coloring and set in the fridge to chill.

Once that’s done, you can actually assemble the drink. Combine the zest and juice of the two lemons in a measuring cup. Add enough water to get up to 1 cup, then strain into a clean pitcher. Add one part each of this lemon mixture and the lavender simple syrup to a glass filled with ice, then garnish and enjoy!

The simple syrup should keep in the fridge for at least a week. If you’d like to make a stronger version, add either plain or lemon vodka to taste.

Hearthstone Drinkalong, week one – Grimy Goose

Hey everybody!

To celebrate the launch of the new Hearthstone Innkeeper’s Tavern Cookbook, I’m hosting a virtual drinkalong. I’d happily serve you all myself, but until we actually get Wonka-vision up and working, we’ll have to make do! Each week I’ll be sharing a drink recipe, starting with several from the Hearthstone cookbook and moving on to some other quirky beverages.

Each week I’ll post the recipe on Wednesday, then we’ll make the drink on Thursday, sharing the photos of our drinks online. Be sure to tag your photos on Facebook and Twitter with #HearthstoneDrinkalong, along with the name of the weekly beverage. This should be a blast, and give you a taste (literally) of what the new recipe book has to offer.

Also, don’t forget to comment under this post for a chance to win some sweet Hearthstone prizes next week, including a couple copies of the cookbook!

Bottoms up! :D

The Roster

Week 1: Grimy Goose

Week 2: Starseeker Sour

Week 3: Tauren Tumbler

Week 4: Deathrattle

Week 5: Mystery drink?

Week 6: Mystery drink!

So this week’s entry is the Grimy Goose. This is a classic beverage from the heart of Gadgetzan, served up by the famous Talan in his bar:

It’s a variation of the classic vodka martini, dirtied up a little for the Gadgetzan crowd with some pickle juice. Combined with a bit of sweet vermouth, rather than the dry stuff, you get a thoroughly pleasing drink that has just enough nuance to keep things interesting. Give it a go!

For the photo, I tried to put together something that was both elegant and just a little grimy. The dishware and props are darker colors, and the background is dim to give the impression of a lengthy bar. The jars of pickled vegetables got mostly cropped out, but down on the bottom of the tray you can see a feather or two, just a little visual hint of “goose”. ;)

Grimy Goose Recipe

You’ll need:

3 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
splash of pickle juice
ice for shaking
pickles, olives, and/or onions for garnish
a chilled glass

Combine the vodka, vermouth, brine, and ice in a cocktail shaker (a mason jar also works in a pinch!). Shake everything together and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with your pickled veg, and consider serving alongside an antipasto plate, fried food, and anything Italian.

Be sure to snap a photo of your delicious new drink and share it online with the hashtags #GrimyGoose and #HearthstoneDrinkalong.

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Star Wars – Protein-Enhanced Blue Milk

There is quite possibly no food or drink from the Star Wars universe more iconic than Blue Milk. This really bugged me for a while. Whenever I mentioned an interest in making food from the Star Wars world, the first thing people shouted was BLUE MILK! But… it’s just… blue milk, right?

But the more research I did, the more determined I grew to develop a more interesting recipe for that staple drink. We see it first in IV: A New Hope, and it’s later given a nod in II: Attack of the Clones, and lots of love in the Rebels series, not to mention comics and novels.

For me, a lot of the fun of making real recipes for fictional dishes is in the research. SW lore tells us that this is milk from Banthas, those great hulking beasts on Tatooine. It’s been used for everything from yogurt to ice cream, cheese to custard. That tells me it’s pretty commonly available, and versatile, and must taste pretty good.

In this recipe, the mix of milks gives it a decidedly different taste from ordinary milk with color added. I couldn’t find a bantha dairy, for some reason, but since they strike me as somewhat goaty, I opted for part goat milk. I think this version could be the more readily available commercial brand, with added protein to improve flavor and appeal. So, while the original might come from domesticated bantha on Tatooine, this recipe should hit the spot for those travelers in far flung corners of the galaxy, homesick for their native desert planets.

Update: I’ve added this recipe to the lineup for Fictional Foodies’ May Star Wars lineup. Check out the other cool recipes folks have submitted here.

Protein-Enhanced Blue Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup goat or cow milk
1 cup almond milk
2 tsp. arrowroot
1 Tbs. vanilla protein powder
Several drops blue food coloring

Pour half the milk into a small saucepan. Whisk the arrowroot into the cold milk, then, while stirring, gradually bring up to just under a simmer, when the milk is steaming but not bubbling. Remove from heat, and add the other cup of milk. Whisk in the protein powder, then strain into a clean container. Chill for at least 2 hours, and enjoy.

Star Wars – Alderaan Twist

Alright, so here’s the first mockup of the Alderaan Twist. I like it well enough, but I think there’s still a good deal of room for improvement. Which is not to say I didn’t dutifully drink down the entire glass after getting the photo. ;)

I’d wanted to have a number of elements in the picture, like pop rocks on the rim, and a sparkler, and some better layers to represent that blue-green planet. AND a protocol droid to hold it, just like in that image. 501st, I’m looking at you…

This drink is reported to have been the favorite drink of Eneb Ray, an Alliance spy working for Princess Leia Organa on Coruscant. His mission was not a success, and one has to hope it wasn’t on account of this cocktail. The flavors are fun, albeit not quite the level of pizzazz I’d like. Orange, melon, and pear are familiar flavors to most of us, although they do meld into something a bit more unique when added together.

So expect an update on this one at some point, but in the meantime, Cheers!

Alderaan Twist Recipe

Location: Coruscant, and other bars throughout the galaxy

Makes 1 serving

Prep: 5 minutes

Components:

1 oz. blue curaçao
1/2 oz. midori
1/2 oz. lemon juice
champagne or sparkling pear cider
lemon twist to garnish

Pour the blue curacao into the bottom of a champagne flute. Combine the midori and the lemon juice in a small glass, then pour that into the flute as well. Top up with champagne, garnish. and serve.

Canon.

First appearance: Star Wars Annual I

“Colonial” Thanksgiving, 2016

So as you may have seen in previous years (2014, 2015), our family has started doing a “colonial” Thanksgiving celebration. I use the quotes because it’s far from strictly colonial in terms of preparation and authentic recipes, but we do try to keep things mostly historical, and then we use only candles and oil lamps once it gets dark. I also have grand ambitions to grow everything we eat. Maybe if I really get the vegetable garden sorted out next year! In the meantime, we’ll settle for locally grown.

This year, my mother is gung ho to make a stew outside over a cookfire, which I think will really take the whole thing to the next wacky level. Our house was built in 1795, but due to some remodels and a fire, doesn’t have that classic brick kitchen oven setup, or you could bet your breeches I’d be using that.

The biggest change this year is that we won’t have a turkey. I made many, many tasty turkeys during the WoW Cookbook process, so it turns out that nobody in the family is quite ready to eat any more just yet. I think there’s still some in the freezer, waiting to be made into soup. But that’s actually pretty traditional. Just take for example this account from 1748 New Hampshire:

“Our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish; in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night, with small labor, and can dig them out of their beds all the winter. We have mussels … at our doors. Oysters we have none near, but we can have them brought by the Indians when we will; all the spring-time the earth sendeth forth naturally very good sallet herbs. Here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspas, etc. Plums of tree sorts, with black and red, being almost as good as a damson; abundance of roses, white, red, and damask; single, but very sweet indeed… These things I thought good to let you understand, being the truth of things as near as I could experimentally take knowledge of, and that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favorably with us.” -William Haywood’s journal, Charlestown, NH

Or this account, from 1779 Connecticut:

“Of course we could have no roast beef. None of us have tasted beef this three years back as it all must go to the army, & too little they get, poor fellows. But, Nayquittymaw’s hunters were able to get us a fine red deer, so that we had a good haunch of venison on each table. These were balanced by huge chines of roast pork at the other ends of the tables. Then there was on one a big roast turkey & on the other a goose, & two big pigeon pasties. Then there was an abundance of good vegetables of all the old sorts & one that I do not believe you have yet seen. Uncle Simeon had imported the seed from England just before the war began & only this year was there enough for table use. It is called sellery & you eat it without cooking. It is very good and served with meats. Next year Uncle Simeon says he will be able to raise enough to give us all some. It has to be taken up, roots & all & buried in earth in the cellar through the winter & only pulling up some when you want it to use. Our mince pies were good, although we had to use dried cherries as I told you, & the meat was shoulder of venison instead of beef. The pumpkin pies, apple tarts & big Indian puddings lacked for nothing save appetite by the time we had got around to them.”

I don’t know about you, but those descriptions definitely set my mouth watering!

Here’s the current plan, which always changes at the last minute. I’ll hopefully be posting any new recipes that turn out well:

Flair

Hand washing water – (also makes the house smell nice)
Beeswax and bayberry candles
Pewter, linen, antler, and assorted other period dishware

Appetizers

Pemmican – traditional
Indian slapjacks, with acorn and cornmeal – 1796
assorted local cheeses

Main

Venison Stew – traditional, 1749
Cod in Coals – traditional

Sides

Cranberry Chutney – 1767, with some tweaks
Blueberry Chutney – ad lib, homegrown
Roasted Squash with homemade maple syrup
Cabbage, onions, and bacon

Dessert

Pumpkin Pie – 1653
Mother McCann’s Lemon Pie – pre-1891, from a family cookbook
Cider Cake – 1881
Apple Tansy – 1754
Gooseberry Hops – 1792

Drinks

Birch Wine – 1691
Elderberry Wine – 1861
Syllabubs – 1796

Sources used:

The First American Cookbook, Amelia Simmons, 1796
The Compleat Housewife: or, Accomplished Gentlewoman’s Companion by E. Smith, 1754
Vinetum Britannicum, J. Worlidge, 1691
Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Mrs. Beeton, 1861
The Way to a Man’s Heart, various authors, pre-1891
Dr. Chase’s Receipt Book, Dr. Chase, 1887
Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery, Karen Hess, 1749

The Verdict?

As my mother put it, “Why would anyone settle for turkey when they could do this?!” We had an absolute blast, and the extra smoky flavors from cooking over the fire put everything right over the top. From shaking up cream to make our own butter, to toting that giant cod to and from the firepit, it was a holiday to remember. My mother prepped the cod by wrapping it in cabbage leaves and clay (8 lb turned out to be a lot of fish), and baked some bread in her woodstove. The star of the day, the venison stew, was rich and hearty, with chunks of meat, sausage, and root vegetables swimming in a flavorful broth. The handwashing water was a big hit, and while the lemon pie didn’t quite set right, it was tasty enough to perfect- more on that later. We concluded the evening, as always, with dramatic readings in the livingroom, by candlelight.

The thing I love most, perhaps, about approaching a holiday like this is that it takes away so much of the pressure that can do in what should be a festive time. Nobody was worried about the turkey prep, or whether their cranberry sauce would hold up to Aunt Mabel’s scrutiny. Instead, it’s about the adventure of the cooking, and having fun together. And because we try to make the dinner with all local or homegrown ingredients, it gives us a proper appreciation for the effort that goes into growing and preparing the food. Looking back in time, it’s easy to marvel at the amount of hard work that went into keeping a family alive and fed. Here’s to all the hunters and housewives that have gotten us to where we are today!

And speaking of that, I’m thankful for the years you all have spent here at The Inn with me, and I hope you’ll join me for many more to come!

Cardamom Tea – The Throne of the Crescent Moon

“Tea. Adoulla leaned his face farther over the small bowl and inhaled deeply, needing its aromatic cure for the fatigue of life. The spicy-sweet cardamom steam enveloped him, moistening his face and his beard, and for the first time that groggy morning he felt truly alive.”

–The Throne of the Crescent Moon, by Saladin Ahmad

Thoughts:

Now, let’s start with the simple fact that I love cardamom. As soon as I heard about this beverage, I knew I had to try it.

The book is set in a quasi Middle Eastern setting, which I took as my starting point. Having lived in Turkey for a year, I know how essential tea is to everyday life. I decided to go for spiced added to a base of actual tea (rather than just an herbal/spice infusion). As I constructed the recipe, though, the realization slowly dawned that I knew this beverage I was making.

Chai.

What a wonderful example of how slightly changing the name of something defamiliarizes it enough for us to discover and wonder over it all over again. The flavor of the tea is rich and spicy, with the cardamom and ginger at the forefront.

Cardamom Tea Recipe

Making: 15 minutes

Makes 2 servings

Cook’s Notes: As with all recipes, feel free to tweak this one to suit your own tastes!

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 ” fresh ginger, thinly sliced
4-6 cloves
7 cardamom pods, crushed (or 1 tbs. seeds)
1 heaping Tbs. black tea leaves
Milk
sugar or honey to taste

Combine ingredients except for milk and sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Keep on the heat for about 5 minutes, then strain into serving cups. Add milk until it is a rich tan color, and sweeten to taste. Enjoy!

Historical Hot Chocolate, 1631

Thoughts:

This is the most decadent hot cocoa I have ever encountered.

Made thick and creamy by the emulsified ground nuts, it pours beautifully. There is a hint of robust smoky spiciness lent by the chipotle that compliments the chocolate, giving it a warm mouth feel no matter what temperature you serve it. The spice lingers on the back of the tongue, allowing the other flavors a turn. The anise is subtle, but with a distinct small bite, and traces of the cinnamon are there also. The annato doesn’t have much flavor, but adds a wonderful rich depth of color.

This recipe was probably intended to be made with water, and possibly even served cold. I like using milk as the base, as it increases the creaminess of the drink. When it’s cold the oils from the nuts rise to the top in a very thin sheen.

*Fun Fact: drinking chocolate did not violate the terms of fasting, as dictated by the Catholic Church. Win!*

Recipe for Historical Hot Chocolate

“Take one hundred cocoa beans, two chillies, a handful of anise seed and two of vanilla (two pulverized Alexandria roses can be substituted), two drams of cinnamon, one dozen almonds and the same amount of hazelnuts, half a pound of white sugar and enough annatto to give some color. And there you have the king of chocolates.” -Curioso tratado de la naturaleza y calidad del chocolate (A Curious Treatise of the Nature and Quality of Chocolate), 1631

Cook’s Notes: Although nuts ground in a food processor can work in a pinch, I recommend using pre-ground flour, which will be a finer consistency that one can usually get at home. If you’d like it spicier, feel free to tweak the chili types/proportions to taste!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ground cocoa, unsweetened
1 dried chili pepper (chipotle), ground or chopped fine
1 anise star
1/2 vanilla bean, or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. almond flour
1 tsp. hazelnut flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. ground annato for color
pinch of cayenne (optional)
2 cups milk

Combine all the ingredients with the milk in a medium saucepan. Heat gently for around 5 minutes, but do not bring to a boil. Strain into cups, and enjoy!