Advice for Beverage Consumers

I've had my annual post-Thanksgiving cold this week and it has slowed me down considerably. Today is the first day since Monday that I've felt like one of the living. It is a good feeling.

Scharffen Berger Chocolates opened a store on the Upper West Side (on Amsterdam near 83rd?) a couple of weeks ago. Their chocolate is excellent. I especially like their nibby bar, which is dark chocolate with crunchy cacao nibs. You can also sample their hot chocolate made from their drinking chocolate above. If you do try the sample don't make the mistake I made and buy the drinking chocolate. Oh, you can make delicious hot chocolate from the drinking chocolate. All you need to do is heat some milk and mix in a few tablespoons of the chocolate.

The wise consumer, however, would have noticed that the drinking chocolate is nothing more than Scharffen Berger's dark chocolate shaved into tiny bits. A tiny bit of cocoa powder is added, I assume to keep the shaved bits from sticking to each other. Chocolate melts when stirred into hot milk. It doesn't matter if you use tiny bits or a big bar. The only difference is that the drinking chocolate is lots more expensive. Lots more expensive.

Speaking of hot chocolate, the only redeeming feature of the holiday market in Bryant Park is the MarieBelle chocolate stand. MarieBelle's hot chocolate is rich and delicious in the extreme. Be prepared for sticker shock! A regular size cup will set you back $6.25 (tax included). If you aren't used to really rich hot chocolate you may want to start with a small cup.

Finally, does everyone know about the magical restorative and purifying effects of Blenheim Ginger Ale? It will cure what ails you! Open up a pink-capped bottle, pour it into a glass, and take a deep breath. When you come to, you'll feel much better. Seriously, the ginger in Blenheim is so hot and spicy that you will gag, choke and cough at first, but wow it is tasty. I love it. On a hot summer's day I pour it into a mug and freeze until semi-slushy. When I have a cold it warms me up and gives my congested lungs a workout. Delicious and medicinal, who could ask for anything more?

My only issue with Blenheim is finding it. They are a small bottler in South Carolina and is sometimes hard to find in New York. Kitchen Market in Chelsea usually has a few bottles in stock. Fairway, and oddly enough, Restoration Hardware sometimes have it for sale, and you can always order it via Beverages Direct. There is a mild version of Blenheim, which is still much spicier than standard ginger ales, but why go with the mild?

Comments

[Chris]

Hey check out my new fansite for Blenheim Ginger Ale at:
http://www.thepiratesrealm.com/Blenheim/Blenheim%20shrine.html

Thanks!