Ok, I’ll admit it – I’m a chocoholic. In fact, in order to complement my vegetarian cuisine on my walk along the Camino de Santiago, I ate chocolate. Lots of chocolate. From chocolate croissants to chocolate ice cream. From chocolate bars to chocolate cakes (a few of which are pictured in that vegetarian blog). I even visited a chocolate museum along the way.
And then there was the thick, rich, creamy, authentic hot chocolate. Not hot chocolate that is made by taking a few heaping tablespoons of a powder and stirring it into some warm milk. Not hot chocolate that is made by pouring in a few tablespoons of a syrup into some warm milk. But hot chocolate that is made by melting actual chocolate into the milk. It is a hot chocolate that is so dense in flavor and thickness, that I ate each cup with a spoon. The hot chocolate I had in Spain, which originated in Italy, made for some very delicious desserts!
I first heard about this type of hot chocolate before my journey on the Camino de Santiago when I read a blog by one of my fellow WanderBloggers, Dim Sum Diary, who also walked part of the Camino. Her blog on her hot chocolate experiences in Spain planted the cocoa seed, I mean bean, in my head to watch out for this delicacy when I was there.
Each time I discovered my delectable cup of hot chocolate, it was by chance. I happened to walk into a café or restaurant, and there on a table, right in front of me, was a “hot chocolate menu.” Each time I found this, a huge smile on my face appeared. I carefully studied all the scrumptious choices that my hot chocolate could be flavored with, like orange and cinnamon, banana, strawberry, coconut, mint, coffee, and more. The chocolate itself might be made with white, milk, or dark chocolate. There was even a chili pepper flavor…think Bhutan…
Oh, and I just realized that I am posting this blog around Halloween, a time for candy and chocolate. Trick-or-Treat!
Sweet (very sweet) Travels!
Thoughts, Tips, & Translations for Today’s Blog:
Contemplative Thought from the Camino: Life is short. Eat, and drink, dessert first.
Packing Tip for the Pilgrimage: Even though this has nothing to do with hot chocolate, for walking the Camino in the summer one can use a sleep sack or light-weight sleeping bag. I used the latter, the Lafuma Extreme 600, a 45 degree bag, that only weighed 20 ounces, which for me, worked perfectly.
Spanish Translation of the Santiago: Chocolate Caliente = Hot Chocolate.
For more tasty treats, please visit WanderFood Wednesday.