As the weather begins to turn and the first snow starts to fall, students at Andrews University have to bundle up and get cozy. With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, there are one too many holiday traditions to keep up with; one of the sweetest ones, that can not go unpracticed, is to curl up with a warm mug of hot chocolate. All it really takes is a kettle, a hot cocoa packet and a holiday mug to create some warmth and coziness for the season. There are so many delicious styles of this classic chocolate drink; they all deserve a try!
Mint Hot Cocoa
One tasty hot chocolate rendition involves adding one extra step to the classic routine. To create the perfect mint hot chocolate, simply add a mint tea bag to the drink immediately after mixing in the hot cocoa powder. After letting it steep for a few minutes, a delicious minty, chocolate beverage will be ready. It achieves the perfect holiday mint flavor, all without the stickiness of a half-melted candy cane!
Hot Cocoa with Toppings
A hot chocolate lover, Leily Khan (freshman, speech pathology), offers a different–and more classic– style. She happily declares that her favorite form of hot chocolate is “dark chocolate Swiss Miss, with a mountain of whipped cream and chocolate syrup!” She confirms this rendition, although seemingly simple, is the best way to drink hot chocolate. Sometimes all it takes is finding the perfect combination of toppings. Martin Kovachev (freshman, psychology) makes the case that marshmallows make or break the drink. “They add a little something special to the hot chocolate, and I wish I had the packets that included the marshmallows!” he explains passionately. Adding an extra sweet addition of whipped cream, marshmallows, sprinkles or all three can elevate your drink completely.
Just as Martin mentioned, there are several different types of hot chocolate packets. Swiss Miss, perhaps the most popular hot cocoa packet brand, offers a wide variety of options; some styles include milk chocolate, dark chocolate, marshmallow and even Lucky Charms!
Hot Cocoa as a Snack
Hot chocolate packets not only allow us a supply of tasty winter drinks. For those with a sweet tooth, the packets can easily elevate a few dorm room meals. Add a dash of the packaged cocoa powder to instant oatmeal or pancake mix for a chocolatey start to the day. It makes for the most creamy, sweetened treat before an exhausting 8:30 a.m. class.
Hot Cocoa: More Than a Drink
Zoë Alvarez (freshman, interior design) claims that hot chocolate is all about the experience. She emphasizes that the environment is just as important as the drink itself, as one must “get comfy, put on some PJs, and put on a movie!” With the snow falling outside and a holiday favorite running in the background, it’s the perfect cozy night. Zoë explains that her go-to hot chocolate packet is a classic Swiss Miss peppermint, topped with “marshmallows, whipped cream and, of course, sprinkles.”
Whether it be topped with a handful of marshmallows, thrown into some instant oatmeal, or sipped under the comfort of blankets and a Christmas movie, hot chocolate will remain as one of the best holiday traditions. It’s always a perfect treat to put one in the Christmas spirit, all from the comfort and warmth of the dorms.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.