Back to school
favorite: pens or notebooks?
This is a hard decision,
but I think pens win out. I adore fountain pens and writing with them. There’s
something romantic about having a bottle of ink beside you, a good pen in hand,
and a nice cup of tea before writing. As far as normal pens go, I am really
particular. There’s only one brand I like to use and I always make sure to have
a stock of at least five on hand at all times. I’m a bit stationery obsessed, I
admit.
Hiking or jumping in a
pile of leaves?
Jumping in a pile of
leaves~ Even as an adult it’s hard to resist a huge pile of leaves in front of
you!
Halloween or
Thanksgiving?
Halloween. As much as I
love to eat (trust, I love to eat) I love seeing everyone’s different costumes
and decorating as creepy (and as cute, that dichotomy is the best) as possible.
Hot buttered rum or hot
chocolate?
Hot chocolate! I like to
do a variation based on something my Grandma Nacha used to make me as a child.
You heat up half/half or milk with a semi-sweet chocolate. The fat-free
varieties will end up with a thinner chocolate, and traditionally her recipe is
rich. I use about 2-3 ounces (I eyeball it to be honest) per cup of liquid. Once
it’s hot and the chocolate has melted, I add a pinch of chile powder and star
anise plus a good pinch of cinnamon and about a teaspoon (or just do a quick
splash) of vanilla extract. Sometimes I’ve seen the chocolate being served with
cinnamon sticks as stirrers, so that is an option too! I’ll top it with a good
wallop of whipped cream with cocoa powder or nutmeg sprinkled on top. Even if
you opt out of the chile powder, the cinnamon gives a nice warmth and a unique
twist to your usual hot chocolate. I’ve added the spices to a normal mix of hot
chocolate for a little spice as well.
Another hot chocolate
drink, the champurrado, is equally as
delicious. I have fond memories of using the fat wooden whisk (looks similar to
a honey dipper) to froth up the drink. The drinks are really similar. They both
use chocolate and milk. The melody of spices is optional. The additions are
unrefined pure cane sugar called Tampico
and a corn flour mix, called masa de maiz.
It is thick, much like a gravy.
While my Spanish side is
rather spicy, my French side is classic and refined. The French version, called
chocolat chaud, is essentially a
melted ganache and is Heaven for the truest chocolate lovers. You heat up milk,
half/half, or even full bodied cream with a lot of chocolate. The ratio is
nearly 4:1 chocolate to liquid! The chocolate, of course, is also your finest
chocolate available. Ah, but there is also something very special about the chocolat chaud. Let me tell you about crème Chantilly. Yeah, it’s just a fancy
name for whipped cream (lol). But Meme, bless her, added a splash of amaretto
to the cream before whipping it up. Thus I keep the fancy name for her fanciful
addition~ So, in place of the vanilla extract on your whipped cream recipe, add
some amaretto instead. That’s the Petit family secret!
Who's book (besides one
of yours) are you most looking forward to reading?
Well, I’ve been A Song of Ice and Fire fan for years. I
started the series on the second book’s release.... when I was a much younger person haha. But I feel
like that’s a copout to the question… I always look forward to the next Toni
Morrison release or the next Murakami release. I’m always guaranteed a good
read from them. On the cute and steamy romance spectrum, I adore reading
paranormal tinged cuteness the most. :D
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