Hot Chocolate and Comfort Foods

As autumn becomes winter, a walk on a cold bright day is a real treat.  I'm treating you to a few photographs from my weekend walk as well as some ideas for to warm you up when you get home,

A nice bowl of porridge will do the trick and this Hot and Steamy Porridge from Nature's Path hits the spot.  It's organic and gluten free and comes in three different flavours: original; maple syrup and Spiced Apple.  Add milk or water and either cook on the hob or 70 seconds in the microwave and enjoy a very tasty bowl of porridge. The porridge has a lovely texture and the flavoured sachets don't taste in any way artificial, we enjoyed them all, however the portions are quite small (hubby said he would need two!) but ideal for a healthy snack.

Chilly water, running fast after all the rain we had recently.  Brrr, that does make me feel cold, the ground was muddy and wet too and if I hadn't had my walking boots on my feet might have got cold and wet.

A lovely cup of hot chocolate to warm me right down to the toes! Hans Sloane Drinking Chocolate comes as pure chocolate beads, it melts easily and tastes of real chocolate, because that's what it is.  A packet of Hans Sloane Drinking Chocolate would be a perfect stocking filler or treat yourself to a Hans Sloane Cocoa Pod, a chocolate shell full of drinking chocolate beans, watch the video below to see how much fun it is to make hot chocolate this way.

It's even more fun if you add some mini marshmallows and candy canes to dress up your hot chocolate.

Maybe you would prefer a nice cup of tea.  I've reviewed Tea Vivre teas before (All the tea from China) they are very high quality teas sent direct from China. This time I was invited to an Oolong tasting and have the following teas to tell you about:

Anxi Monkey King (Ma Liu Mie) Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea

• Grown and produced in Anxi, Fujian
• Hand made into small, rolled up, jade colored leaves.
• Pale yellow-green colored tea when brewed
• Delightfully fresh floral taste and aroma

Taiwan Jin Xuan Milk Oolong Tea (Flavored)

• Grown and produced in Alishan, Nantou, Taiwan
• Evenly and tightly rolled tea leaves
• Pale yellow-gold tea liquor
• Strong milk fragrance

Taiwan Monkey Picked (Ma Liu Mie) Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea
There is a baked flavor when brewed Monkey Picked Oolong tea, which was ever named Maliumie in China. It is come from Li Mountain, Taizhong, Taiwan, which belongs to the top 10 of Taiwan teas.

Superfine Taiwan Qing Xiang Dong Ding Oolong Tea
Produced in Taiwan, this Superfine Taiwan Qing Xiang Dong Ding Oolong Tea is grown in the area higher than 1000 meters. Dong Ding Oolong Tea is famous around the world. The tea tastes brisk and soft with long aroma.

Tie Guan Yin “Iron Goddess” Oolong Tea

• Grown and produced in Anxi, Fujian
• Tea buds covered in white tips, with one or two leaves
• Bright-reddish orange tea liquor
• A mellow, sweet taste

Finally here is a whole book of Comfort Food: Recipes to warm the heart and feed the soul by Carolyn Caldicott with Photographs by Chris Caldicott

Comfort is packed full of hale and hearty, wholesome and warming, quick and easy favourites. So when you are feeling a little under the weather or just in need of warming up, you can dip into this little book and find the perfect recipe to warm you up and cheer you up.  Here are few examples:

• Potato Rosti and Poached Egg
• Creamy Fish Pie with a Cheesy Potato Topping
• Toad in the Hole
• Chunky Salmon Fishcakes with Chive Cream
• Rum and Raisin Bread and Butter Pudding
• Dark Chocolate Dipped Honey Nut Bites
• Spiced Banana and Raisin Bread with Vanilla Mascarpone Topping
• Mulled Wine

Comfort by Carolyn Caldicott

Published by Frances Lincoln

RRP £9.99

To order Comfort at the discounted price of £7.99 including p&p* (RRP: £9.99), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG258.

*UK ONLY - Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.