Luxurious Hot Chocolate

Do you love premium chocolate? Spain’s Valor Chocolates is one of Europe’s most renowned chocolatiers so when they come out with a superlative hot chocolate beverage—instant no less—you might want to pay attention. Taza To Go, from the U.S. arm of Spain’s acclaimed Chocolates Valor, comes in a handy pouch with an easy-pour spout in two sizes, 13.52 and 30.43 ounces.

Valeriano Lopez Lloret founded Chocolates Valor, a small family business in 1881. Valor continues to make chocolates in the traditional method using the finest ingredients and a high percentage of cocoa. Valor has more than 60 superb chocolate items and is famous for chocolate with Marcona almonds, sugar free chocolates and Taza to Go.

Taza to Go is not only a delicious, sophisticated hot chocolate beverage, it is a scrumptious addition to other beverages—coffee, milk—it also makes a luscious sauce, a topping for ice cream and other desserts, or as a fondue.

This ready-to-serve rich hot chocolate is thick and creamy and has traditionally been a breakfast and dessert drink in Spain, where it is customary to melt a fine bar of dark chocolate into fresh milk to create a decadent chocolate a la taza. You can have Taza to Go.

www.valorchocolate.com

http://www.tienda.com/

Dessert Teas Deserving of Attention

Yearning for dessert but want something as light as possible? Here are three cozy, comforting and at the same time, sweetly satisfying teas from The Republic of Tea. One, Coconut Cocoa Tea allows you the pleasure of a sweet drink with the rich, exotic taste of coconut and chocolate to produce a thick, naturally sweet, tropical cup. The delicious taste of both cocoa and carob is a beguiling, low-calorie cup of dessert. Coconut Cocoa Herb Tea has trace amounts of caffeine.

Have a craving for something very chocolate but want to feel guiltless the next morning? How about Double Dark Chocolate Maté tea? This warm wonder is antioxidant-rich, organic, roasted Yerba Maté blended with organic dark cocoa powder in a guilt-free, full-bodied dessert tea.

Another choice might be Dream by the Fire Tea—as wonderful as its name. This Cinnamon Vanilla Herb Tea blends sweet vanilla and warm cinnamon with caffeine-free rooibos. This is a delicious soulful blend perfect for an evening cup.

What is Rooibos (ROY-boss)? -- It's a Red tea indigenous to South Africa and is bursting with polyphenois and flavonoids, which may help protect the body from free-radicals that weaken natural defenses.

Visit The Republic of Tea's beautiful website for a wide and delightful array of teas and tea inspired gifts.

http://www.republicoftea.com/

Chocolate Delicioso de México

Hot Chocolate is an amazingly comforting beverage on a chilly day. But maybe you would like a hot chocolate with a taste that is a bit more intriguing. But one that also has some history behind it.
ABUELITA, which translated means “grandma,” is a cinnamon-infused Mexican chocolate that has been a favorite in Mexico for generations. With the perfect blend of cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon-- an essential ingredient in Mexican kitchens for generations-- and sugar, ABUELITA, now brought to you by Nestle, is the number one brand in the Mexican chocolate category in the U.S. This authentic chocolate offers a convenient way to enjoy traditional Hispanic recipes in the comfort of your home. Delivering distinctively delicious flavor, this one-of-a-kind chocolate is available in three forms:

ABUELITA Chocolate Tablets
Heated and stirred with milk over a hot stove, these traditional chocolate tablets contain the perfect blend of chocolate and cinnamon (6 tabs, 12 x 19 oz., SRP $2.34).

ABUELITA Chocolate Syrup
Drizzled over ice cream or on fruit, or mixed into chocolate milk or a milkshake, this convenient no-drip bottle allows you to enjoy the delicious taste of ABUELITA cold (22 oz., SRP $2.23).

ABUELITA Instant Chocolate Drink
Perfect on-the-go or at home, these single serve instant cocoa envelopes can be dissolved in milk or water, delivering a steaming cup of hot chocolate in minutes (10 packets, 12 x 10 oz., SRP $2.41).

A word about the packaging. The image on the front portrays a grandmother (ie. Abuelita). Sara García is the name of the woman on the actual package. In the '40s, she played the role of Abuelita Luisa García in a television drama series. After the '40s, she played many roles in which she was a symbol of love and kindness. Her success was so great that she became known to everyone as "The Abuelita of Mexican cinema."

So, lift a cup of Abuelita Hot Chocolate to Sara García and whomever you wish, and enjoy.

(To find a store that carries this delicious chocolate go to http://www.nestle-abuelita.com/ and enter your zip code)