The weather had been near perfect for our holiday vacation, but on the morning we were to leave – it turned chilly. Our driver was beautifully spoken, a blend of British and French perhaps, he too remarked on the chill in the air. We spoke of citrus groves and sugar cane fields long gone from Central Florida’s -Orlando; now covered with hotels, shopping malls, hotels and amusement parks; of how the cooler weather this year would affect the prices of fresh fruit later on.
I recalled, as a child, seeing fresh cut sugar cane stalks which looked like thick dark green bamboo. How we would stop at roadside stands and buy a stalk or two- stripped of the dark green outer stalk and trimmed into bite size pieces. The sugar cane is so fibrous, it can’t be eaten, however- the juice was so fresh and sweet. Our driver remarked how he enjoyed that treat too. And, he said he missed his Morning Chocolate which used fresh sugar cane juice. I asked where he was from- ‘Dominica.’ was the reply. Then he told me how his Morning Chocolate was made. I almost swooned- a Caribbean Hot Chocolate! Who would think of such a wonderful spicy blend? Made for decades, it sounded more like an updated health food concoction that wasn’t blended up into green juice! Hot, spicy, chocolate with coconut milk- amazing! 
This past week, while recovering from a seasonal cold and trying in vain to have a good attitude about the cold spell we’ve been having… I recalled the heavenly concoction our driver described. That Caribbean Hot Chocolate was so good, I surely had it wrong…I checked my hastily scribbled notes and tried it again- for research purposes only… who am I kidding? I wanted another cup of Caribbean Hot Chocolate! Still. I checked the nutritional values and I am happy to report- it appears to have significant health benefits! Since the driver never claimed to have a name for his Morning Chocolate- and never gave me the exact measurements- and given the fact, that Dominica is certainly south of here…don’t you know I’m gonna claim it? Here’s how you make… Camellia’s Caribbean Hot Chocolate
You will need:
- Dark Cocoa Powder
- Cane Sugar Syrup
- Coconut Milk
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg- preferably freshly grated.
Method:
- Blend 1 cup of Cane Sugar Syrup with 2 Tablespoons Dark Cocoa Powder in a small saucepan and heat until combined. (*If you aren’t able to find Cane Sugar Syrup- you may make a cane sugar syrup with equal parts cane sugar- preferably unrefined -and water.
- Heat until sugar has melted thoroughly, chill and store in a jar indefinitely in the refrigerator. *You may also substitute dark chocolate instead of cocoa- melt it thoroughly in sugar syrup, blend until smooth.
- When combined, add 1 cup of Coconut Milk (low fat or light coconut milk is recommended- especially if you are using dark chocolate instead of cocoa, or if you are watching calories… and who isn’t?)
- Heat until very warm but do not boil. Pour into mug or coffee cup. Finish with a fresh grating of nutmeg and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, to taste. Enjoy!
Now, I’m not sophisticated enough to give you the nutritional values, however this is a plant based non-dairy hot chocolate.
- Coconut milk has been shown to improve the immune system, provide essential electrolytes, helpful minerals like magnesium and iron; great for stress and relieves muscle tension, improves digestion and the protein found in Coconut Milk almost makes it an energy drink!
- Dark Chocolate or Cocoa is an antioxidant and is said to help heart and brain function and more!
- Those probiotics so many are fond of, generally include Nutmeg as an ingredient which aids digestion, Nutmeg has also been called a Brain Tonic, relieves pain, and some say is a natural sleep aid (making it a good bedtime drink as well!)
- Cinnamon is well known for health benefits- with antioxidant properties and as an anti-inflammatory.
Now, I’m not ready to say- it was the cure for my Common Cold but it sure made recovery more pleasant! Our best wishes to our wonderful driver from the Commonwealth of Dominica- I wish I knew your name! All of the ingredients were native to his beautiful homeland with it’s natural hot springs, volcano and botanical gardens! Warm Winter Wishes! I hope you’ll try this Caribbean Hot Chocolate whether you’re fit as a fiddle or under the weather!
Love y’all, Camellia
*p.s. A big thank you for the Winter Mug from sweet Paula! And..I used a cane sugar syrup made right here in Alabama for over 100 years -ALAGA -Cane Sugar Syrup made by Whitfield Foods, Montgomery, Alabama. (334) 263-2541. (This is a blend of corn syrup and cane syrup) You may be able to find cane sugar syrup in health food stores or online at Amazon.com 
Most Southerners take prolonged cold weather as a personal insult. Oh, we put up with chilly days in a good natured way, some even going so far as to say they love cold weather or that it’s a good thing ‘because it’ll kill off the bugs’. More than a few days? The novelty of wearing wool or goose down or cashmere has worn off- we’ll put on Bermuda Shorts with fake fur lined boots and heavy socks as if to defy the unwelcome visit of Jack Frost.
Last week, Aunt Freesia Butler got word to us she was coming for a visit. So we knew cold weather was headed our way. There’s nothing like Homemade Soup to chase the chill, warm up house and home and make a body feel a little bit better about life in general…especially when icicles have formed as far south as the Alabama Beaches! I’ve dubbed this soup- Southern Tomato Soup because, well…it starts off with frying up some Bacon. We Southerners tend to think a bit of Pork makes everything taste better in one way or another. Salt Pork, Ham, Lard, Sausage and Bacon are always in the house.
I have lots of recipes scribbled on lined paper- I’m never sure where I found these recipes or why I’ve kept them… I ran across this one called -Gingerbread Crumb Cake. To be honest it isn’t as dark as a true gingerbread. Still. It does have warm gingerbread spices- as it bakes, the scents wafting through the house bring holiday cheer. This Crumb Cake is a standout for the holidays. It doesn’t hurt that it’s easy to make, keeps well and best of all is great for drop in company or gift giving. Gingerbread Crumb Cake really doesn’t call for extra special ingredients, so you can whip one up when the notion strikes!
True Gingerbread has been around a long time… Crumb Cakes are more recent- I call them mid-century recipes, yet most likely Crumb Cakes were made long before the World Wars made it necessary to ration Butter, and Butter this Gingerbread Crumb Cake does require- no substitutes will do! For Breakfast or Brunch or even as a simple Dessert, it may look humble though the flavor and aroma distinctly says- Winter Holidays . The distinction of the Spice Mixture for Gingerbread Crumb Cake is the surprise pinch of Black Pepper along with traditional Gingerbread Spices. The method is also distinct- a Buttery Crumb Mixture is sprinkled on the Bottom of the baking dish, the batter is spread over it; then the remaining generous crumb topping covers the top of this small cake; making for an especially good Coffee Cake. It bakes in less than an hour, with very little clean up. 
On Southern Dessert Tables, Egg Custard Pie is a Classic. Custards were brought to the Colonies by the British and remained popular in the South, especially when boiled or baked in small custard dishes- From fancy Crème Brule to humble Banana Puddings- we do love our custards! When times were hard and cooking was done to survive- Egg Custards were thought to be comforting and necessary. Filled with eggs and milk, ingredients on hand in most southern kitchens, Egg Custard Pies are rich but not overly sweet. Some even thought, the sick and recovering should be fed Custards – to fatten them up! Leave it to the Southern Sweet Tooth to make a Dessert out of a Comfort Food! Some custards are cooked then poured into a baked pie shell. Cooked Custards may Scorch. Filling an unbaked pie shell with the custard mix- is a bit easier. Custards aren’t hard to make, but then again…
Camellia's Cottage 