I never imagined I’d be starting a post in Spring with a mug of hot cinnamon chocolate. Surely this would have been much better for those cold depths of winter and flurries of snow that brought Devon to a standstill only a month ago, wouldn’t it?
It was T’s first experience of snow. You can tell he wasn’t very impressed by it all!
But now, the birds are furiously building their nests and perching on the telephone wires to sing out their dawn chorus. M is delighted by the exuberant sprouting of yellow daffodils and crocuses (yellow being her favourite colour) and we have welcomed clear blue skies and a burgeoning warmth as a teasing promise of lazy summer days ahead. Yes, it’s hardly the right moment to be thinking of spiced, steamy chocolate.
Nevertheless, there’s a nip in the air that makes us reluctant to take off our coats too soon and the heavy morning dew soaks our shoes on the walk to school. And while it may be the very beginnings of Spring in our neck of the woods, Autumn is just around the corner for many. Perhaps a warming drink may be just the ticket after all.
However I attempt to justify my sudden irrational craving for hot chocolate, I was pleased today to be able to find a use for some cinnamon sticks that have been slowly making their way towards the very furthest back corner of my cupboard. I bought a big bag of these sticks thinking they would be a saving, only to find that they are so very ‘bark-like’ and woody that I can’t grind them finely enough to use in any cakes, pies or cookies. A huge plank of cinnamon is one thing when subtly adding aroma to a chilli, but quite another when picking splinters of it out from between your teeth as you eat a spiced apple muffin.
Here’s an incredibly simple use for these lumps of wood. Hardly a recipe, you just make your favourite mug of hot chocolate and stir it with a cinnamon stick. Et voilà … (and my trusty book of herbs and spices tells me this is something they like to do with cinnamon sticks in Mexico).
This post is my entry to CLICK: Wood.
amerrierworld.com 
Jeannette
/ March 17, 2009Or you can tie them up with red ribbon and put them amongst your Christmas decorations, which is what i do with them!!! At Christmas I have a basket on the hearth filled with pine cones and stick a few bundles of cinnamon sticks amongst them, very festive looking. As you say they get very brittle and dry, much easier to use powdered cinnamon for flavouring I think. I like your idea though, might try it one of these days,before it gets too warm!!!!
bee
/ March 17, 2009thanks for a lovely CLICK entry.
amerrierworld
/ March 18, 2009Your house must smell wonderful at Christmas, Jeannette. I’ll have to try it!
Thanks for stopping by, bee 🙂
La Tavola Marche
/ March 20, 2009Ohhh I love hot coco!! stumbled upon your site following lots of links & pleasantly found you! Fantastic food pics! If you get a chance please visit our blog of 2 young american expats living in Le Marche Italy – we own an agriturismo & cooking school – sharing stories of daily life, festivals & all things food related (eating locally & seasonally!)
eat, drink, be merry!
http://www.latavolamarche.blogspot.com
amerrierworld
/ March 21, 2009Thanks for your kind comments and for letting me know about your farmhouse and cookery school – I look forward to reading your blog 🙂
thekoshymostafas
/ March 26, 2009It seems like such an obvious thing to do – to infuse cinnamon into hot cocoa – but so pretty!
I loved your entry for the Click – Wood comp and I had to check out your site – so pretty!
amerrierworld
/ March 26, 2009Welcome to A Merrier World, thekoshymostafas 🙂
Rajee
/ March 30, 2009Let me have it becos I am tired. Can I? So good capture.