Dutch process hot cocoa: feels like 16F (-9 C)

On a day that felt like our coldest day here yet, the only thing that felt right was to go home and make ourselves big hot cups of hot chocolate. I had done a lot of walking during the day to hit my errands, my face felt frozen solid. Then later in the evening I met R at his Uni for a social event they were hosting. When all was over we walked home which took about half an hour. Cold cold cold! My mind was focused on the box of Dutch process chocolate I had bought earlier that week.

At home I heated milk for two (gas stove on medium-low so not to burn the milk) and set out two of the XXX large sized mugs stacked in the cupboard. Once the milk was heated and distributed among the mugs I whisked in one heaping teaspoon of the powdered chocolate into each mug, followed by a smaller heap of sugar (plus some extra for adjusting). Mmmm. Best cup of hot chocolate ever.

Okay, so being the info geek I am I had to look up what Dutch process actually meant. And it's a little boring so wikipedia it yourself if you're interested but basically what you know as chocolate today is thanks to a processes developed by two generations of Dutch chocolatiers in the 1800's."Dutching" basically makes for a darker, more mellow chocolate.

The brand I bought was the Blooker brand. They are one of the oldest cocoa producers in the Netherlands (since 1814) and definitely get my recommendation.

I found some photos of an abandoned part of the original Blooker factory here. And in the Amstel business park there is now a restaurant/cafe Blooker in a replica of the original janitor's building.