pull up a lusty vegan mug: peppermint hot chocolate


The other night, we cozied up on the couch and watched some TV on DVD from the library. This time around it’s season 1 of The Wire, an HBO cop show that I’m totally hooked on (despite hating the 1st episode). It’s gritty with great characters and there’s something kinda romantic about hunkering down with your sweetie under a woolly afghan watching drug busts on TV. Cue the mother-flippin’ violins! But cozier still is the above scene and a mug each of hot, sweet peppermint hot chocolate. I made the hot chocolate with almond milk cuz I love almond milk and it’s available cheap at my local grocer. As for the peppermint, I added the full amount cuz I like things minty fresh, but if you’re not down with all that mint, start with an eighth of a teaspoon before going whole hog.

Nights of cozy TV watching aren’t necessarily great for photo taking so I decided to quickly illustrate a lusty mug o’ hot chocolate. If you want to see great illustrators and their food blog drawings, check out Cakespy and Lobstersquad.

18 comments to “pull up a lusty vegan mug: peppermint hot chocolate”

  1. 1
    Rachel   November 28, 2007 at 1:03 pm

    Peppermint hot chocolate sounds yummy! I sort of want to watch the Wire, but since it takes place in Baltimore, and I live here, it seems sort of redundent. And scary.

  2. 2
    Joanne   November 28, 2007 at 4:29 pm

    I love hot chocolate!! I’m not as big a fan of pep-o-mint though…I suppose a dash is tolerable but anything more and it leaves me feeling queasy.

    That illustration is so lovely and whimsical and super-duper cute!

  3. 3
    Katerina   November 28, 2007 at 7:49 pm

    Mmm this sounds so good, I bet it would be good with vanilla soy milk too!

  4. 4
    Caroline   November 28, 2007 at 7:52 pm

    Wow, I have never even tried almond milk and I am wondering why after reading your post. Mixing it with chocolate must be a divine combo!

  5. 5
    kickpleat   November 28, 2007 at 9:07 pm

    rachel, it is yummy! as for the wire, it’s really good but i can imagine that it would make baltimore seem more scary than it really is or something. i always think of baltimore as john waters territory anyway!

    thanks joanne

    katerina, it would be good with vanilla soy!

    caroline, almond milk is good…i think it’s better than soy milk. it doesn’t have any after taste at all.

  6. 6
    lobstersquad   November 28, 2007 at 11:33 pm

    hi! thanks for the mention, and for introducing me to Cakespy, I didn´t know it and it´s so great.
    Never had almond milk, but I love the idea of peppermint.
    And the illustration is so pretty, perfectly wintry and cozy and sweet.

  7. 7
    alisa   November 29, 2007 at 6:58 am

    Just found your blog and boy does it look delicious!

    Thanks for the quick and simple recipe, I have been meaning to fire up the hot cocoa, it is getting cold outside.

  8. 8
    Cakespy   November 29, 2007 at 8:33 am

    Thank you for the mention! I am blushing just like one of my little cupcake drawings. 🙂

    And who is this Lobstersquad…aside from my newest obsession?

    This hot chocolate sounds wonderful. I like making hot chocolate at home too, because it’s never hot enough when you go to a coffee shop!

  9. 9
    Cookie baker Lynn   November 29, 2007 at 9:31 am

    Mmm, the only thing better than hot chocolate is peppermint hot chocolate!

  10. 10
    Jill   November 29, 2007 at 10:55 am

    I just found your blog and love it! My husband and I are headed to Vancouver this weekend (from Seattle) and I was wondering if you had a few choice restaurant recommendations? I searched through some of your old posts but couldn’t find anything… we’d love some tips if you have the time!

  11. 11
    VeggieGirl   November 29, 2007 at 1:21 pm

    Ah yes, your illustration of the cocoa mug IS indeed a cozy scene!! This peppermint-hot-chocolate sounds fantastic (if you like carob, you should TOTALLY try a hot-carob version – yum!!). Oh and I love almond-milk as well :0)

  12. 12
    kickpleat   November 29, 2007 at 4:16 pm

    lobstersquad, glad i could introduce you two 🙂

    alisa, cocoa is perfect for these chilly evenings! get to it!

    cakespy, it’s true about coffeeshop beverages! make hot chocolate at home and you can burn yourself all you want!

    i couldn’t agree more, lynn!

    thanks jill! i have a few recommendations on my other blog here: http://thesmalljoys.blogspot.com/2007/08/vancouver-to-do-list.html and you can always check out http://beyondrobson.com/restaurants/ for their restaurant reviews.

    thanks veggiegirl, i’m not a fan of carob – but maybe that’s just my grade 4 prejudice creeping in! i haven’t had carob since grade 4 and vowed never to have it again! haha.

  13. 13
    eatme_delicious   November 29, 2007 at 10:19 pm

    I really love that drawing!

  14. 14
    Anonymous   December 2, 2007 at 11:14 am

    i made this last night and it was delicious! my roommates and i loved it. i was in a hurry, so i made it with instant cocoa (yikes, i know!), topped it off with light whip, and sprinkled it with red sugar crystals…it looked so festive! thanks for the wonderful recipe.

  15. 15
    The Columbia Foodie   December 3, 2007 at 5:58 am

    This sounds decadent and I love Almond milk!

  16. 16
    Jessica   December 9, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    I just have to pop in and suggest the occasional peppermint hot chocolate alternative.. Hot Schnocolate.

    That is, with peppermint schnapps. I buy myself a bottle on December 1st every year and make sure to foist it upon as many people as possible until it runs out.

    Also The Wire is god.

  17. 17
    kickpleat   October 20, 2008 at 10:14 am

    Hart, I do buy the Blue Diamond brand…but I've never seen it that expensive. I buy it at Sunrise Market (on Powell & Gore) and it's $2.19, but I've found it often for $1.99 (either at Sunrise or shops on the Drive).

  18. 18
    Hart   October 20, 2008 at 10:10 am

    If I may ask, which “local (Vancouver) grocer” carries cheap almond milk? I’ve so far only seen the common Blue Diamond brand almond milk around, which costs around 2.50 – 3.50 depending on where you go, and the containers aren’t exactly large. Is there perhaps a local brand that you’ve found…?

    I know that Superior Tofu make almond-flavoured soymilk, but..

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