Hot Chocolate

The last night Harry enjoyed a delicious dinner made by Mrs. Weasley before stealing the Weasley car and driving himself to Hogwarts, Harry enjoyed a homemade desert and Hot chocolate (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Ch. 5). This was very yummy and very easy to make. I was freezing all day the other day and this chocolate was very warm and yummy! I give it a 4.
English History: Bucholz says, "Before Coenraad van Houten was born, people enjoyed hot chocolate with pools of grease floating on top. But then along came the Dutch chemist, who figured out how to press out the cocoa butter from the cocoa beans in the early 1800's. Plus, he invented Dutch cocoa, which is leaps and bounds better than natural cocoa. We modern folk owe him a big debt of gratitude: every city should have a statue of this man, and every village and hamlet should have a Coenraad van Houten Street (The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook" pg. 74.)
Side note: through cooking these meals I am finding that the author Dinah Bucholz is a very funny, creative, witty, inspiring woman! I was thinking the other day as I was cooking one of these meals about how I would just love to meet her! I'm not sure what she would think about me. I don't know if people who write cookbooks ever think that someone is actually going to cook all their meals and then critic them. Maybe I am the one person she was hoping this book wouldn't fall into the hands of, but alas, she has no other choices now. I am absolutely loving her book and Love reading her little notes and tales!
Grief and Healing: We received an unexpected fed ex delivery the other day. I excitedly opened it up and found wind chimes inside. A local group had sent us a sympathy gift. I'm not a chime person and at first was a bit hesitant. I looked a little closer at the chimes and found that written on the bottom of the tab that makes the chimes chime was "Ruby." I was touched then. I was so excited to hang them on our front porch so that everyone who comes to my house can hear our beautiful Ruby in the wind. I have chuckled a few times when the wind picks up and the chimes are playing their music like crazy knowing that I probably have a few neighbors cursing us for our wind chimes, but to us the music is beautiful. Just today Rose and I were sitting at the table eating lunch and we heard the chimes. Rose looked at me and said "Ruby's talking!" I told her yes, isn't it beautiful. Some people say that when you loose a loved one they are everywhere around you, a butterfly a chirping bird, a balloon floating away and in the wind. Last night I was having a hard time, missing my little Ruby. I laid in bed and listened to my Ruby chimes and smiled. The music she was making for me last night was beautiful and somehow whispered to me that she was very near, and she loved me. I needed that last night!