The Hunger Games Made Me Crave Hot Chocolate

Last week I blasted through the entire trilogy of the Hunger Games. I have been hearing for a year now how good these books were and I was not let down. If you have been living under a rock (which apparently I was), these books are set in the far future where the U.S. and possibly the rest of the planet has nearly destroyed itself through war and global warming. A new country, Panem, took over much of North America and was brutal to its people, who rebelled and then were repressed and lost the war. The book starts 75 years after the war and the various districts are forced to contribute kids to play in gladiator style combat with one another in tribute to the Capitol of Panem.

The whole concept is pretty chilling, but sadly believable. This is not high-brow reading; it is meant for young adult without much to grapple with besides the action but I was sucked in nonetheless. I was rooted to the couch for several days drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate. Sometimes tea will just not cut it: especially when you are reading about teenagers destroying each other, you need something a little richer.

I refuse to drink the add water, fake flavor nastiness that comes in powder. It makes me gag. It is so easy to make really yummy hot chocolate from scratch and much cheaper than the instant.

Jennevieve's Homemade Hot Chocolate
serves 1

1 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa (not Dutch cocoa)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon
pinch chile powder
1/4 cup water

6-8 oz milk (nonfat, 2%, whole, milk substitute, whatever you prefer)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine first 6 ingredients in small sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring to combine for 30 seconds. Add milk and heat until just starting to simmer. Remove from heat, add vanilla and pour into a nice big mug. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

I guess now they are making the Hunger Games into a movie and I shouldn't be too surprised. I went and saw the newest adaptation of Jane Eyre last night (at least the 18th version!) and was pretty impressed. Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska have great repressed sexual tension between them. It also builds suspense a bit like a horror film which left me a little freaked out at certain points but I walked away very satisfied and will probably see it again. Some stories are just worth revisiting.