Hot chocolate is widely known to most as a hot drink to warm you up on a cold winter night. When people think of hot chocolate; snowfall, Christmas, and cold nights by a fire are a few things that come to mind. Though what most people don’t know is that hot chocolate can be enjoyed all year round, and personally I think it’s the best during spring and late summer. Obviously hot chocolate is really good during the colder seasons like late fall and winter, but I think that it can be appreciated as a drink during the warmer months rather than just a quick way to warm up during the colder months.

Originally created in ancient Mayan culture, hot chocolate has been around for a long time. It was essential in Aztec culture and was introduced to Europe from Mexico. In the 19th Century, hot chocolate was used as medicine to heal illnesses like liver and stomach diseases. If you are unfamiliar with what hot chocolate is, it’s melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sometimes a sweetener. You can also make it by adding milk or water to a packet of pre-made hot chocolate powder. People often decorate hot chocolate with whipped cream or marshmallows. My favorite brand of hot chocolate powder is Swiss miss. I think that if you looked in my cupboard at any time you would be able to find a Swiss miss box or packet of hot chocolate.

Another reason that I really like hot chocolate is because the ideal dish to drink hot chocolate out of is mugs. I love mugs, my love for hot chocolate and mugs have fueled each other. I think that mugs are amazing because you get to keep your drink warm, while you can grab the separate handle and you don’t have to burn your hand while drinking it. Mugs also have really cute designs that I love.

Overall, I’m saying that you can still enjoy hot chocolate during the winter months, but don’t limit your hot chocolate drinking to just that time of year. Try out some hot chocolate in the spring and you may find a new love for this drink. Also to touch back on the medicine aspect of this drink my sister and I do drink hot chocolate when we have sore throats and it seems to help, but we could be biased to this remedy as we are both hot chocolate lovers. So the next time you’re craving a drink, go grab your favorite mug and fill it with hot chocolate and enjoy.