Warm Up with Chocolate and Wine

Those of us who have to escort little ghosts and goblins out on Halloween look forward to having something comforting to drink after a chilly night of trick or treating. Recently, I discovered a recipe for a warm drink that combines two favourites, wine and chocolate. This rich drink is quite soothing, so please take all the necessary precautions, and try not to take too much candy from your child's stash.

Ingredients

355 mL milk
240 mL red wine (a bold wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon is suggested)
60 g dark chocolate chunks
whipped cream (optional)

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the chocolate. Whisk constantly until the chocolate has melted into milk and is thick and creamy.
2. Add the red wine and heat until everything is hot. 
3. Pour the contents into 2 mugs or 6-8 smaller glasses and top with whipped cream for extra decadence.

In Defense of Pumpkin Spice

My name is Andrew Franklin, and I'm a food blogger who doesn't think pumpkin spice should be wiped off the face of the earth - no one should have to justify liking a pumpkin spice latte.

This admission shouldn't be all that eyebrow-raising, but for the last few autumns, pumpkin spice brings out as many haters as it does superfans. Some people despise the pumpkin spice latte for what it has in it, due to a misunderstanding about acceptable levels of caramel colouring and carcinogens in food (one more reason to ignore anything the Food Babe says). A lot of people knock pumpkin spice for what it doesn't have in it - pumpkin. This seems odd to me as pumpkin spice is just some of the spices used in the baking of a pumpkin pie  - did people really think they were taking pumpkins and grinding them into powder, and that it tasted like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves? To appease these people, some coffee sellers have added pumpkin puree to the popular seasonal beverage, but little outside of a shot of testosterone would satisfy those who find pumpkin spice too feminine to drink or eat. You would think seeing all those women in yoga pants lining up for their PSLs would be a treat to these alpha dogs, but who knows what goes through the minds of those who equate masculinity with food? Some think the spices don't need to be on everything, and I'm with them on that point; pumpkin spice potato chips and vodka seem a bit much. But no one is forcing anyone to buy any of these flavoured cash grabs, and sometimes you just want the taste of fall in your mouth for a few weeks out of the year. The days and nights are getting shorter and longer, why waste time judging people for their coffee and muffin choices.

NOTE:

• PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE TIP: To improve on its flavour, ask your server for a pumpkin spice latte with two pumps of Chocolate Syrup mixed in.
• Learn to make your own pumpkin spice latte.