I love winter. “Real” winter is one of the things I’m going to miss when I move back to the Texas Gulf Coast. What’s better than snuggling under a blanket in front of a roaring fire with a mug of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other while snow falls gently outside?

Okay, so that’s not an everyday winter occurrence in Tennessee, but cold temperatures—in the 40’s or below—usually are. And when it’s cold out—late October through March—I enjoy drinking hot tea and/or hot chocolate. (I’ve never been a coffee drinker.)

A Brief “Did You Know?” History of Chocolate

• Chocolate beverages have been around for thousands of years. The Mayans were drinking it as early as 500 B.C., but it was nothing like what we drink today. DYK they drank it—or more likely, downed it quickly—bitter and cold?
• Chocolate traveled to Europe in the 16th century. The Spanish were the first to enjoy it as a hot, sweet drink. (DYK they liked it so much, they kept it secret from the rest of Europe for over a hundred years?)
• DYK in the 18th century, “chocolate houses”—think Starbucks—sprang up in London and became the rage?
• In the late 18th century, the President of the Royal College of Physicians started mixing chocolate with milk thanks to a Jamaican recipe. DYK the Brits got on board with using milk, and hot chocolate soon became an after-dinner beverage?
• Chocolate made its way to the USA in the mid-18th century. DYK Thomas Jefferson loved hot chocolate?
• Until the 19th century, hot chocolate was also considered medicine. DYK stomach and liver diseases were treated with hot chocolate?

What’s in a Name?

There are as many versions of hot chocolate as individuals who drink it. Some people like it spicy; others like it thick and rich. Some folks add classic toppings like whipped cream and marshmallows and/or marshmallow cream. (I’m partial to Hazelnut creamer, myself.) Others go a more non-classic route, adding crème de menthe, peppermint schnapps, ground cinnamon, or chili powder.

But are we drinking Hot Chocolate or Hot Cocoa? We use the names interchangeably, but did you know Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa are not the same? Most of us drink hot cocoa, which is made with cocoa powder. Cocoa powder has had the flavorful cocoa butter fat pressed out of it. Hot chocolate is a richer more decadent drink. It’s made from chocolate bars—which still contain the tasty cocoa butter fat—melted into cream.

Now that you know the difference, try a head-to-head test. Hot cocoa may be easier and quicker to make, but you may find you prefer the taste of real hot chocolate.

Did you know the flavor and texture of chocolate comes from the cocoa butter? Check the label to see how much cocoa butter the chocolate you buy contains.