I just made a cup of hot chocolate, Swiss Miss brand, to be specific. As I poured the powder from the envelope into the cup, I thought back in time. Before the mix was available, Mom would make hot chocolate in a big pan on the stove top, with fresh milk, sugar, and Hersheys Cocoa powder. The aroma of hot chocolate from the kitchen would drawn the kids into the room, waiting for it to be hot enough to serve. If we were lucky, there would be marshmallows to go with the hot treat. I always thought the Hersheys container was so cool. It came in both a tall, or short can. The grey letters stood out in a pleasing way against the dark brown color of the can. The can was made of tin, with a round tin lid, or cap that pushed down into the top. When the cocoa was gone, Dad would use the empty can to keep loose nails and screws in. I remember when they changed the can, I suppose it was in the late 60s or early 70s. The new sides were made of cardboard with a tin top and bottom. They kept the same lid. It was easy to pop off with the edge of a spoon, and pushed right back into place to seal the remaining cocoa. Times changed. People demanded more convenience. Thus, the introduction of hot coca mix. Before it was available in the single serving package, It came in a similar container to the original cocoa. With a regular spoon from the table, we would scoop the mix into a cup, pour in some hot water, stir, and wah-lah. Instantly we had hot cocoa. Am I the only one who would eat a spoonful of dry hot cocoa mix? Tonight I poured the Swiss Miss into the cup and added the water. A yearning to jump back in time was a tugging at me. I picked up the envelope, snapped it several time with my finger, gathering about a teaspoon of cocoa mix in the bottom. I formed a V shape in the open end of the package, tipped my head back and poured the mix into my mouth. It was every bit as delicious as it was when I was a little kid. There is much to be said for occasionally revisiting some childhood rituals. I think it keeps you young.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 05:13:46 +0000
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