whine & dine

Lane Crawford is a shopping haven for the well-heeled in Hong Kong. If you’re not familiar with the brand, think of a department store, then replace every single item in it with luxury brands, like Prada, Zegna, and a few dozen other less-known (but equally expensive) ones.

But we’ve already established that I’m not really into clothes. Nor bags, nor shoes, nor any of the usual wallet-killers. So what does Lane Crawford have over me? In particular, I’d direct your attention to the store at Pacific Place – which is where they conveniently house their Home & Lifestyle section. Along with a particular set of antique crockery, they also have the most awesome designs for flatware, glassware and tableware.

A couple of weeks ago, I was with bunny in Pacific Place (we were heading towards great supermarket – the other money sucker in PP), and we walked past Lane Crawford and noticed that they were having a sale. I started gathering up single plates of different designs, wanting so desperately to add them to our collection, but as wonderful as the discounts were, Lane Crawford still is a rather high end store. In the end, I settled for three things: a set of cherrywood palettes (they came in a pair), a beautiful spreading knife, and a real hot chocolate pot, complete with moussoir!

As you can imagine, I’ve been having a field day with the lot – the hot chocolate pot in particular. Hot chocolate is pretty much the only way that bunny will ingest any form of chocolate, so it’s been fun using the pot to whip up frothy, rich batches of hot chocolate for the two of us (and any guests in the house). Here’s a simple recipe I threw together, which makes it rather thick and rich – i.e. just the way I like it. Feel free, of course, to add in any other seasonings and embellishments you prefer, like cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, a pinch of spice, a shot of whiskey or even to float a handful of mini marshmallows over the top. I like it just like this though, and there’s really nothing better than huddling up under a blanket on a cold, windy night, cradling a warm cup of hot chocolate next to someone you love.

Hot Chocolate

80g dark chocolate (65% cocoa solids and up)
500g full cream milk
100g whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Warm your serving jug by pouring in boiling water and covering it. Chop the chocolate into small shards and place into a bowl.

Combine the milk, cream, cocoa powder and sugar together in a saucepan over a low flame and gently heat until it comes to just below boiling point, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate, and allow it to sit for one minute to melt the chocolate. Whisk the mixture thoroughly in order to dissolve any small lumps, then discard the hot water from your jug, pour in the hot chocolate and froth. Serve immediately.

(Serves 2-3)