What's hot in cocoa? Try On the Go.Byline: Best of ... by The Register-Guard A scuffle broke out among Team Best of ... over the most trivial of things. Hot cocoa, for heaven's sake. Chalk it up to the testiness of the electoral season, when mere dissent over a childhood favorite makes people cranky crank·y 1 adj. crank·i·er, crank·i·est 1. Having a bad disposition; peevish. 2. Having eccentric ways; odd. 3. . Some people like their cocoa dark with that hint of bitter that semisweet sem·i·sweet adj. Having a small amount of sweetening: semisweet chocolate. Adj. 1. semisweet - having a taste that is a mixture of bitterness and sweetness bittersweet chocolate lovers - dare we say elitists? - adore. Others - your levelheaded lev·el·head·ed adj. Characteristically self-composed and sensible. lev  el·head , down-to-earth types - want the mellow richness of milk
chocolate, the blend that epitomizes all things cozy.
Which is better? Well, that's what the bickering's all about. What's not in dispute is the fact that chocolate in any of its guises is a nearly perfect food or drink. Tastes great, has a certain decadent, self-indulgent quality, yet it's actually good for you. Researchers have reported that chocolate offers several health benefits. Cocoa butter cocoa butter n. A yellowish-white fatty solid obtained from cacao seeds and used as an ingredient in cosmetics, tanning oils, chocolate, and soap. Also called cacao butter. - like olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. - may help reduce cholesterol, and that's good for the heart. Chocolate has tannins tannins, n.pl polyphenolic phytochemicals whose name derives from their use in tanning animal skins. Used as astringents, antioxidants, and styptics; treats burns, relieves diarrhea. - good for the teeth because they inhibit bacteria that cause cavities - and potassium - good for nerves and muscles. Chocolate also has flavonols, which help regulate blood pressure and fight cancer. As if all that weren't enough, chocolate also contains chemicals that are mild stimulants and one that mimics a "feel-good" chemical naturally produced by our brains. Just pondering the many benefits of chocolate makes us want to fly down to Mexico right this second and thank the descendents of the Mayans and Aztecs, the people who introduced Europeans to the cocoa beans. Failing that, well, we'll just go out and consume more, and this time of year, hot cocoa fills the bill. Most anyplace that serves coffee offers it, but for just the right mix we recommend the On the Go Espresso kiosk on McVay Highway. Now, some Team Best of ... members are sulking because we didn't choose Full City's hot cocoa. And it's true, the downtown Eugene coffee shop goes the extra distance, making its own chocolate granache - a whipped confection con·fec·tion n. A sweetened medicinal compound. Also called electuary. of cream and melted chocolate - to mix with your choice of steamed milk. It uses a dark chocolate for a full-bodied taste. Darned darned adj. Damned. Adj. 1. darned - expletives used informally as intensifiers; "he's a blasted idiot"; "it's a blamed shame"; "a blame cold winter"; "not a blessed dime"; "I'll be damned (or blessed or darned or good, but just a little too exotic for some of us. At On the Go Espresso, mom and daughter baristas Carol and Terri Spreitzer mix Ghirardelli cocoa powder Noun 1. cocoa powder - the powdery remains of chocolate liquor after cocoa butter is removed; used in baking and in low fat and low calorie recipes and as a flavoring for ice cream chocolate - a food made from roasted ground cacao beans with steamed milk. Whipped cream is optional. They don't stint on the chocolate - the problem with many cocoa concoctions - and they steam the milk long enough to make a piping hot cup, which is almost as important as the right amount of chocolate. A 12-ounce cup costs $1.50, less expensive than many of the others we tried. And although this has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the cocoa, you have to give proper respect to a woman who rescued and now cares for two llamas abused by previous owners. If you like llamas, she's got pictures. Like the perfect cup of cocoa, Best of ... just wants to sooth sooth Archaic adj. 1. Real; true. 2. Soft; smooth. n. Truth; reality. [Middle English, from Old English s . Try our other flavors at www .registerguard.com/bestof. BEST COCOA On the Go Espresso Where: On McVay Highway, the access road linking Interstate 5's southbound exit 189 to 30th Avenue Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday CAPTION(S): Terri Spreitzer serves up a hot drink at the On the Go Espresso, a kiosk on McVay Highway, near Lane Community College. |
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