by Felicia Donovan
Growing up, my parents frequently entertained. Their "themed" parties were quite popular among friends and neighbors. As children, we heard phrases like "highball" and "gin and tonic" and knew that these were special drinks that only adults could have.
Well, I'm an adult now. Though I've tried the "hard" stuff, my tastes never ventured beyond a nicely hopped brew or a well-bred glass of wine... Until I discovered chocolate martinis.
This sudden predilection for what I'll call "Kick Ass Hershey's" all began a few weeks ago when my friend and I ventured down to Newburyport, MA for a weekend of shopping. As we perused the assorted shops and their eclectic wares, we stumbled upon a tiny little bar called "Appletinis." The name immediately caught my friend's eye, her devotion to pomegranate martinis being well-known. By that evening, having fortified ourselves from a day of shopping with a good meal, we somehow managed to find ourselves back in front of Appletinis. We ventured in.
Anyone who knows me would affirm that my devotion towards all things chocolate is near religious. In fact, I do believe I saw an icon in a Nestle's bar once though that could also have been the effects of it having been left in the car and melted. Regardless, I'll try just about anything if you wave a cocoa bean in my face first.
My friend and I planted ourselves in our stools and anxiously awaited our "desserts." Yes, if it has enough chocolate in it, the alcohol is negated, thus it qualifies for the "dessert" category. Even Paula Deen knows this.
I ordered a "Milk Chocolate Martini" while my friend ordered a "Peanut Butter Cup Martini," a.k.a. "Reese's On Testosterone." The server brought over two glasses rimmed in chocolate syrup. I would have paid $10 just to lick the rim at that point. I took a sip. Velvety smoothness married with chocolate and cream filled my mouth. I was in love...
And here's the best part - add a little peppermint and I'm good to go for the holidays. Add a little more cream and I'm boosting my calcium. It just keeps getting better and better...
What floats your cocktail boat? I'd like to know.
20 comments:
Good grief, Felicia! It's 8:30 in the morning here and I'm already being tempted by martinis!
It is odd that you mention Newburyport, one of my favorite places...Guess I'll have to stop in to this Appeltinis next time I'm in town. Better yet, meet me there!
Ohmygoodness...I used to be a straigh CosmoGirl...But the your writing talent is swinging me chocolate! Add in the martini goodness and I'm there.
I even looked up the town of Newburyport and I'm not sure I could have found a more Main St./It's A Wonderful Life picture. (Click here.)
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
That sounds awesome! Wow.
I usually drink vodka tonics or GTs if I'm drinking cocktails. Other than that, I'm just a beer or wine girl.
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Yum! I'm eating Shredded Wheat and wishing it was a chocolate martini. I like Grey Goose martinis with extra olives, but anymore it's usually beer or wine or the occassional strawberry margarita if I'm having Mexican food.
Honestly, I've never been a cocktail drinker, but I'd try one of these! Yum!
I usually only partake if there's a dark lager or ale or a nice red wine.
Jen
Hershey's Syrup, straight up, for me. (Skip the glass, I'll just drink it right from the squeeze bottle.)
Alan, please tell us you're kidding.
Back in the day, Hershey's Syrup came in cans (very inconvenient and dangerous--sharp metal edges and tender lips do not mix well). Viva la squeeze bottle!
I'm an avowed chocoholic, too, and absolutely looove the chocolate martinis at the MacKensie's Chop House restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs. I'm snacking on cocoa roast almonds right now, and my ultimate guilty indulgence is Nutella licked directly off the spoon. Yum!
Alan, I remember Hershey's syrup in the metal can! I hadn't thought about that for years. Maybe I should retire and open up a "Chocolatini" bar with a variety of items to go in them. Rimmers of chocolate powder, chocolate syrup, peanut butter, melted marshmallows, peppermint sticks for the holidays. Oooh yeah... The Chocolatini Bar is now open...
Okay, confession time. Alan, I, too, in years past have been known to suck Hershey's syrup straight from the container - plastic or can. When I was a kid, I'd even scoop a helping of Nestle's Quick from the can and eat it dry. My brother was more of an aerosol-whipped-cream-shot-straight-into-the-mouth kind of kid. Both drove my mother nuts.
Hey, anyone remember Bosco?
I love Bosco ... Bosco is for me!
Yes, yes, I remember Bosco. Still drink Ovaltine 'cause it's so good for you, too.
Maybe we should develop "Chocolatinis In a Can" replete with vintage label. Just rip off the top and suck it down. Any investors?
Chocalate martinis? To each her own. May I please stick to tea and ale? (The first enhances writing; the second slakes my thirst.)
Wow, that sounds good, Felicia! I usually stick with stout or red wine, but also like a nice single malt Scotch on occasion.
As a kid, I liked to make hot cocoa with triple the normal amount of the Swiss Miss mix. It was a lot like syrup! Now, the darker the chocolate the better...
Other than my newly found chocolatini, is there anything better than a good dark chocolate (Lindt is my preferred brand) and a great ale? Bittersweet, indeed!
Anyone ever tried chocolate nibs, the ground up raw cacao beans? They're 100% cacao and bitter as all get out, but if you simmer them with some sugar and milk in the microwave so they soften up a little, they taste great, like chocolate grape nuts.
I've become an alcoholic just by reading this. When you described the chocolate around the rim of the glass, my mouth watered, I tasted chocolate, and I licked my lips. The world turned into a so much better place. Let me be your Chocolatinis partner. We'll wow the customers with the drinks and have readings to delight their ears and souls.
Whiskey. Leave the bottle.
mmmmmnnn... chocolatetinis!!
My friend and I went to a chi chi steakhouse and had a couple of ten dollar martinis... she had the pomagranate one and I had one that had ginger ale and poire williams (pear liquoir). The poor woman's version of this martini is Canada Dry diet ginger ale and apple-flavored vodka... very tasty and refreshing at the end of the day!
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