Ginger Beer!

Disclaimer: I haven't actually tried this yet, but the idea of making ginger beer by leaving some water and ginger in the sun for a day sounded too good to pass up. I'll be making it for sure once finals are over :)

Swiped from Doctorandmama: http://open.salon.com/blog/doctorandmama


1 pound fresh ginger
1 lime
4 pints water
granulated white sugar, 1 to 2 pounds (to taste)
4 pints sparkling water


1. peel and grate the ginger root
2. juice the lime, and retain the peel
3. place the above ingredients into a large jar with the water
4. place the jar in the sun for an entire day
5. strain out solids, and sweeten the liquid to taste
6. allow to settle in the refrigerator for 2 days
7. add sparkling water to taste or desired fizziness

Spiced-Up Hot Chocolate

This recipe is from Craigie on Main, a fancy-schmancy restaurant in Cambridge . . . the spices are a little Indian, a little Mexican, a lotta yummy.

about 1/2 cup dark (70%) chocolate
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup butter
4 teaspoons white sugar

Grind the following and add to taste:
approximately 3 green cardamom pods - toast the cardamom, crush and discard the green shell, and grind the black seeds inside the pod
1/2 stick cinnamon (Mexican if possible)
1/2 tsp chili flakes (preferably ancho)

Put all ingredients in a pot, stir and simmer constantly until it reaches the consistency you desire. The final yield will depend on how much you reduce the cocoa while cooking but the above recipe should make approx 10 espresso cup portions.

This cocoa is super-rich and smaller servings are usually enough.