In 2021, we decided to add a spice & seasoning line to Rocky Mountain Olive Oil called Grind Spice Co. Sourced from all over the world, but milled and grinded in our hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado, these spices are so fresh and delicious and meet our standards of excellence. Adding the line seemed like a natural addition to the business and the perfect partner for oils and vinegars. Fast forward to 2023 and we have 90+ different spices, seasonings, sugars and salts! We've also recently added hot cocoas, which the kids are really excited about.
Hot cocoa is one drink I’m picky about, but even pickier than me about the quality of hot cocoa is my sister-in-law, Sabine. She's from Tirschenreuth, Germany, located in the northeast of Bavaria, about 10 minutes by car from the Czech-Bavarian border. She has all sorts of traditions and rules that come from her heritage-rich town, and one of them is surrounding what you can and can't do with drinks. She has recipes for healing, fertility, heat-stroke, energy and many, many more ailments. And she is a master at making hot cocoa. Naturally given the higher standards of most European made and imported food vs. US food, she thinks the ingredients in most store-bought hot cocoa are bizarre and unnecessary. I couldn't agree more.
The Grind Spice Co hot cocoa we sell is super tasty and the ingredients are better than most mixed cocoas. Not only is the cocoa in it premium and fair-trade, but we also use arrowroot as one of the thickeners, which is an excellent ingredient to keep the cocoas fresh and prevents them from clumping. And you can taste the difference! So far we have 5 flavors (shop now), each one adding something fun to your typical hot cocoa experience:
- Mexican Chocolate
- Salted Caramel
- Chai Spice
- Red Velvet
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint
Still, if you're more of a hot cocoa traditionalist, I respect that. And thinking of everyone in that camp, I've gotten permission to post one of Sabine's hot cocoa recipes. Simple, chocolatey, delicious and straight from the heart and hearth of Tirschenreuth to you -
- 8oz steamed whole milk
- 4oz steamed heavy cream
- 3 - 4 Tablespoons of 100% quality cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons of honey
Ciao!
- Andi
