The Lush Chef

In my effort to get over a cold earlier this week, I was experimenting with various hot cocktails - a lush's true medicine.  I was craving hot chocolate after dinner and I simply love it spiced Mexican style with some cinnamon, cayenne and vanilla...and tequila.  I usually make this version of Mexican Hot Chocolate, but I was feeling lazy and had some of Trader Joe's Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix on hand.  In addition to tequila, I added in some Fernet (it lends that holiday minty taste) and a few dashes of The Bitter Truth's Jerry Thomas' Own Decanter Bitters.  Feel free to use any cocoa mix, or the recipe from my regular Mexican Hot Chocolate, and any kind of aromatic bitters (i.e. Angostura) is fine.  Scoop in a little bit of vanilla bean ice cream, and you've got yourself a restorative boozy treat!

Mexican Fernet Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:

• 6 oz milk
• 2 spoonfuls of Trader Joe's Spicy Hot Cocoa Mix
• 1 oz tequila (I used Patrón Silver)
• 1 oz Fernet-Branca
• 3-4 dashes of The Bitter Truth's Jerry Thomas' Own Decanter Bitters or any aromatic kind is fine
• 1 scoop of vanilla bean ice cream

- Heat up the milk and stir in that cocoa mix.
- Add the tequila, Fernet and bitters and stir.
- Plop in a little scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.