One local bakery, , began taking order last week for their colorful King Cakes. The cakes made with cinnamon roll type dough is covered with purple, green and gold crystallized sprinkle sugar come with beads and a baby – to hide yourself. The cake is $15 and they are taking orders now.

Mardi Gras season begins on January 6, of each year and ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent.

On the Christian calendar, the 12th day after Christmas is celebrated as the date that the gift-bearing Magi visited the baby Jesus. This day, January 6, is known by several names, including “Epiphany”, “Twelfth Night”, or “Kings Day”. The celebration of this event has evolved over the centuries, with each culture adding its own unique rituals. The New Orleans tradition is believed to have begun in the 1870′s. As part of this celebration, it is now traditional to bake a cake in honor of the three kings – the King Cake. King Cakes are oval-shaped to symbolize the unity of faiths. Each cake is decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors – purple representing justice, green representing faith, and gold representing power. A small baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is traditionally hidden inside each King Cake.

In New Orleans, King Cake parties are held throughout the Mardi Gras season. In offices, classrooms, and homes throughout the city, King Cakes are sliced and enjoyed by all. Whoever gets the baby in their slice of cake has to buy the cake next year.

Here is her review:

Our morning beverage station. He likes the coffee. I like the tea.

I am a tea lover. And as much as I’d like to backlink to some magical posts I’ve written about being a tea lover, I can’t think of any off the top of my head. But I know there are references speckled throughout my writing.

It started many years ago when I took my first trip to London. The only “tea” I’d known at that point in my life was Lipton Iced Tea in a can. And no, I’m not kidding.

I just didn’t like the taste of tea and never had the desire to overcome that. But when you’re in London, you kind of, sort of have to do tea. I happened to be staying with friends of a friend and they offered me the very first cup I said yes to. It was Lady Gray tea with a touch of milk and sugar and a love affair was born.

I’ve since learned that I love a cup of strong tea in the morning and sometimes, if I’m tempting fate, I’ll have one in the afternoon too. However, I usually only have tea at home and here’s why.

I’m a tea snob.

Truth be told, I don’t really think I’m a snob. A true snob would only use loose tea and NEVER a tea bag. I guess I just like a properly prepared cup of tea. It seems that if you go anywhere in all of the United States and ask for a cup of tea, you get served the same thing: a hot cup of water (not boiling) that usually tastes vaguely like old coffee and a tea bag full of dust. Even worse is the fact that the ratio of water to tea is so far off that I always insist that they DON’T put the tea bag in the water. (I usually pour off half the water so the tea is just the right strength).

It’s tough because the American life revolves around coffee. The de facto meeting place these days always seems to be Starbucks and I always longed to be a part of the crowd. I wanted to order a double, half-caff, soy skim espresso latte, or something. But I did finally find my Starbucks drink: A small Chai Tea Latte. I even know how to order it the right way: “Tall, skim chai please.”

And I’m just as picky about my chai. It has to be creamy and sweet but not too sweet. It has to have spice but not overwhelming spice. And not any one particular spice overpowering the blend. Basically, I like my tall, skim chai. Until now…

You see, this is actually a product review. Did you see that one coming? I tested a product and fell in love but if I told you that right off the bat, I don’t think it would have meant as much. You have to understand where I’m coming from.

I volunteered to review an assortment of new Mocha and Chai products fromMocafe.net. But first, I did what any self-respecting blogger volunteering for a review would do:

- I checked out their website. It looked hip and cool, two requirements in the coffee shop world.

- I checked out their product line. Spiced Chocolate. Divinity Chai. Yup, I was in.

I was pleasantly surprised by the selection they sent me.

Here’s what you’re seeing:

• Azteca D’oro 1519 Mexican Spiced Ground chocolate
• Precious Divinity Spiced Chai Tea Mix
• Precious Divinity Spiced Chai Tea Mix (Decaf)
• Precious Divinity Vanilla Chai Tea Mix
• Precious Divinity Mango Chai Tea Mix

I dutifully made one cup of each (not all at the same time, mind you) and here’s what I thought.

Azteca D’oro 1519 Mexican Spiced Ground chocolate

Made with heated milk, NOT water, this one takes a little extra effort. But if you have never had Mexican hot chocolate, you’re in for a treat. It’s got a fair amount of cinnamon in it and is creamy and delicious. The only problem I had was that I microwaved the milk and it wasn’t quite as hot as I’d like it to be.

Precious Divinity Spiced Chai Tea Mix

This is the tea that makes me never have to set foot in a Starbucks again. Unless I really want to. It’s actually better than what I get at Starbucks. It’s really creamy with just the right blend of spices. The calories aren’t bad (130 per serving) but you do have to watch the sugar (21g) and fat (3.5g  saturated fat).

Precious Divinity Vanilla Chai Tea Mix

The vanilla chai was probably my second favorite. It’s similar to the Spiced Chai with just a subtle hint of vanilla and not as much spice.

Precious Divinity Mango Chai Tea Mix

Who expects mango in their chai? Not me, but I was intrigued. It was a lighter tasting chai with a mild fruit flavor. This was my third favorite but still good. This is what I would call an afternoon tea or even a summertime tea. The mango makes it taste just a bit more refreshing for hot tea.

And there you have it. Three delicious tea mixes – what I’m called the Chai-fecta of tea. And some really good Mexican spiced chocolate.

Disclosure: I was provide a review pack and and compensation for my time but all opinions are my own. So take that to mean I really, really liked these products.

Now, of course, I can appreciate the higher quality bites and savor the really good stuff. And I really enjoy cooking and baking, so I’m not afraid to dive right into a recipe that looks appealing. Like this one:

Hot chocolate cookies, courtesy of Pip & Ebby (and Rachel Ray). Can you imagine? I think I know what my next cookie project will be!

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, melt together:

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

12 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate (bars)

Stir frequently over medium heat until smooth. Let cool for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Using an electric mixer, beat together:

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat on low speed until smooth, 2 minutes. Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture just until blended. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed until just comined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Arrange about 16 balls 2 inches apart on each cookie sheet, flattening slightly. Bake until the tops of the cookies crack, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut 7.5 ounces of semisweet chocolate (bars) into 1-inch squares. Snip 8 marshmallows in half crosswise and stick 1 square of chocolate onto each of the cut sides.

Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and gently press a marshmallow half, chocolate side down, into each cookie. Bake until the marshmallows are just softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 5 minutes.

Grate 5 ounces of semisweet chocolate over the hot cookies. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the racks and let cool. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, marshmallows and chocolate. Bake each batch on a clean sheet of parchment paper.

Enjoy!

As promised, MOCAFE is marking down something new this month over on Amazon.com. And what better choice than chocolate?

Today through March 14th, head over here and save 15% off all MOCAFE Azteca D’oro 1519 Mexican Spiced Chocolate.

This is my kind of sale. (And if you forgot a little something for your significant other yesterday, now’s a good time to make it up to them!)

Recipe from My Baking Addiction (and boy, do they look good!)

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and black pepper. Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar-spice mixture, set aside to reserve for rolling the cookies.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar-spice mixture until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5. Beat in egg and vanilla extract, combine until fully incorporated.

6. Slowly blend in dry ingredients mixing until just combined.

7. Using a small scoop (2 teaspoons) roll dough into balls and then into the reserved sugar-spice mixture. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

8. Let stand on baking sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

A little research brought me to an article on Arzoo Online Magazine detailing the history of chai. It’s really interesting! Did you know…

• Chai is over 5,000 years old!
• It was the invention of a royal king, originating in the ancient courts of India.
• Chai is typically prepared with a loose black tea, milk, sugar and water, but the spice combinations are endless.
• There are many health benefits to chai, as black tea in filled with antioxidants. Some studies suggest drinking it regularly can help to fight cancers, lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Not too bad for you’re morning cup!

Today you can find many modern chai mixes in both powder and liquid concentrate forms, but you can always go back in time and make a cup the traditional way. So many varieties for one little (DELICIOUS!) drink! Be sure to check out the article for further fun facts!

There’s one place in town we like to go for a quick breakfast, and the owner is a guy we’ve known for a few years now. What surprised me about him a few years ago was that he was the first non-friend or family member to comment on my first pregnancy. Usually people are cautious when it comes to asking about that, you know? I mean, the last thing you want to do is accidentally call a woman fat!

Nevertheless, he asked if I was pregnant, and luckily for him (haha!) I was. When our son was born he gifted us with free breakfast and as watched as our child has gone from a squishy newborn to a toddler who runs around grabbing bags of coffee off his shelves.

So it really shouldn’t have surprised me when he asked again if I was pregnant a few weeks ago. I am, and since it’s the second time around I’m showing much faster than I did the first time, but I was still surprised. I guess all that coffee gives him nerves of steel!

It’s comforting, though, to know that he and his employees will be there when this baby is born, ready with my chai in hand before I even get in the door. Something that will be VERY appreciated as we go through that newborn no-sleep period again. It’s nice to have people in town like that.

Check out how Foodie with Family made Hot Chocolate on a Stick. Yes, you read that right. If the photos alone don’t make you want to run to the kitchen and whip these up immediately, well…there might be something wrong with you.

There’s really nothing that goes together better than chocolate and peanut butter, is there? My mouth starts watering at just the thought of one chain’s peanut butter cup sundae. Mmmm. But have you thought about drinking that classic combo? One Ordinary Day has, and wants you to try Salted Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate. There will be no argument on my end!

Who knows, maybe this East Coast weather will really surprise us, and we’ll be craving iced drinks before we know it. It that case, I’d head over to Tasty Kitchen and make a Frozen Hot Chocolate. Whoa boy, those look sinfully good!

Pinterest

• Coffee is always a good idea.
• Espresso Con Panna: Yum!
• Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies: Double Yum
• Coffee with Cinnamon: Sweet Simplicity
• Hot Chocolate Cups: Literally

So check these out for some coffee inspiration: new drink ideas, desserts featuring espresso and chocolate, and enjoy.