June 23, 2009

Office Space Recipe: Green Tea Hot Cocoa

You all know. Those of you who wear button down shirts, nice suits, maybe ties (like me) or a business "dress". We're all office denizens, the cubicle brigade, toiling in our rolling chairs and basking in flurescent light. Food blogs are a diversion for us, unless you're unfortunate enough to have them blocked at the office. Eater is our homepage, or better yet, FoodGPS. We live for Wednesdays when the Food Section gets posted online. If we're truly within divine grace, we have access to Twitter so we can tweet away at work, employing a crafty alt-tab if we hear the bosses' footsteps.

Like me, sometimes you're at the office late, way after the shadows dim and the sun sets. To help me and all you office readers pass the time, I want to help you get a little creative at your desks and galleys or kitchens. I'll have a recipe like this every once in a while when inspiration comes. This one came when I was on my way to the restroom. I love the flavors because you get something almost nutty and mellow from the green tea, which balances out the sweet cocoa mix. It adds complexity to your standard issue hot cocoa. When I let the hot water churn the cocoa, I just think of Willy Wonky's Chocolate Factory, and how he said the waterfall churns the chocolate into a smooth, luscious consistency. Thinking about it, I'm going to go make another one right now.

Green Tea Hot Cocoa

1 thick office mug
1 bag any generic green tea
1 packet of hot cocoa powder
2 plastic stirs or 1 wooden stir

Fill a thick mug with boiling water from your coffee machine hot water tap. Let rest for 1 minute.

Pour out water into sink and re-pour another 4 tablespoons of water, give or take. Soak the green tea bag for about 2 minutes, occasionally lifting it up to let the flavors come out. Discard teabag.

Pour in packet of hot cocoa. Ever so slowly, pour hot water into the mug, letting it churn the cocoa mix into a frothy mix. Don't pour more than 8 total ounces, or one small cup's worth, as any more would dilute the hot cocoa.

Complete by stiring with two snappy plastic stirs or one wooden stir, like the ones we have at our office. Make sure every bit it incorporated.

Enjoy.

Serves 1

3 comments:

Kung Food Panda said...

Why does all the good sites get blocked?? I have no twitter and limited blog access :(. Thankfully, I have gchat (for who knows how long..) =P

You know, I should try that receipt tomorrow since we do have both things free in our break room. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Cori said...

I am the alt tab queen. I don't know what I'd do at work if I didn't have food blogs to look forward to, especially during times when it's painfully slow like now, during the summer.

If we're talking about Willy Wonka, I would like to sip this concoction (which sounds simple and wonderful, btw) out of a tea cup that I can take a bite out of, just as Mr. Wonka (as played by the OG Gene Wilder) did in the movie. I suppose that wouldn't be microwave safe, though.

Food GPS said...

Never would have thought to pair green tea with cocoa. Seems like a good idea. Like the references to Willy Wonka (and Food GPS). Thanks for the shout-out.