Happy New Year!

With the 80% chance of rain today, it looks like its about 6:30am and not 7:30. So, although I got up later than usual, my head doesn’t believe me.

Has everybody survived and enjoyed their holidays? Did you try The Way of the Elf? How about the hot fudge sauce recipe? On New Years Eve, I discovered another way to enjoy that hot fudge sauce….

There were three of us…my husband and our good friend, Michal, who happens to be an amazing cook among other amazing things that she does. (True Fact: my best friends are all amazing cooks, which is good because I’m not. But I do so enjoy amazing cooking and consume their culinary gifts with great appreciation and enthusiasm.).

Anyway…..back to my New Years hot fudge sauce story…..

In my great wisdom, I decided that what was needed to usher in this year was a chocolate martini. However, the local Safeway, in it’s great wisdom, had no chocolate liqueur. They did have a bottle of chocolate and raspberry infused vodka that had a recipe on its back label calling for a martini shaker, lots of ice and pomegranate juice.

By the time Michal arrived, all the ingredients and necessary items were laid out on the kitchen counter. Together, with Al’s coaching, Michal and I made a small sampling of the drink. We all sampled the sampling, rolled it around in our mouths, gasped as the alcohol burned a path down our throats and decided that this wasn’t quite what we we’re seeking. For one, it didn’t look anything like a chocolate martini. We could barely smell any chocolate and it was pink, a bright fuchsia pink. I suggested that perhaps we needed to put some chocolate syrup in the mix.

It was at this time that inspiration settled upon Michal like a soft, downy cloak of cleverness. “Do you have any fudge sauce left?” she asked.

Believe it or not, we did, even though we had used the sauce almost every day since I had made my vat. I brought it out of the ‘fridge and, along with a spoon, handed the jar to Michal who rolled up her sleeves and went to work creating the most glorious martini we had ever tasted….smooth, creamy, chocolate with a perfect blend of fruitiness to make it all the more delicious.

We christened it The Stoli Truffle. My mother would have been proud, altho I’m not sure if she was really into “frou frou” drinks. She probably would have taken the Stoli Truffle and poured it over ice cream. It would have been good that way as well.

Here’s how you make it: 2 parts raspberry chocolate vodka, 2 parts pomegranate juice, 2 large dollops of the fudge sauce. Shake in a shaker with lots of ice. (Michal and I created a shaking dance and took turns. By the time we were done, that puppy was shaken up.)

The only problem with the drink was you wanted about four or five of them. We stuck with the one and took Michal’s keys away and reminded her that our yurt was not only an office and painting studio, it was a guest house as well. And then we continued with a fabulous New Years celebration, especially because Al and I didn’t know until that afternoon that our dear friend would be with us. A great way to say “good bye” to one year and “hello” to the next is to have a happy surprise thrown into the mix.

So…..when I decided to sit down and write this morning….touch base with my blog family, I did not plan to write another recipe….another chocolate one at that. I was actually planning to write some deep thoughts.

But I’m sure you all have plenty of your own deep thoughts. You don’t need any of mine.

So enjoy this bright New Year. I wish each of you peace and prosperity and lots of happy, playful surprises that make you smile or giggle or chuckle or appreciate….many things that make you feel good and that you have worth. Because you should and you do.

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Sent from the Faery Realm. Don’t believe a word.