Food & Wine News South Africa

Sip your way to a warmer winter

DJ Chubbi is about to face some cold nights as the first icy winds of winter turn our homes and offices into cold boxes. Tasked with hotting up the airwaves, this YFM DJ takes on the night shift with his show, "Light It Up", playing from 9pm to midnight, wafting into your cars and homes to warm your ears with his smooth tunes.

We asked him to test five brands of hot chocolate, looking for that comforting taste that will help us make it through another freezing winter.

“I'm turned on by good ideas,” says Chubbi, who also has his own graphic design company called Creative Hustle. “And I definitely think that me drinking five cups of hot chocolate is a great one.”

He sips the Nestlé “rich and foamy” hot chocolate, which says “just add water” on the packaging, but when we do this, Chubbi thinks the drink lacks flavour.

“It's very milky and not too sweet,” is his verdict, “but I definitely think that it could do with more chocolate.”

Milo is an old classic, also by Nestlé, and we all remember eating the crunchy granules straight out of the tin.

The packaging is instantly recognisable, thinks our DJ. It has that fortified taste that we've grown up with.

“This hot drink is a real winner, though I think it tastes better with hot milk instead of water.”

Beacon's Milk Drinking Chocolate comes in a red bottle reminiscent of its chocolate packaging.

“It doesn't really appeal,” says Chubbi, “It looks quite plain and cheap.”

He finds that it tastes good, not too sweet but not too bitter, and that the granules dissolve well.

“It's light and has good flavour.”

Cadbury Bournville Cocoa is used to make chocolate-flavoured confectionery, but can also be used for instant cocoa.

“I think I'd keep this for the cake mix,” says Chubbi.

“It has a dark-chocolate taste that I find far too bitter. I would have to add a lot of sugar.”

Chubbi enjoys the Pick n Pay Choice hot chocolate the most.

“It is very well-flavoured, has fine powdery granules that dissolve easily and you don't need to add sugar.”

He finds it rich and textured and surprisingly tasty, though he thinks the packaging is ordinary.

“I would definitely choose this one,” he said.

Source: The Times

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