Ah, San Francisco “winters”. We have cold grey mornings where the tops of the high-rises on the hills are heavily obscured in frigid mist and the light is pale and diffuse. The wan sun struggles to show around mid-day for a brief glaring hour then gives up with a moist sigh of vapor to return us to basement bone chilling damp before 5:00 pm.
It is good weather to be inside, wrapped well in woolens and squishy cashmere plopped next to a blazing fireplace hissing radiator.
A few years ago I concocted this soothing boozy cocoa for nights just like tonight.
White Hot Russian
1 cup low fat milk
3 T Ghirardelli sweet chocolate powder
1 jigger Sky vodka (I had this on hand but any vodka will do)
1 jigger Baileys Irish Cream
1 jigger Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
coffee ice cream (option but awfully nice)
In the microwave (or stovetop), heat milk in a pyrex cup until very hot (3 minutes in my micro). Mix in the chocolate well.
In a small jug, mix the liquors together. Pour half of the liquors between two mugs and top off with the hot cocoa. Scoop a generous spoonful of coffee ice cream and float it on top of cocoa.
Serves two if you have white hot Russian masculine company, or for one person with seconds on a frigid night after watching sappy Christmas movies and using up all the Kleenex in the house….
Stay warm out there!
Heather in SF 
Dear lord that sounds good. My grandmother puts Baileys in her coffee every morning 🙂 I’d take up the tradition, but I’ve become such an accidental tee-totaler of late.
I love your Grandmother! Although I think if I did that I would be napping all day. This sure helped me get some sleep last night and I plan to repeat it tonight! Hope you try it sometime!
That sounds divine! I’m going to try it.
sounds good but wow i’d pass right out drinking something like that!