Souvenirs

I mentioned that I was drinking Dutch hot chocolate in yesterday's post. I just wanted to share some information of the brand and this rad tin I picked up for Mr. Wonderful. He is a firm believe in consumable gifts, and I liked this vintage looking tin.

Droste cocoa is a product of the Netherlands. It's main difference from brands like Hershey's and  Ghiradelli is that is treated with alkali to neutralize cocoa's natural acidity. Supposedly Dutch cocoa has a finer taste and doesn't over power other ingredients especially when baking. Since I can't bake in our apartment, (for lack of an oven), I can only imagine the taste of this recipe using Dutch cocoa powder from Smitten Kitchen. In the meantime, I can make a mean cup of hot chocolate with a little bit of milk, sugar and love. 

There is a technique in design called the Droste effect and is derived from the illustrations on this tin. It is interesting and you can read more about it here. Jon is thrilled to know this information, "It means so much more now." Ha!

I enjoyed yesterday's cup of chocolate and this morning's coffee in my new mug from the Kröller Müller Museum.

It was a gift, and it depicts the painting Country Road in Provence by Night by Vincent van Gogh. More on that tomorrow.