I have effectively been ruined.
I have tasted European hot chocolate.

There is no return from this.

(Don’t be fooled by the glass cups with no handles – these were not milkshakes. It was definitely hot chocolate. Scandinavians like to serve hot drinks like this. It helps warm their hands, which is essential in countries that experience perpetual winter.)

(Hot chocolate and a seasonal Swedish bun that I loved)

(Hot chocolate and a danish in Denmark)

(Hot chocolate, a cappuccino, and chocolate croissants, in Sweden)

(Hot chocolate in Copenhagen, Denmark)

(Hot chocolate and a box of chocolates in Sweden)

Note: I ate those desserts before I found out I was allergic to gluten.

Note: these are just the few instances of hot chocolate consumption that I took pictures of. My favorite cafe in Sweden served spicy hot chocolate. There was also a cafe in Krakow, Poland in which I sampled hot chocolate with cayenne pepper.

Here’s the thing:
Europeans are serious about their chocolate. Be it truffles, candy bars, or hot chocolate, their chocolate is far superior to anything Hershey’s makes.

When they make their hot chocolate, they use real chocolate.
Being a chocolate lover, I was instantly hooked.

However, I am no longer in Europe. The weather is getting cooler and I am craving some hot chocolate.

For the next few weeks, I will be sampling and reviewing hot chocolate served in local cafes here in Tennessee.
Just so we’re on the same page, here is my personal criteria for delicious hot chocolate:

• Rich – I want my hot chocolate to be sweet with bold chocolaty flavor.
• Creamy – none of this warm chocolate milk nonsense! It should be thick and creamy.
• Whipped Cream – because whipped cream is awesome and I would eat it by itself anyway.

I will be scoring in these three categories, rating them from 1-5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest). Therefore, a perfect hot chocolate score is a 15.

Stay tuned….