The weather outside has occasionally been frightful—and the skies are far from delightful in some areas of the country. It’s the perfect time to curl up by the fireplace and enjoy a mug of steaming hot chocolate.

Sure, you can buy a presweetened organic cocoa mix. (Check out mixes from Ah!Laska, Green & Black’s and Whole Foods Market.) But there’s nothing like making your own grown-up version of hot chocolate with organic milk and organic cocoa powder. The following recipe from the Dairy Farmers of Washington is all the richer with the addition of an organic egg.

Holiday Eggnog Hot Chocolate

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth and well-mixed.
3. Transfer mixture to a double boiler.
4. Without boiling, heat until steaming hot, stirring constantly.

Note: If you find this to be too bitter for your taste, add the organic sweetener of your choice.

The Super-Easy Version

• For a simpler version, combine equal parts of organic chocolate milk and organic eggnog.
• Heat on the stove until steaming hot. Do not boil.

Note: We recommend two brands of organic eggnog: Horizon Organic and Clover Organic (available only in California).

Sources for Organic Cocoa Powder

Ah!Laska
Dagoba
Green & Black’s
Tropical Traditions
Cocoa Camino

Last year, as the holidays approached, we wrote about Horizon Organic Lowfat Eggnog. During a trip to Whole Foods Market last week, I found another brand that’s absolutely delicious—but it’s currently available only to Organic Authority readers who live in California.

Clover Organic Eggnog, manufactured by Petaluma, California-based Clover Stornetta Farms, is rich, creamy and delicious. The company starts with the finest ingredients: organic milk and cream, organic nutmeg, organic eggs and organic sugar. This eggnog is free of glutens or stabilizers, leaving you with a smooth mouthfeel and pure flavor.

Clover sources 100% of its milk from 18 family farms in Northern California—five of which are certified organic. Each “dairy family” follows sustainable agriculture practices to remain a viable source for generations to come. All organic products are certified by Quality Certification Services (QCS), which offers organic certification accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program.

In September 2000, Clover Stornetta Farms became the first U.S. dairy to be awarded the Certified Free Farmed label from the American Humane Association for humane production of dairy products. The company has been family-owned for three generations.

If you’re a fellow Californian, enjoy!