Werebear’s Kerinne

The original kerinne recipe is good, but I felt it was a little one-dimensional. The cinnamon needed some backup, to fill it out. So, I tinkered with it. And I’m very happy with the result.Mace, like savory, was once a commonly used spice that can be hard to find these days. Cooking fashions move in mysterious ways. You can substitute nutmeg for mace (they come from the same plant), but mace is just a bit fruitier with a peppery tinge.

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp mace
• 1 dash black pepper
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup – 1 cup milk (to taste)

Combine the butter, cinnamon, mace, black pepper, and honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together while the butter melts until all is completely combined.

Add the cream and the salt. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the cream begins to steam. Add the milk and stir, then wait for the mixture to begin to steam once again (shouldn’t take long).

Pour into mugs to serve.

Kerinne

This drink is from M.C.A Hogarth’s Pelted Universe, and is a favorite of the genetically modified peoples that make up the backbone of the “Alliance”. You can find the recipe I used at the back of the first book in the Dreamhealers series, Mindtouch.

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1/4 cup cream
• a pinch of salt
• milk to taste

Melt together the butter, cinnamon, and honey over medium-low heat in a pot. Stir until thoroughly heated and combined.

Add the cream and stir in. Once the cream is also warmed, add the pinch of salt and milk to taste. (I only used as much milk as cream, so this kerinne was VERY thick, and clung nicely to those gingerbread cookies.) I doubled the recipe, too, to have enough for me and my husband.

The drink is warm and very soothing. Best to drink it before it cools, though, as that can make it cloying. Dip your spicy cookies in it and enjoy the warmth.

Makes 1-3 servings, depending on how much milk you add.

One Mug Microwave Hot Chocolate

This isn’t the richest or fanciest recipe, but it’s quick and simple, and it only takes one teaspoon. Take a spoon from your drawer (don’t bother with a measuring spoon) and use it for both measuring and stirring and keep it for sipping. Ingredients:

• Cocoa powder
• Sugar
• Water
• Milk
• Optional marshmallows

You need:

•  A tea spoon
• A microwave safe mug
• A microwave

Put one heaping teaspoon of cocoa powder and two heaping teaspoons of sugar in the mug. (Heaping means it’s mounded up over the top. Usually, you level when you measure, removing everything above the edge.) Stir. Add three teaspoons of water. Stir. Microwave on High 15 seconds. Stir smooth, add milk to suit your mug. Microwave until hot (1-2 minutes on High depending on your microwave). Stir. Sprinkle on the marshmallows!

If you leave about half an inch of extra space at the top of the mug when you pour in the milk, you’ll have room for a shot of Irish Cream or some Peppermint Schnapps, both of which go very well.