I just noticed - it’s a beautiful morning!
The autumn is receding, the winter just a call away. In this part of the world, it’s not even a winter. Noon time temperature soars to 37-38 degrees Celsius. The early morning gives the chills, we pull up the sheets and head for another small nap until the alarm goes off loud and shriek. Later, after handing over lunch boxes and packing the children off to school, while sitting by the window to finish a quiet breakfast, or enjoying the calm with a warm drink, one might experience a little shiver. And then if one looks at the sky, it’s so serene, so blue, with little dumplings of white cloud creating a tranquil deception to the sound and hustle underneath. That’s when I realized, it’s such a beautiful morning.
The slanting rays of the sun warm up the myriad of concrete high rises in the neighbourhood. The leaves on the palm and coconut trees are as green as green can be. The sunlight slips from their polished surfaces, touches the eyes, and delights. You feel a spring in your heart, and ponder on a small walk. But then, such mornings don’t happen often, so you decide to sit back in the quietness and soak it all in. Life is put on hold, business will happen later. This is the time to nourish the soul, that precious moment that fuels you, energizes you for the struggle and busy days ahead. This is the moment to keep quiet and feel. And remember. Soft, smooth music wafts in with the breeze, and you remember moments that you had loved.
Had I been a poet, I would have written poetry this morning. But I am no poet. Had I been a singer... But I don’t want to break the still. Such moments should be celebrated, quietly, serenely, appropriately. So I sit and think. I give myself this time to be with myself, until I must get up to welcome my children home. I sip my warm chocolate and think of the life I have lived so far, of the days when I was a little girl and on such a beautiful morning, might have ventured out on the streets to finish an errand. I must have been oblivious of the work at hand, my heart might have been singing and dancing to a lovely silent tune. Or I might have been practicing integral calculus at my desk and trying to imagine the jubilation it might have offered to the worthy. Or I might have read a beautiful poem and sat lost in its reflection.
I remember falling on the ground and hurting my nose while playing a rough game outdoors. I was six. It bled profusely but I didn’t allow anyone to touch it. Only at night, I vaguely felt in my sleep, grandma attending to the wound; cleaning, applying antiseptic. It inflamed but I kept quiet. I think of the days when I felt loved and blessed. Another morning when I was trying to ride a bicycle down a steep slope, for the first time, hands and heart stricken with fear and a feeling of adventure, brows knit, praying nothing to come between me and the end of the road. And the relief when I finally reached the bottom of the slope.
I remember it was such a lovely morning when I won the best employee award for delivering several zero-error projects in a row at the corporate house where I worked. As always, I reminisce my students, corporates and adults from several walks of life, eager and beaming. It was probably the best reward that they never felt like running away from the sessions, even after long and tiring work hours.
And then those late mornings when I would walk past the tiny little norsk bakery that served fresh pizzas – wonderfully soft, freshly baked multigrain bread with a little tangy tomato sauce and heaps of mozzarella. The sweet smell of the yeast and the freshly baked goodies would always stop me in my tracks, yearning for a bite.
The thought of food, whatever the occasion, never fails to elude us, I wonder. It feels so good to hold the warm mug, so apt for this little celebration. The warmth replicates the lovely times, the spiced-up bitter sweet chocolate highlights the cozyness, contentment, pleasure, and the splash of joy.
I continue to absorb the gorgeous late morn with another refill of my warm chocolate drink. I still don’t want to break the spell – who knows when this moment will return – in days or years! Cheers!!
My instant, spiced-up, almost salty hot chocolate
This hot chocolate is totally my style – quick and easy. No preparations. Have some chocolates and a mug of milk? Make it instantly and enjoy.
Of course whole milk gives that thick, smooth, and rich test, but if toned (or skimmed) is what you prefer, or soya milk, or coconut milk, go ahead and use them. This recipe is extremely forgiving.
Again, use the best chocolates for the best output. But feel free to use what you have at hand. The salt and spices do the magic of transformation. If you don’t have bitter sweet chocolates, you can skip the sugar. I skip the sugar totally because I like the high of the spices, the zing and warmth of the extra pepper and salt that I like my drink to have.
Ingredients:
Milk – 2 cups
Chocolate (preferably bitter sweet) – 3 ounces
Salt flakes (or any salt you have at hand) – a big big pinch
Clove: 1 crushed
Cardamom: 1 crushed
A pinch each of cinnamon and black pepper powders (I take a bigger pinch of the pepper – it really wakes you up)
1. Heat the milk to a boil, add sugar if using, and the crushed clove and cardamom. Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Soon the aroma of the clove and cardamom will waft through the air and the magic will start.
2. Chop the chocolates as finely as possible, for that instantness. Bigger pieces will only take longer to melt.
3. In your favourite cup, place the chopped chocolate, the pepper and cinnamon powder, and salt.
4. Strain a little of the boiled and steeped milk directly into the cup. Use a coffee whisker or a fork to whip the chocolate until it softens and melts. Pour the milk little by little, straining and whipping all the while, till your mug full.
5. Dust with a little cinnamon powder, taste, and if needed, add more salt, pepper, or sugar.
And let me know what this reminds you of. Everyone's preferred cup is different. Write to me about your favourite morning drink and your idea of a beautiful morning.
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