Spiked Bicerin to Beat the Cold Weather

 Spiked Bicerin.

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A couple of years ago, while living in Geneva, Switzerland, I met a Venezuelan friend, Oscar Fornoza, who was the king of savoir vivre and savoir faire. Oscar taught me that to have a good meal you just need a bowl of pasta, a salad (usually to be eaten in the same bowl) and, of course, a good glass of wine.He was the king of making dinner with pasta and salad in only 20 minutes, while having wine and entertaining his guests. While living in Geneva, fun for me was, first, visiting Oscar, and second, driving to Italy where I always felt like home.Going to Italy was a matter of driving through the Mont Blanc tunnel, from Chamonix, at the French Haute-Savoie, to Courmayeur in the Italian Valle dʼAosta, where the majestic mountain, forever covered with a snow blanket, is known as Monte Bianco, or simply Il Bianco.From Il Bianco to Milano or Torino, was just a quick ride. One time in Torino, we stopped at Caffè Al Bicerin, in Piazza della Consolatta, for a hot chocolate. We got a bicerin, the traditional Piedmontese drink: a concoction made of espresso, chocolate and cream, served in a glass so one can see the layers.Ten years after that bicerin, in 2000 the bicerin was distinguished as prodotti agroalimentari tradizionali della Regione Piemonte (and its formula remains a well kept secret as is the Coca Cola formula.)Today, I was craving for a bicerin because itʼs snowing in the mountains and it’s almost San Valentine. So, I made my own spiked version and served it in mini Bodum double wall glasses, not only because they are cute and Swiss, but also because bicerin means small glass. To Oscar and all my friends who in a way had touched my life! Salud!