Looks like real cocoa too, did you whisk it in?

I like drinking chocolate, made rather strong!

Sweet dreams...

For an instant, it was a bowl of pebbles! Yes, please, chocolate!

Lucy, only real cocoa in our home, stirred into the milk with a spoon then heated, stirred again, and heated until about to boil over, just right for chocaholics like you and me! I love it strong too.

Marly, yes, those dry still undissolved bits of cocoa do look pebbly, and along with the bubbles, inspired the photos. This is my way of indulging my chocolate craving without the sugar found in bars (I use stevia).

I love strong cocoa too. No wonder most of Europe was addicted to chocolate within a few decades of its introduction from S. America. It's almost impossible to think of life without it - or, come to think of it, coffee either.

ps: Nice coaster.

Susan, I've always wondered if they had their cocoa with milk or water - do you know? ps: the coaster is one of a set designed and made by the Maori, a gift from New Zealand friends.

The top picture looked initially like a form of breakfast cereal for Finns with very strong teeth. I thought the solids were small pebbles picked from the shores of Lake Kankareenjärvi or Lake Iso-Kiimanen but not, I think, Lake Kannonselkä and sold to nostalgic expatriates at inflated prices.

I don't drink cocoa for a reason that might well be unique among your blog commenters: it reminds me of the war (that's WW2 not WW1) when tea was scarce and coffee non-existent. Nor do I eat tinned snoek or whale-meat for the same reason. I appreciate your attempt to tempt me back to cocoa by turning it into an art form. However I'm a coffee man, through and through, well aware that it may shorten my life and wondering what - at age 77 - might be considered to be a short life.

I am mystified that a drink that contains pretty much as much caffeine as coffee could possibly be thought of as something to have before sleep... ??

Ldp! Did you look up all those Finnish lake names, umlauts and all? I am impressed. Your description of Finnish cereal makes me laugh (porridge is what I had) but it also reminds me of something I read somewhere about ancient Finns chewing on tree bark. I'm surprised that cocoa was available during the war. It was probably served without sugar and milk - bitter! I'm always surprised to meet British people who don't like tea, your supposed national drink of the non-alcoholic type.

I love coffee too, my favourite is a mocha (mix it with my cocoa drink). I do like teas as well, especially green and some herbals.

Black Pete, actually cocoa has very little or no caffeine depending on the beans but it has theobromine which can be stimulating for some people and relaxing for others, especially with warm milk. I believe it's the sugar that is the stimulant.

Stevia here too! Or at the moment, honey plus ginger plus fresh lemon and tea to get rid of laryngitis. Boo!

I really transformed it into a Marja-Leena thing and was expecting to pick out an artifact or two!

My vice is a medium Mokka every day after lunch. I bring the paper cup back to my desk and pour it into my earthenware cup, for it tastes better sipped from the slightly rough edge. Your cocoa looks fantastic! I can smell it.

Marly, laryngitis, you poor thing! Hope it will clear quickly with that treatment. And a 'Marja-Leena thing' too, hee!

Rouchswalwe, oops, your comment slipped in afterwards. We think alike and I like the Euro spelling: Mokka.

Warm mug in the paws.

zhoen, yes, it is comforting and relaxing...

I can feel that cup. Sleep well!

hhb ~ thanks!!