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Tag: hot chocolate

  • Cooking Class Explosion Caused By Heating Hot Cocoa

    A small fire erupted inside a biology lab at Northside College Prep High School while students were participating in a class activity. The project involved heating hot chocolate on a single-burner stove under the supervision of an instructor. The gas used during the activity ultimately triggered the fire; however, the sprinkler system quickly extinguished the flames. According to Chicago Fire Department Spokesman Larry Langford the fire reportedly began around 10:30. “The fire was doused immediately,” Spokesman Langford said.

    School administrators were quick to act during the incident and immediately evacuated the student body, which consisted of roughly 1,000 adolescents. Northside College Prep High School Principal Kelly Mest praised the efforts of staff and students throughout the ordeal to remain calm in spite of the potential trauma.

    Five students were injured as a result of the explosion. Four of these students were taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital for treatment while the fifth student refused treatment. The most severely injured student had noticeable burn damage inflicted on the upper area of the body including the face, hands, and even neck. Two of the students were transported to the hospital in stable condition. One student is reported to have been in good condition.

    Once it was determined that there were no lingering dangers for the students, classes were permitted to resume. Recent reports claim that an investigation is presently underway involving the “routine cooking instruction” that resulted in a classroom fire.

    Image Via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chocolate Linked to Brain Health, Shows Study

    Good news for chocoholics this week: a new study has found that chocolate could help the elderly keep their minds sharp.

    The study, published this week in the journal Neurology, found that two cups of hot cocoa per day improved some participants’ memory and thinking abilities while also increasing blood flow to the brain. 60 people with an average age of 73 participated in the study, and 18 of them had “impaired blood flow.” By the end of the 30-day study, blood flow had improved 8.3% for those people.

    “We’re learning more about blood flow in the brain and its effect on thinking skills,” said Dr. Farzaneh Sorond, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.”

    Study participants who had impaired blood flow were also found to do better on a working memory test, with average test times decreasing from 167 seconds to 116 seconds after the 30 days of cocoa. Those who did not already have impaired blood flow did not have their memories or blood flow affected by the cocoa. The study also found no difference between regular hot cocoa and hot cocoa containing the antioxidant flavanol.

    “More work is needed to prove a link between cocoa, blood flow problems and cognitive decline,” said Dr. Paul Rosenberg, the director of the memory and Alzheimer’s treatment center at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. “But this is an important first step that could guide future studies.”

  • Marshmallow Hot-Chocolate Stirrers? Yes, Please

    I came across this awesome little tutorial today and loved the idea so much, I’m thinking of making them to package with hot chocolate and a cute mug for a Christmas gift. It’s easy, delicious, and kind of adorable (if you’re one who finds food adorable).

    What you’ll need:

    Peppermint sticks or candy canes
    Fat marshmallows
    Dipping chocolate
    White chocolate
    Christmas sprinkles
    Red food coloring
    Hot chocolate

    For prep:

    Mix melted white chocolate with a bit of red food coloring, set aside.

    To make:

    Take your peppermint stick (or the straight end of a candy cane) and push it through three marshmallows. Roll the marshmallows in melted dipping chocolate–or dip it using a deep mug–and lay on a sheet of wax paper. Immediately drizzle white and red chocolate on top, and top with sprinkles. Refrigerate for best results.

    These would make a cheap, fast, easy gift for a teacher when paired with an oversized mug and some sweetly-packaged hot chocolate. Love!

    (image)

    Images: MyCandyCrafts.Com/Kristan Roland