Alpine Cocoa: Verte Chaud

It's small rewards like the Verte Chaud that make the winter months pass by agreeably. While this herbal liqueur-spiked hot chocolate drink (translation: “hot green”) evokes the glamor of its origins—aprés-ski gatherings in the French Alps—it is just as suitable aprés-snow shoveling, aprés-commute or aprés-dinner.

Génépy (sometimes spelled Génépi) is a legendary alpine liqueur that dates back many hundreds of years. While comprised of a multitude of alpine herbs, the most prominent is Génépy, a petite variety of artemesia (often translated into English as “mountain sage”) found principally in the high mountains of the Savoy. Its bright herbal and fresh flavors have long been associated with the mountain air and adventure. In addition to its affinity for chocolate, it shines on the rocks or with tonic water, and is very welcome after a fondue. Using its own alembic still, Dolin has made this Génépy from local farmers’ herbs since its founding in 1821.

Be sure to use a good-quality hot cocoa in this recipe. Acclaimed pastry chef Jacques Torres has an especially good one. Salut!