By Rico Diego
Unless you have never stepped foot outside in the past week, it’s cold! It is no shock that the weather is starting to get colder, and now we are all looking for ways to stay warm. One way that you’ll be able to stay warm is by drinking some hot cocoa, but let’s be honest it can get boring with the same old same old. Straws found a way around this by providing flavored hot chocolate. Now, obviously, as a wrestler in season I did the most logical thing to provide the most insight — I tried every single flavor.
MUST HAVES
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Ok, I really loved this flavor. The flavor was rich, but not overpowering and not artificial. If you’ve ever had chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, then you’ve already had a tiny taste of Straws’ wonderful hot chocolate. The best part about this flavor is that it is a sugar free option.
French Vanilla
The French vanilla flavor was such a tasty flavor. It mixed well with the hot chocolate, wasn’t overpowering, and most important of all it accented the hot chocolate. When it comes to adding flavors to drinks, they clash. This did not clash at all with the hot chocolate and definitely made you want to get another cup of hot chocolate.
Gingerbread
The gingerbread flavoring was another one that I did not think that I would like. I am a fan of the cookie; however, when it comes to the drink, that’s when I get a little bit skeptical. The best way for me to put this into words is like this: Have you ever fully submerged your cookies into milk and let the milk absorb the flavor? That is what you are drinking when you have the gingerbread flavor. The artificial flavoring is not present and you would think that Straws dipped actually gingerbread cookies into their hot chocolates.
MUST AVOID
This section is not to bash on Straws at all, but just to help you make sure you get your money’s worth on a hot chocolate.
Peanut Butter
I know what you are thinking — “Rico, chocolate, and peanut butter go together. Rico, you literally buy a jar of peanut butter once a week!” Trust me: this is not the same. I tried it and honestly was shocked that I did not like this flavor. I love peanut butter — crunchy, the best kind, obviously — but this will ruin your hot chocolate experience. It is disgusting and does not taste like peanut butter one single bit.
Cinnamon
This flavor left a bad aftertaste in my mouth. It reminded me of the hot tamale candy, and it tasted superficial. You just knew that there was some chemical lab making science in this flavor. I didn’t like it, but if you like your hot chocolate tasting like a hot tamale candy, then go for it.
Personal Remarks
I love hot chocolate, especially when it’s cold outside. Nothing is better than hot chocolate on a cold day. My personal favorite is a Mexican brand named, “Abuelita.” I make it with a half and half and then drop the chunk of chocolate bar into the simmering liquid. Straws help to fill that need and add a little extra sweetness to it. If you think that there’s a better flavor — or worse flavor — let us know.
Hot Cocoa Season at Straws was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
