Instructions: Place cocoa, sugar, almonds, cinnamon and cloves in food processor or spice mill and grind to a fine powder. Add chocolate and grind it in as well.

Transfer mixture to heavy saucepan and whisk in about 1 cup of the nonfat milk (enough to make a paste). Turn heat to high and gradually add remaining nonfat milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, almond extract and salt and whisk well.

Bring mixture to boil, whisking steadily. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes.

Strain chocolate into a pitcher and with a whisk**, mix until frothy. Pour drink into cups and serve immediately.

Note: To toast nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to brown. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to scorch them.

[]**Some of us are fortunate enough to have a molinillo for this task. It is a
beautifully carved and ornate wooden frothing instrument. Mine is so pretty, I
dont want to get chocolate and/or milk on it, so it just decorates my countertop!

Once at a Gathering of Friends, I put it on display with a paper, suggesting that
each guest take a guess at what it is. (My Mexican friend, Esme, was not per- mitted to guess - she is the one who gave me that bit of beauty.) There were many interesting guesses, the best one being "an icon used in a religious ritual."[]

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