B&B - Fangirling over pumpkin mocha breve

Well, I included Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell on my puppies and coffee Tuesday Book Recs list in March, and then I couldn't get it out of my brain. I was on some crummy meds for a bit, and both taking them and coming off of them ended up being a challenging journey, so I decided to do another Fangirl reread while I was laying around on the couch "on standby for feeling better," as my husband put it. And if I'm going to do a reread, why not also attempt making Levi's pumpkin mocha breve?  Disclaimer: I am NOT skilled when it comes to making coffee drinks. I can use a French press, I can somewhat pull off a cappuccino, but the skills end there. I managed to find three recipes, though, and I tested them all to ensure I was drinking the best version of Levi's signature concoction possible, within my limited skillset.

So, recipes! First off, we have an espresso-based drink modified from witchy-kitchen.com. I brewed a double shot of espresso, combined it with one tablespoon of cocoa powder, one tablespoon pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sugar, and then added steamed milk. This option was...ok. It was not as sweet as the others, so if you're not a fan of sweet coffee drinks but looking for something with a little flavor, it might be a good option. My biggest issue was that the spices didn't want to fully incorporate, so it was a tiny bit gritty. I take full blame for that. 😂

Next up is a chai-based option inspired by a Starbucks version shared on fanbows.tumblr.com. I do not have access to a Starbucks or any of their resources, so I had to improvise. I used a masala chai concentrate as a base, heated it up on the stove, and combined it with a spoonful of pumpkin puree, some pumpkin spice, and chocolate sauce. Fill a mug a little less than halfway with this concoction, then add steamed milk. Fair warning, this option is super sweet, and (shocker) very chai-y. Tasty, though!

And finally, a combination chai/espresso courtesy of rivermoosebooks.wordpress.com. I included a spoonful of pumpkin puree along with the spices and such, and I omitted the whipped cream and sprinkling of cinnamon and cocoa powder, but otherwise I followed their recipe. This one was good but very chocolatey. If you're not looking for as much chocolate, you can dial the cocoa powder back a bit, or if you're doing what I did and taste-testing multiple recipes, you can top off the chai-based drink above with some of this for the perfect combination. 

B&B - Three Dark Crowns with a side of biscotti

My book club has been reading the Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake since December. In this series, the island of Fennbirn is ruled by one queen, chosen from a set of triplets born to the previous queen. Typically, each triplet is born with special abilities - one is a poisoner, able to consume poisons without ill effects and wield them against others with expertise; another is a naturalist, gifted with a familiar and able to grow plants and influence animals; and the third is an elemental, able to control wind, water, fire, etc. Their sixteenth birthday begins what is known as the Ascension, a year in which each sister fights for the throne...to the death. Last triplet standing gets the crown.

If you're thinking, "wow, this sounds dark and intense!" Well...you're not wrong. It's also gripping and keeps you on the edge of your seat. And while Pietyr, the unofficial consort to poisoner Queen Katharine, is partial to hemlock biscuits, I can't snack on poison while I read, so for this first Books & Bites post, I decided to go for some chocolate almond biscotti instead.

I modified the chocolate biscotti recipe from Kristine's Kitchen, omitting the chocolate chips and nuts and subbing two teaspoons of almond extract for the one teaspoon of vanilla. They're no hemlock biscuit, but for a non-poisoner like me, I find a couple pieces of these biscotti and a mug of hot chocolate to be the perfect accompaniment to the final book of this series.