I haven’t published in a while. I apologies. Here is a little review to tide you over!

When I asked my mother if she had any hot chocolate, I was thinking of mix to which you add water. Instead, she produced a mug of self-heating hot cocoa from Hillside which is a bit confusing at first sight. Indeed, Mom first tried to open the top of the can which is like a soda can to no avail. After looking at the directions which are on the back of the can (not to mention a big arrow on the front which tells you to push the button on the bottom) we are well on the way.

Hillside’s self heating products come in several styles and flavours ranging from tomato soup to french vanilla coffee to hot chocolate with marshmallow, which is what I tried. It’s really not as hard to make as it seems. flip over the can and peel off a metal cover from the bottom. Push the white plastic button in the center and the “green liquid” will drain. wait a dozen seconds, flip the cup back over and let it sit for 5 to 8 minutes. There is a dot on the side of the can which will turn from pink to white when the drink is ready.

It worked perfectly, once we understood how to do it. And Hillside’s hot cocoa tastes pretty good. It wasn’t the best hot cocoa I have ever had but I would likely say it was in the top 25%. I like it because it’s really convenient and I think it would make a great hot drink for any outdoors activity like hunting, fishing or camping, especially because it doesn’t need any external heat or water. However, for an at-home treat, I would stick to regular cocoa mix.

I would warn that this drink gets extremely hot. I’m not sure if you can open it before the 8 minutes and it will be cooler but I would let it cool off a bit. The can gets quite warm which would work well to keep your hands hot. However, the drink cannot be poured in another container because it is so hot. The can is created to manage the heat comfortably.

I also though that it took a bit long to make. In 8 minutes, I could make a dozen traditional hot cocoas out of the powdered mixed. This is a drink you’ll need to plan for.

Nevertheless, this is a tasty treat I would try again, especially if I were outside in the cold.

Helpful Hint: Hillside self heating drinks can double as hand warmers!