On a chilly winter morning in January, the town square of a small village nestled amongst the snow-capped peaks was bustling with people. Today was their “Annual Hot Chocolate Contest”. The event was a beloved tradition, from local cafes to chefs, to home cooks, to children and elderly, everyone loved it.

Emma, a small bakery owner, was a first-time contestant this year and was very anxious about the competition. She wanted to promote her small business and also share her amazing hot chocolate recipe with the people. Days and nights were spent perfecting that recipe, which had a hint of smoky caramel and a sprinkle of edible gold dust.

“I really want that Golden Mug trophy! It would look so good in my bakery,” she excitedly told her mother.

“Emma, it’s great to be excited, but don’t let the trophy be your only validation. Enjoy your experience, dear,” her mother explained.

And with those parting words of advice from her mother, Emma made her way to the town square. As the contest began, the aroma of rich, velvety chocolate filled the air, creating a buzz of excitement among the children.

Soon enough, the contestants presented their hot chocolates to the judges. The hot chocolates were delicious and had a range of flavours, some were spicy with a cinnamon flavour, while some were creamy and sweet with a hint of vanilla.

Emma was worried, she knew that others had worked hard too and their creations looked great. She was especially worried about one contestant, Sarah. Sarah was known in town for her rich, dark chocolate infused with the essence of special hand-picked rare cocoa beans.

Emma bit her nails as the judges tasted each recipe one by one, and wrote down the scores. Soon it was time for the winner to be announced. Everyone held their breath as Marco’s name was announced. Emma’s heart plummeted. Everyone clapped and cheered. It took Emma some time to realise that the judges were naming the winners from third to first!

“And the winner of the Golden Mug is Emma!” the judges finally announced and Emma jumped with excitement. She had done it!

As she went to take her trophy, Sarah came to congratulate her, holding a silver cup for the second position.

“Congratulations, Em! The secret of truly making the best hot chocolate lies not in the recipe, but the passion and love one put into it,” Sarah said warmly.

Emma nodded with a smile as she agreed wholeheartedly with her.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 22nd, 2025