Anyone who's spent more than a day or two with me would be fully aware that I love chocolate above nearly all else in this world. And on a chilly winter day, the kind I experienced often in Eastern Europe, the best thing to keep my mood high was to be able to drink a good mug of hot chocolate. And the best hot chocolate in the world - yes, the best in the world, I'm telling you - is made at a small shop called Čokolada in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic.

I remember my first visit to Čokolada like it was yesterday. It was my first outing with Zitka, a student of mine in Bratislava who quickly became one of my best friends. She'd already understood that I loved chocolate and cleverly knew exactly where to take me. The small Čokolada shop is in the Old Town of Bratislava, not far from Saint Michael's Gate. From the outside, it looks just like a small chocolatier, selling fancy pralines at an expensive price. But if you're lucky enough to get a table inside (or outside in summer), you're in for a truly heavenly treat.

The kinds of hot chocolates they make at Čokolada are not your average cocoa and milk mix. No, these are made from liquid chocolate, mixed with amazing ingredients to give your tastebuds an incredible experience. The menu of hot chocolates is some thirty varieties long, and choosing what you want is a real challenge. I don't remember what kind of hot chocolate I drank (or ate, really, as they're so thick) on that first occasion - I remember Zitka's included chilli powder, though - but I can tell you the combination that soon became my favorite. My hot chocolate of choice is the Sudanska, a combination of melted chocolate, whipped cream, real orange pieces, honey and shredded coconut. My mouth is watering just typing these words.

During my time teaching in Bratislava, I frequented Čokolada as often as possible, and whenever anyone came to visit me in Slovakia, a trip here was a compulsory part of my sightseeing tours. After I moved away from Bratislava, I returned often to meet up with friends or as a day trip while visiting Vienna. Perhaps it goes without saying that every time I'm there I visit Čokolada, and I have also directed several friends there who've visited Bratislava without me. Nobody has been disappointed, although those without particularly sweet tooths do sometimes tell me they couldn't finish the rich drink. Please do me a favour and try it for yourself: you'll find Čokolada at Michalska 6, Bratislava, and you won't regret it.