Chocolate Gravy!

"Would you like some chocolate gravy?" my great aunt asked my brother and me.  We along with our mother were visiting our Oklahoma relatives for the summer.  I was 9 and my brother was 7.  This particular time we stayed the night at Great Aunt Imogene's house along with a whole passel of cousins our age.  Everyone at this house were strangers to us and we were there for the summer to get to know everyone.  Again, she asked us, "Would you like some chocolate gravy?"  My brother and I looked at each other with giant grins that said "Who wouldn't want chocolate gravy!"  We said, "Yes please!"  We had never heard of chocolate gravy, but it sounded glorious.  My mother is a great cook and she makes terrific gravy, chicken, beef, cream, giblet, but never chocolate gravy.  Not only were we getting to know our extend family, but a way of life we had never experienced.

There were probably 10 of us cousins sitting around a couple tables pushed together.  We had pancakes with Chocolate gravy.  It was as wonderful as we thought.  The other cousins couldn't believe we had never had it.  They had it every weekend.

We had a wonderful summer in Oklahoma, but when it was time for school to start back home to Michigan we went.  Oddly, chocolate gravy was never spoken of ever again.

Fast forward nearly 30 years and I have kids of my own.  Some how the memory of chocolate gravy came up and I knew I wanted to find a recipe.  I went online and many searches and studying of recipes I decided on one I thought would make a gravy like my childhood memory.  My son was having a sleep over that weekend and I thought what a perfect time to try it out.

I made the chocolate gravy and it turned out just as great as I remembered it.  I then went on to make pancakes.  By this time all the boys were awake and at the table.  I asked them, "Would you like chocolate gravy on your pancakes?"  Four little faces turned and gave me that look I knew my brother and I had to given our Great Aunt Imogene.  That expression that says "what the heck are you talking about and heck yes" all in one look.  It was precious.

Great on biscuits too.

Many pancakes and many ladels of chocolate gravy later they were all full and thought it was the greatest stuff they'd every eaten.  One of the 10 year boys liked to cook.  He immediately after breakfast asked if he could have the recipe.  I gave him the recipe, a blank card and a pencil.  I thought he might like it in his own hand writing.  Later that afternoon one of the boys' mother called and said her son wanted her to get the recipe for chocolate gravy.  She said "chocolate gravy" like she was asking for a unicorn.  I assured her it was a real recipe.

The next day the final boy called.  I asked if he wanted the recipe and he said yes.  I told him I'd give it to his mom when I saw her at school.  He said, "No, my mom doesn't cook, but can I give your telephone number to my grandmother?"  A few minutes later Grandma called laughing saying she's supposed to get a recipe for chocolate gravy.

Great with sliced bananas too.

Chocolate Gravy

2 T butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa

Add butter and flour to pan on medium heat.  Stir until incorporated.  Add milk, sugar and cocoa.  Whisk until thick.  Serve with biscuits, pancakes and/or waffles.