While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Are you cuckoo for cocoa? - December 12 is National Cocoa Day!

There isn't a much better way to unwind than fixing yourself a steaming cup of sweet hot cocoa, and today, you have an excuse to quaff away!

It's a well-known fact that we have the Mayans to thank for discovering cocoa and turning it into a beverage before it even became a popular confection. When the Europeans began adapting it to include in their society, it was even regarded as an acceptable dowry when members of the Spanish Royal Family married European aristocrats; cacao beans only grew in South America, so they were very expensive.

In 1657, the first Chocolate House, a precursor to the modern coffee shop, opened, serving up sweet hot chocolate for a hefty price. Since then, the drink has only evolved to become accessible for everyone.

So whip up some classic cocoa for yourself, or experiment with new twists by making cocoa nib meringues or getting a little wild on the savory side with this beef and spicy cocoa gravy recipe.