St. Patrick's Day gifts for the connoiseur: Burdick's Chocolate and Camacho Cigars impress

By April MacIntyre Mar 12, 2011, 2:41 GMT

March comes in like a Lion and sees St. Patrick\'s Day arrive on March 17, as Spring is peeping around the corner. This holiday that honors a man who drove the Druids to drink and the snakes to the sea, as he converted the Gaelic masses to Christianity, has his very special day.

The good things in life mean something differently to people, but most can agree fragrant hand-rolled cigars and really well done handmade chocolates are two of the finer things to savor.

Cigars for the men, and chocolate always for the ladies. Not exclusively of course, as many a lass will light up a stogie, and men love to indulge their inner chocoholic too.

March comes in like a Lion and sees St. Patrick's Day arrive on March 17, as Spring is peeping around the corner. This holiday honors a man who drove the Druids to drink and the snakes to the sea, as he converted the Gaelic masses to Christianity.

Not everyone wants to hang out in a pub. Many favorite memories of St. Patrick's Day meant a proper sit-down dinner at Jimmy's in Beverly Hills, dressed to the nines and toasting loved ones while traditional Irish music played.

We have some tried and true suggestions for gifts for the important executive or special man who is deserving, and for anyone who appreciates a thoughtful gift on St. Patrick's that is NOT green beer or a bagel. 

A favorite priest, Nun, Bishop or Cardinal? Or a parent, teacher, firefighter or boss?  Monsters and Critics has great holiday gift suggestions for you that are tested, and we heartily raise two thumbs up:

Camacho Cigars Connecticut

We adore Camacho Cigars, hand-rolled in the Honduras and run by an American company based in Miami. The Camacho Connecticut is the first and only Connecticut wrapped Camacho cigar.

Photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C

This smoke is a spicy, milder Connecticut wrapped cigar with a superb balance and signature Camacho body.  Filled of tobacco from Honduras and the Dominican Republic, this elegant cigar is presented in a stunning orange wood box and is available in six formats including the Monarca (50×5), Toro (50×6), our favorite -The Churchill (48×7), Figurado (54x42x61/8), 11/18 (48x54x48x6), and 60 x 6 (60×6).

Photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C

“We introduced the Camacho Connecticut in response to countless consumer and retail requests for a product on the other side of the strength spectrum,” said Dylan Austin, marketing director of Camacho Cigars.  “The Camacho Connecticut makes a great addition to our already superior line of premium and ultra-premium cigars.”

For more information please visit Camacho.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate- St. Patrick's Special Edition Chocolates

American artisan chocolates don't get any better. If you have not tried this New England company's hand-made truffles, bonbons and baked goods, you are missing out.

First, their presentation is unlike anything you have ever seen: Gorgeous wooden boxes wrapped in beautiful wired iridescent ribbon, filled with the perfect sized hand-cut (no molds are used) chocolates in the USA.

Bold statement, I know, but I have eaten chocolates in every state and I challenge anyone out there to best Burdick's offerings.

The Company is headed by founder Larry Burdick, his wife Paula Burdick, and Chocolate and Pastry Chef Michael Klug of Montabaur, Germany.

Larry hails from Boston, Massachusetts and learned his candy making craft in the late 1970s in France, and then the mid-1980s in Switzerland.

Coming back to the US, Larry established L.A. Burdick Chocolate in New York City in 1987, and the success of his door in the big city led him and his family back home to New England, setting up shop in Walpole, New Hampshire.

Together they have built a mini chocolate empire that reaches far away to Grenada, where Larry and his wife have partnered with local farmers to help them build wealth while Burdick's ensures the quality of their cacao product. 

Burdick's creates inspired collections for every holiday that comes. What goes with coffee in Ireland? The smokey, complex notes of premium Irish Whiskey, and they have infused the these flavors in their chocolate for a touch of Irish whimsy.  

The special St. Patrick's assortment includes Burdick's own "Caife Gaelach" - gourmet Irish Coffee bonbons made with dark chocolate, coffee, cream and Irish Whiskey, coated in white and dark chocolate resembling an Irish Coffee drink.

Photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C

Their special reasonably priced chocolate collections includes the Irish Whiskey truffles, dusted in extra-fine cocoa powder and Irish Coffee bonbons made from dark chocolate, coffee, cream and Irish Whiskey.

Photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C

These confections are coated in white chocolate, then again halfway in dark chocolate and sprinkled with coffee. Addictive and a stunning green ribbon-wrapped gift box makes this a top 'o' the list gift for anyone you want to make an impression with.

Photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C

Each St. Patty's collection includes three (3) of their Shamrock cookies, delectable pistachio-citrus shortbread cookies, half-dipped in dark chocolate.

These Made in the USA chocolates will only be available for shipping March 3-18, 2011. 

Hear Larry Burdick talk to NHPR about partnering with Grenada to make a chocolate factory where the crop is grown, so cool:  RADIO_INTERVIEW

BUY  BURDICK'S

April MacIntyre is Monsters and Critics' smallscreen and people/celebrity editor who loves to visit and celebrate small American businesses when she can. You can contact her on Twitter