Hot Chocolate: L.A. Burdick Thanksgiving Turkeys, Cocoa sets, Snowmen top list

By April MacIntyre Nov 7, 2011, 5:51 GMT

American-made confections from New England chocolatier Larry Burdick are the best artisan chocolates in the USA. Bold statement from someone in Southern California, home of See\'s Candies, but it\'s 100% true. photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C

Chocolate bender time is upon us. Yes, the Halloween slide into Thanksgiving and the ultimate goodie time of year: Hanukkah and Christmas, is officially here!

If you indulge in the cacao bean treat, go for the best.

American-made confections from New England chocolatier Larry Burdick are the best artisan chocolates in the USA. Bold statement from someone in Southern California, home of See's Candies, but it's 100% true.

If you have been bitterly disappointed in mail-order food gifts, especially from one that rhymes with Barry and Mavid, check out the amazing hand-made bonbons and little edible works of art from American artisan chocolatier L.A. Burdick Chocolates.

Burdick is one of the finest American chocolate houses that features a master chef, Michael Klug, transplanted from Germany.  Klug works alongside Larry Burdick, a Boston native, who has built a reputation as not only a superb chocolatier, but as an ethical businessman.

Burdick's is in business with the island nation of Grenada, and this arrangement allows cacao farmers to sell their crop direct so that they earn more money and have more control and resources to keep the farms organic and producing the best raw materials that Burdick's buys and uses in their handmade bonbons.

Another fabulous gift to give this time of year from Burdick is their Hot Cocoa deluxe gift. The present arrived beautifully wrapped and sealed, revealing an interior deep chocolate basket with gorgeous ribbon and a perfectly nested interior of their dark cocoa mix, cocoa powder, special organic chocolate truffle balls for shaving over a steaming cup of hot cocoa, plus a beautiful cup and saucer and mini whisk to make a frothy perfect serving. You can make the cocoa with hot almond milk or soy milk too if regular milk is hard on you.

GOURMET HOT CHOCOLATE

For a simple yet luxurious cup of hot chocolate, put 2-3oz of chocolate in a cup (more or less according to taste). While whisking, pour in 6-8oz of scalding milk. No sugar or sweetener needed.

Add a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon for a twist.

Half the milk and add ice to make a refreshing iced chocolate.

Burdick is also known for their handmade mice and this time of year, their petite snowmen and Thanksgiving Turkey chocolates too.

All of their hand-made chocolates are featured in beautiful wooden boxes with stunning ribbon and wax stamped seals. Attention to every detail and impeccable quality makes this one of our favorite made in the USA mail-order food companies to recommend to you.

http://www.burdickchocolate.com/ 

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