“Well, pretty much we just shave the chocolate bars into the bag,” the counter server told me as I stood in the New York City branch of L.A. Burdick on East 20th Street in the Flatiron District. What could I do? I burst out laughing…it was such a short and charming thing to say. My first experience of Burdick’s was at its shop in Walpole, New Hampshire; since then they’ve opened two additional branches in Boston. The chocolate is first-rate, whether bars, individual pieces or bags of hot chocolate powder, all of it sourced with excellent cacao beans worldwide. If you’re looking for holiday gifts, I recommend the chocolates made in the shape of adorable mice or the bags of hot chocolate mix. — Faith
