Coffee & Chocolates

Occasionally friends stop by for a quick visit. Most of the time the visitors are expected, but once in a bit they just get it in their heads to stop unexpectedly. That works too! I always offer them coffee or tea, unless it is in the evening and then that’s not often welcomed. During the day, however, coffee or tea rules. The problem I have is that I rarely have anything to go with the coffee. I don’t usually have extra baked goods just sitting about to offer them with their coffee. Perhaps a bit old-fashioned, but I think you should always have something sweet to serve guests with their coffee, and graham crackers are a bad idea! But what I do have is chocolate! Nearly everyone loves chocolate. And yes, a bit of chocolate goes well with coffee. I watch for sales on boxed chocolates, or if lucky am given a beautiful box as a gift. We nibble at a few and then need them out of sight or somehow they just disappear. (Darn those chocolate-loving pests!) The solution? Freeze them! I pop them in the freezer and make sure they are frozen rock-hard. The next day I put the frozen chocolates in a bag I can vacuum seal so they last a long time without discoloring. I freeze them in batches of four or six chocolates per bag.  Company comes and I quickly pull them out, place two or three with the coffee or tea, and everyone is happy. They thaw incredibly fast so I just pop them on the saucer alongside the cup. I never ask if the chocolates are wanted. I just put them alongside the cup. More often than not the chocolates are a pleasant surprise. The chocolates are a bit different, a bit luxurious, and just a bit memorable.