1. Grate 2 ounces of a quality chocolate bar in the 40% to 50% cacao range.
2. Brew 3 ounces of chai tea for 5 minutes in a cup of boiling water. Strain into a quart vessel, pressing a spoon against the leaves to extract the most tea.
3. Simmer a cup of whole milk over medium heat and add to the tea, then add the chocolate.
4. Mix with an immersion blender until the chocolate has melted.
5. Pour into cups; warm briefly in the microwave if you want it piping hot.

Serves two.

Spice up your hot chocolate. Photo
courtesy Recchiuti.com.

• Find more hot chocolate recipes and great information in our Hot Chocolate Section. (What’s the difference between cocoa and hot chocolate…between dutched and undutched?)
• See our review of more than 60 hot chocolate brands.
• See our review of the fine chocolates of Recchiuti Confections, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

DJ AM’s Toffee Mix, the late DJ’s favorite
flavor. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE
NIBBLE.

We figured that if [names of well-known stores withheld for the sake of good public relations] put them on the shelves, they had to be good. We would like to introduce these retailers—and every retailer—to Milk & Krunchies, a company that knows how to do it right.

As you can guess, when the charming box of pretty gourmet rice crispy treats arrived from Milk & Krunchies (the revised spellings steer clear of Kellogg’s trademark), we did not rush to devour them. But once we began, we couldn’t stop. These delicious updates of the classics, in basic and three flavor, with more on the way, are classy snacks and gifts.

• Join us as we revisit Rice Krispies Treats, now a crispy adult treat that you may elect to share with deserving children—if you feel you can spare a bite. Read the full review.

• Find more of our favorite cookies and snacks.

To the rescue comes GreenValleyChristmasTrees.com, to put the scent back in Christmas while saving you the schlep. Many of us buy everything else online from the comfort of our desk chairs, so why not the tree?

But even better, these are the highest quality trees (think perfect shape and no bald spots) hand-harvested on the same day they are shipped. You can’t get a fresher tree anywhere without your own saw, say the folks at Green Valley Christmas Trees, who grow premium Fraser Fir, Noble Fir and White Pine Christmas trees.

Your tree will arrive via FedEx: no driving, no traffic, no crowds, no hassle, no heavy lifting and no scratches on the car. If only the rest of the holidays were this easy.

For people who “have everything” (like your parents), a fresh-cut Christmas tree makes a great holiday gift.

Fresh-cut for you. Not just a beautiful Fraser
Fir, but fragrant. Photo courtesy of GreenValleyChristmasTrees.com.

Black truffle butter and white truffle
butter on bread: a heavenly snack! Photo by
Melody Lan | THE NIBBLE.

D’Artagnan’s truffle butter is our favorite little indulgence. For the price of a cocktail, you can have a three-ounce tub of precious, sweet butter, chock-full of black or white truffle pieces. It’s as satisfying as a truffle dish.

We spread it on French rolls or a fresh baguette and are ecstatic. Try it as an hors d’oeuvre with wine.

Or, toss truffle butter with angel hair pasta, add it to a baked potato and butter your vegetables. Put a tablespoon in sauces and create masterpieces. You’ll be in truffle heaven for about $10.

• Read our review of D’Artagnan truffle butter, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

• Soft, buttery caramels from Indulge Caramels, in 13 flavors.
• Ghost chile chocolate bars from Lillie Belle Farms that are the hottest and best we’ve had.
• A set of three Angel Chocolate Bars, each wrapper with a different lovely angel painting by the chocolatier, Joy di Vita.
• And more.

Check out our “Under $15.00” Chocolate Gifts list.

Fruit cups, filled with white chocolate ganache
in boysenberry, lemon and strawberry, from
Lillie Belle Farms. Photo courtesy of Foodzie.com.