Chocolate Covered Strawberries

• 12 large, ripe, vine strawberries, preferably with the stems still on, dried very well.
• 1/2 pound of your favorite semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate, coarsely chopped. (I suggest using Calibaut Belgian semi-sweet chocolate. It melts evenly to a smooth, creamy consistency, and it tastes very robust but not too sweet.)
• Toothpicks

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water. If you do not have a double boiler, use a heavy bottomed sauce pan over a very low flame, and stir often to avoid scalding. Remove from heat when no lumps remain.

Using a toothpick to hold the strawberries, dip them one at a time into the chocolate to about 3/4 up the side of the berry. Wipe excess off on the edge of the pan.

Place the other end of the toothpick into Styrofoam so that the strawberries can cool upside down. If you don't have Styrofoam, lay the strawberries carefully on the waxed paper. If the melted chocolate starts to thicken while you're working, slowly reheat it.

Refrigerate the chocolate covered strawberries until ready to serve.

Can it be prepared ahead of time? Yes, but these lovelies need to be eaten quickly because the strawberries will begin to rot inside the chocolate after about 24 hours. (Who could possibly stand to have them around that long anyway?)