In a perfect world, Katherine Clapner of Dude, Sweet Chocolate and I would totally be BFFs. We would hang out, like, everyday…stuffing our faces silly with her wonderful chocolate creations while watching Lord of the Rings, spending hours planted in front of the X-Box, playing hackey-sack, and toilet-papering the neighbors’ houses. Then, the end of the day would go something like this:
“Hey Kath, would you whip me up some of your wonderful hot chocolate, pretty please?”
“It’s called drinking chocolate, you numb-skull, and what do I look like, your mom?”
“Well actually, if my mom had a few more tattoos…”
etc, etc…
Now, I don’t actually know if Katherine actually enjoys any of those things at all (aside from the chocolates bit), but I do know for sure, the woman makes the finest batch of hot cocoa you will ever let slide past your lips. If your idea of hot chocolate is some brown junk you mix with tap water and microwave with rock hard mini marshmallows, you have a lot to learn, my friend.
The luscious elixir they call “drinking chocolate” at Dude, Sweet Chocolate is an altogether ethereal drinking experience. A glorious brew of Valrhona cocoa, cane sugar, a touch of sea salt, and bits of a lustrous dark 72% chocolate. Never before have I tasted a chocolate drink as rich, as smooth, as densely chocolate as this wintertime treat concocted by Team Clapner. It’s so intensely chocolaty, that it’s probably the closest thing a person can get to simply downing a bowl of straight-up melted chocolate and still enjoy the experience.
Lazy drinkers can simply wander into Dude, Sweet and have the kind folks there mix you up your own mug to enjoy whilst wandering the streets of the Bishop Arts District. You can also bring a package home with you to brew up at your own convenience. Each batch is neatly packed with a bag of house-made vanilla bean marshmallows, just add whole milk, stir, sip and enjoy.
It’s getting colder outside, folks. And if you remember anything about last winter, you might want to get out and try this stuff before the entire city of Dallas becomes an ice skating rink again. You won’t be disappointed. Just tell Katherine that her best friend sent you.
(Want else to Eat Now? Follow me @deepinthegut)
