The appeal of chocolate covered strawberries appears to be universal. People of all ages, men and women, love this delicious, juicy treat. Whether enveloped in white, dark or milk chocolate, covered strawberries make an indulgent, special gift or dessert.

These succulent fruits spike in popularity around romantic holidays such as Valentine's Day. Many lovers exchange these instead of the trite box of chocolates. When used as a gift on a special occasion, they can signify class and a love of the finer things in life.

Chocolate covered strawberries are also the perfect accompaniment for Use in gift baskets of all sorts. Included with cheese, crackers and a lovely bottle of wine this type of basket is an ideal companion for a picnic, a special date, or an evening performance at an outdoor venue. Many event sites encourage guests to bring their own food, creating an upscale 'tail gating' atmosphere.

Nothing is more important to the success of this dessert than the choice of the strawberry. Not only should the fruit be large, it must be garden-fresh, flavorful and ripe. If the strawberries do not possess these qualities, the dessert itself will cause disenchantment and regret. Undersized, bland berries are responsible for more distress than one may be aware of! When the strawberry possesses all the essential characteristics that together make up perfection, one berry is all that is needed for dessert.

Next comes the chocolate. The quality of the chocolate is equally as important as the quality of the strawberry. The average store brand chocolate has very little chocolate to begin with, so these should be avoided. The type of chocolate used in fondue is better. It is much richer and can be found with a variety of creaminess. A milk chocolate can be made with real dark chocolate and fresh sweet cream. White chocolate can be used as well, and dark chocolate adds a slight bitterness to the overall flavor. There are many recipes that can be found to create excellent chocolate for dipping strawberries.

The preparation of the masterpiece will have a great affect on making it appealing to the eyes, for one must be visually stimulated by the appearance, before taking a chance at exciting the other senses. Using a long stemmed, perfectly-shaped strawberry that is dipped perfectly is of the utmost importance. The dip should only cover about 75% of the berry, leaving the top quarter and stem unblemished.

Use waxed paper to rest the dipped strawberries on immediately after you have dipped it in the melted chocolate. This will prevent the chocolate from sticking to the surface. Once the chocolate has solidified again, you can add toppings or additional chocolate. Many people like to drizzle a little white chocolate to give it an even better appearance.