Madison, WIHot Chocolate

Madison Magazine describes shaved Colombian dark chocolate at this Atwood Avenue chocolatier, carrying notes of cherry, bitter almond and toasted marshmallow rather than a plain cocoa flavor. Gail Ambrosius has worked from single origin chocolate since opening the shop in 2004, built mainly around truffles and bars rather than a cafe menu. Order the shaved Colombian hot chocolate specifically, since the magazine frames the tasting notes as the reason to choose this shop's version over a simpler mix.

CocoVaa's Fine Couverture drinking chocolate is built on 72 percent dark chocolate, and Madison Magazine notes an unusual home trick for it: refrigerate the mix overnight so it solidifies, then whisk it back into a thick, cafe style consistency. Chocolatier Syovata Edari has built the shop into a James Beard Award semifinalist with dozens of Academy of Chocolate honors from London. The shop has since relocated from East Washington Avenue to Odana Court. Order the Fine Couverture on site rather than taking the mix home, for the thickest version of the drink.

Infusion Chocolates has poured drinking chocolate since it opened in 2008, and Madison Magazine highlights two versions built on the same 65 percent dark chocolate base. The Naturale is sweetened with muscovado sugar and given depth with Ceylon cinnamon, while the Mayan works the same chocolate against ancho, chipotle and pasilla chiles for a slow building heat. The shop sits on Monroe Street near Camp Randall. Order the Mayan for the chile heat, or the Naturale if a straighter, spice forward cup sounds better.

This Glenway Street shop pours spicy or regular hot chocolate, and Madison Magazine notes seasonal homemade marshmallows on the side when they are running. The independent, woman owned shop pairs its drinks with a gluten free house bakery and a full case of caramels and truffles near the Arboretum. Order the spicy version for the extra kick, and ask whether the homemade marshmallows are on that day, since the magazine records them as a seasonal add rather than a year round fixture.

This Oregon shop's drinking chocolate orbs are a praline-based powder sealed inside a pure chocolate shell, dropped whole into hot milk. The shop makes Swiss pralines in a storefront on Oregon's historic Main Street, a short drive south of Madison. Order an orb and watch the shell melt and release the praline powder.