Tips: Use only perfect, unblemished berries for this, the largest ones you can find. (If your berries aren't as large as mine, it means only that you'll be able to dip more in this amount of chocolate.) These are not good keepers; they'll keep overnight under refrigeration, but that's an outer limit, so plan accordingly. I place the finished berries in individual candy or muffin cups (depending on their size). You MUST use top-quality chocolate for these.

• 12 very large, unblemished strawberries with leaves on (you can buy berries with the stems as well as the leaves on, but I think they're too expensive)
• 3 ozs. best-quality semisweet OR bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. solid vegetable shortening, divided
• 3 ozs. best-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

Wash berries briefly under cold running water. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Set out on a cooling rack covered with a double layer of paper towels; let stand at cool room temperature (not in the refrigerator) for at least 30 minutes.

After about 15 minutes, combine semisweet chocolate with 1/2 tsp. shortening in small heatproof bowl. Set over simmering water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl); stir often until smooth. Remove from heat and hot water; let stand at room temperature until barely warm, stirring occasionally. Repeat process with chopped white chocolate and remaining shortening, melting over warm water on low heat and pressing out any lumps in white chocolate with back of spoon.

To dip berries, have ready a foil- or wax paper-lined tray or baking sheet. You'll need a small container; it should be about as deep as the longest berry's length, but not much deeper. In addition, it must be wide enough to enable you to dip the berries almost up to their leaves. (I use a wide, short drinking glass.) When both melted chocolates are barely warm, turn half of the semisweet chocolate into this container. Top with a layer of half the melted white chocolate. Repeat with remaining melted chocolate to form four layers; do not stir. Hold one berry by the leaves and dip straight down into the chocolate so that only a thin stripe of the red berry shows between the chocolate coating and the leaves. With berry still in the chocolate and still being held straight down, rotate it about 90 degrees in either direction to cause the striping in the chocolate pattern to curve slightly. Remove berry from chocolate, allowing any excess to drip back into container, and place on its side on foil-lined tray. Repeat with remaining berries until all are dipped. (Berries dipped at beginning will show more of a "patch" effect in chocolate coating; those dipped at the end will show less striping as the two chocolates begin to blend.) Chill berries until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes. Carefully peel berries from foil (use a piece of paper towel to do so--your fingers might leave prints or smudges on the chocolate). Serve immediately or chill until needed.

12 berries

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