It was my buddy Richard’s last day in NYC and, as he’s a foodie, he recommended we head over to Max Brenner’s chocolate bar just off of Union Square.  It’s an interesting place because it sells chocolate as an “experience”.

For example, the cups above are called “hugmugs” and are meant to be cupped (sorry for the bad pun) with both hands.  They’re asymmetrical and are designed to be the best possible way to consume hot chocolate.  In the company’s words:

...a specially designed mug for the chocolate drinking ceremony.  The mug is shaped specially for hugging in both hands so that it creates the ultimate drinking experience of coziness, warmth and fragrance.

And yes, the chocolate does taste good enough to justify that marketing bombast.

Here’s another interesting product:

It’s a cup for serving a shot of liquid chocolate.  A small candle keeps the chocolate melted and you drink it out of a metal straw.  It’s more than enough to justify the $4 price for a drink.