50 Cotton balls, plain

OR Cotton wool, 3 by 6 feet 2 lb Bittersweet chocolate

1/2 c Liqueur, any favorite

-[optional] If starting from cotton wool, divide it into about 50 pieces, making sure they are well formed, round, and the rough edges have been worked back into the mass to make a smooth surface. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler being careful not to get any water in the chocolate. In batches of about ten put the balls of cotton on a fine rack or grate. Sprinkle with the liqueur if you're using it. [Be careful! Too much will overpower the other flavors.] Slowly pour enough chocolate over each ball of cotton to coat it thoroughly, letting excess drip off. Allow the chocolate coating to cool before taking the chocolate covered cotton from the rack. Keep stored in a closed container in a cool place away from light. Munitions boxes work well for this. NOTES: * Chocolate covered cotton -- This is a recipe I invented after I had cornered the cotton market and couldn't get rid of the stuff. While good orlon can be substituted for the cotton, the resulting product won't have the same flavor or texture as the real thing. Your friends will be able to tell that you've been skimping. Egyptian cotton works best. Yield: About fifty servings. * As a special cold-weather treat, use wool instead of cotton. : Difficulty: moderate. : Time: 2 hours. : Precision: no need to measure. : Milo Minderbinder : M&M Enterprises : milo@glacier : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust