One Christmas break, I tried to educate my southern brother-in-law on the trendy food fad of chocolate-covered bacon. Unfortunately, my attempt to recreate the amazing combination of salty meat and sweet chocolate was foiled by using hickory smoked bacon. But I am giving it another go this year: he is getting Vosges Mo’s Bacon Choco Chip Pancake Mix in his stocking. There is no better setting for mixing flavors than in an all-natural buttermilk pancake (the secret is Vosges Chocolates’ famous Mo
Bacon Bar chips). Breakfast experiences combining maple syrup and sausage have taught us that.

16oz pancake mix, $16.50 at Fred Flare