Here’s a new little local business we should mention before the snow melts. The Packingham family in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood decided to attempt to develop “the best cocoa mix on the planet.” The result is Mike & Jen’s Cocoa Mixes. Mike is 14; Jen is 10. Their father Dean explains:

“We just started it around Christmas to cope with my ex-father-in-law’s cancer diagnosis, taking orders off Facebook. Next thing you know, my friend in Denmark offered to create the graphics and the label for free (the artist is famous for her work with Bella Sara cards — a line of girl’s trading cards that my daughter was so into when she was younger).

“My father-in-law was able to get the first bag at Christmas and it was very emotional. It also gave him a pick me up, and he asks about it all the time.”

So, has anyone out there tried it yet? Or are you all too bloated from Tom & Jerrys to mix things up with a little hot cocoa?