Cleaning the strawberries: if yours are organically grown, put them in a colander and rinse thoroughly beneath cold running water, turning them now and then, then drain completely. If yours are conventionally grown, submerge them for 5 minutes in a mix of 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Rinse and drain completely in a colander.

Drying the strawberries: pat every berry thoroughly with paper towels, then leave them to keep drying as you melt the chocolate. Chocolate will not adhere to wet berries, and no water should get into the chocolate mixture.

Melting chocolate, microwave method: put the chocolate chips and coconut oil into a small microwave-safe mixing bowl. Warm in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring thoroughly after each burst, until smooth and melted.

Should the chocolate be runny, cool it just briefly so it thickens a little before you start dipping the berries.

Melting chocolate, stovetop method: put the chocolate chips and coconut oil into a heat-proof bowl (glass or stainless steel, for example) that rests securely over a saucepan.

Simmer about 1-inch of water in the saucepan, lower the heat to low, and set the chocolate bowl over the pan. Stir continuously while heating until the chocolate melts. Take it off the heat.

Dipping the strawberries: lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. One berry at a time, grasp it by the leaves and dip it into the melted chocolate, covering nearly up to the top. Tilt the bowl as needed so the chocolate pools to one side, and turn the berry to coat every side as needed.

Lift the berry and allow the excess chocolate to drip off, drag it along the bowl's inner edge to remove only part of the chocolate, then place it coated side down on the parchment paper (if using toppings, dip before moving it to the baking sheet).

Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Move the dipped strawberries to the refrigerator and let the chocolate set, about 15 minutes.

Storing the strawberries: keep them in a single layer inside an airtight container in the refrigerator; for best results, eat them within about 12 hours.