Sharing the Spirit

Posted by Stan Harrington

In keeping with the tradition of Christmas, this 12th day before Christmas, I would like to share with you, my very first Cherry Chocolate of the Christmas Season. I acquired my initial seasonal shipment today.

The Cherry Chocolate is my favorite Christmas candy, by closure of the Christmas Season, I will have consumed several hundred of this fine chocolate morsels, filled with a liquid center and Maraschino Cherry. The way to my heart is a box of Cherry Chocolates.

There is an art to the consumption of a Cherry Chocolate, it is not the type of candy that you pop in your mouth and chomp down. To do this is like drinking a fine champagne out of a paper cup. If you have not indulged in this Christmas delicacy, I will share the secrets of properly finding the full savory satisfaction of a cherry encased in chocolate.

Savoring #1: With the chocolate at room temperature, locate the most pronounced edge of the chocolate. Keep in mind that you want to savor the flavor, so very lightly nibble at the edge until a small hole is created in the chocolate. The small hole will allow the liquid center to drain slowly into your mouth. Upon draining, enlarge the hole enough that the cherry will be accessible, retrieve the cherry, roll it three or four times in your mouth, but prior to biting down, insert the chocolate into your mouth and enjoy the mixture of the cherry and chocolate flavor.

Savoring #2: With the chocolate at room temperature, placed the entire chocolate into your mouth. Holding the chocolate in your mouth, recline your head backward to a comfortable position. Let the warmth of your mouth and your tongue slowly melt the chocolate, releasing the fluid center, cherry, and melted chocolate at the same time. During this process, the sense of taste is heightened by closing your eyes.

Savoring #3: I reference this method of enjoying a Cherry Chocolate as the "Finnish Method". The name used is in reference to the way that those from Finland enjoy their coffee by placing a sugar cube in their mouth prior to taking a drink of coffee. The Cherry Chocolate may be used in a similar fashion, place the entire Cherry Chocolate in your mouth and then take a drink of coffee, insuring that the coffee temperature is at a drinkable temperature to avoid scalding your mouth and swallowing the Cherry Chocolate which could result in choking. If you hold the coffee in your mouth, it will melt the chocolate subsequently giving you a flavor of coffee, chocolate, sugar and cherry. Insure that you have a sufficient amount of Cherry Chocolates, allowing yourself a box of one dozen per cup of coffee.

Savoring #4: This method of enjoying a Cherry Chocolate is what I reference as the "Shooter" method. Additional items should be acquired prior to enjoying this method. One of those is a legal hypodermic needle and several ounces of either Rum, Brandy, or Cherry Cordial. Draw one half ounce of your favorite alcohol into the barrel of the hyperdermic needle. I have found that if you heat the tip of the needle, prior to the insertion into the chocolate, it will easily penetrate the chocolate without breaking the chocolate and seal the hole when you withdraw the needle. Once, the Cherry Chocolate is filled with your favorite beverage, savor the flavors using the method as described in Savoring #2. It is recommended that you "shoot up" at least a dozen chocolates prior to consumption, by doing this you will not have to pause between chocolates. WARNING: After consumption of a minimum of six "shooters" you should not drive nor operate any type of equipment and if you are pregnant or nursing, you should refrain from enjoying "shooters".

To fully enjoy the Cherry Chocolate fantasy, it is recommended that you do so under low light conditions which makes the Christmas Season ideal with just the lights of the Christmas tree being utilized. To increase the mental sense as well as the sense of taste, a light musical background is also recommended such as classic Christmas music or a variety of classical music. You should never attempt to fully enjoy the savoring of Cherry Chocolates when other distractions such as the televisions, loud noises, and vacuum cleaners are being utilized in the background. Cherry Chocolates can also be a very enjoyable on long driving trips, however, I have found that on a 200 mile road trip from LA to Anchor Point, I will consume a minimum of six boxes. It is not recommended that you use Savoring #2 method while driving.

Although, I prefer Milk Chocolate style Cherry Chocolates, the Dark Chocolate are a very close second. Proper care of the Cherry Chocolate is very important. They should never be frozen and stored at room temperature. If it is not your intention to consume the entire box at one sitting, the remaining chocolates should be placed in a humadoir with a slice of apple to provide adequate moisture.

The great thing about the Cherry Chocolate, there are so many ways to savor the flavor, it is my quest to discover all of these fantasies.

This entry was posted on December 12, 2006 at Tuesday, December 12, 2006 . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

5 comments

desert winds

Wow......and here I thought it was just another piece of candy. If consuming a simple piece of chocolate has this many possibilities then I have to wonder what you do with a ginger bread man/woman.

12/12/06, 2:42 PM

Heidi

Although you have seemed to thoroughly explore this topic, I have found that you have forgotten some most important details. I too enjoy chocolate cherry leisurely activities, but your first step is to explore your options, like a great wine each chocolate covered cherry must be appropriately aged. You must select the proper chocolate covered cherry for your specific tastes, I also prefer the milk chocolate to the dark, for it is the more casual of the two. Queen Annes would my brand of choice, for I find that the center liquids are clear and not chalky. A good box of Cherries can run from $.99 to $3.00, I find the cheaper the better, I can consume more for my money.
As for the consumption of a Chocolate Covered Cherry, you, like most men have forgotten the foreplay method. Foreplay method is most important in many aspects of life; you must adequately build the anticipation of final consumption. Your fist step is to bite of the flat side of the Chocolate Covered Cherry, or the bottom. As the chocolate melts slowly and leisurely in your mouth, lick or drink the sweetness out of the center with your tongue. Be extra careful not to let it over flow, for things can get a little sticky. When you have removed enough of the liquids contained in side, gently scoop the cherry from the middle and finish off the the chocolate cup.
I only have one complaint for the manufactures of these delicacies, their label must be misprinted, it should say “serving size: 1 box”…..

12/12/06, 8:31 PM

Stan Harrington

Good to see you comemnting "Breezy", do not even get me started on ginger bread men, although I am not a male chauvenist, there is no such thing as a ginger bread woamn. They do not even make a cookie cutter in the shape of a woman, would require to many curves and protrusions. All poems and stories about "ginger bread" is always in the male gender, please do not take that away from us, we are sharing most everything else with the female gender. do have big Christmas plans - going south to see your folks?

12/12/06, 10:13 PM

Stan Harrington

After reading my youngest daughters comments, the sage old saying "the acorn does not fall from the tree" is valid. The savoring method you described is one of my normal routine and is the typical method of enjoying a cherry chocolate. You know there is a way to make your own Cherry Chocolates, but I have never discovered the secret and for the price of them - why bother. Perhaps, while they are available we shouod buy several cases so you and I will have some for the camping season. Others in the family can fend for them selves. Brother Tad was also a Cherry Chocolate fanatic and like most of us, did not like to share. One night after Tad and Jane had went to bed, Jane woke up to hear Tad eating something, she pulled back the covers and he had his Cherry Chocolates laying on his stomach, trying to eat all them without anyone knowing. I can relate to that!

12/12/06, 10:22 PM

desert winds

Sick I tell you.....that's just sick!

Although she does sort of resemble a troll I have a ginger bread WOMAN cookie cutter..... Never let it be said that we don't keep with the times here is Wamsutter!

I am going to try to get down to Colorado between now and Christmas and then will spend a week there between the holidays as well. Dad needs all of the support he can get..... things aren't looking very good there anymore.

12/13/06, 3:48 PM