Arriving at home

No longer alone

From a day’s long work

That has few perks

“I’m home” I cry

Silence my only reply

No kids to trample me

No love saying “Hi Sweetie”

In all of the still quiet

My stomach growls like a riot

“Go to the kitchen and munch”

“You haven’t fed me since lunch”

Towards the kitchen I creep

The place seems asleep

What awaits as I enter

To quell my hunger bitter?

Behold on the counter

I was surprised to encounter

Something better than berries

A box of chocolate cherries

I picked up the box

And as sly as a fox

Fancied why they were here

Of course, a gift from my dear

I fingered the treasure

And smelled it with pleasure

Hidden inside I knew

Was nature’s best dew

My teeth pierced a bit

Through the chocolate

And out ran the juice

On my tongue like a noose

I ate another then another

Like a bear in the summer

And fell on the couch

As I filled my pouch

Then I saw in the box

Hitting me like a pox

Words on a note

That my honey had wrote

“Happy Birthday dear sister

Who I missed in December

I know you like to eat

This your favorite treat”

Shocked and confused

And not a whit amused

I ran out the door

To avoid a big war

I arrived at the store

And opened the door

Mrs. Cavanaugh’s smile

Was long as the Nile

“How do you do?

Would you like Nuts & Chews?

A toffee or cream—

What is your dream?”

“To save my life

From the hands of my wife

Cherry Cordials I need

In a hurry, I plead”

I made it back home

No reason to moan

Nobody was there

But I had to stare

At the cherries I ate

Man they were great

And my stomach was happy

It was time for a nappy.

Have you ever wondered how they put liquid cherry juice inside of chocolate covered cherries?  I remember as a kid thinking about different ways I would put the juice inside of chocolate covered cherries.  Whenever I would get chocolate covered cherries I would inspect them for a tiny hole.  I used to think that they would inject the juice into the cherry with a syringe, but I never could find a hole. 

The second idea I had as a youth on how to make chocolate covered cherries was they must make the liquid first.  Then after placing a cherry inside of a small mold they would fill the mold the rest of the way with the liquid.  Then I figured they must place it in the freezer and wait for the liquid to freeze.  When the juice was frozen inside the mold they would pop out the frozen cherries and dip them.  If you know anything about chocolate you cannot dip frozen products with really delicious silky smooth chocolate.  The frozen center would make the chocolate “bloom,” meaning the cocoa butter separates from the chocolate.  This makes the candy appear white and dull.

How chocolate-covered nuts are made is easy to figure out.  All they would have to do is mix chocolate and nuts together and drop them on a belt or in a cup and they are finished.  After working at Mrs. Cavanaugh’s Chocolates for over 20 years I will have to admit it is a little more difficult than that but it’s close enough.

As a youth I thought of other ways to make chocolate covered cherries but to save time for this article I will move forward with my story.  There are a couple ways we get the juice inside the chocolate shells.  One way is to heat up the secret ingredients in a crock pot until they became a liquid paste.  The cherries were dropped inside and scooped out.  The coated cherries were then placed on a wax paper covered tray until they reached room temperature and dried.  Once cool the cherries were twice dipped with chocolate.  (Dipping them twice would ensure the soon-to-be liquid would not leak.)  Once coated with chocolate, the secret ingredients would break down over the next few days and turn into cherry juice.

The second way we get the juice inside the cherry is by using a panning machine.  For those who have never seen a panning machine, it is round with a hole on one end and spins like a clothes dryer but is angled up slightly.  We first place the secret ingredients—a dry powder—in the spinning pan. Next we place moist cherries inside the pan.  The ingredients begin to evenly collect on the cherries.  While the pan is still rolling we spray secret liquid onto the cherries which allows additional powder to bond to the cherries.  When they reach the perfect size they are then removed from the pan and dipped twice with chocolate.

It’s obvious that as a youth I never did figure out the real way to make chocolate covered cherries but it was fun imagining.  If you have never tasted a Mrs. Cavanaugh’s Chocolate covered Cherry Cordial then you are missing out on one of life’s pleasures.  With one bite you can tell they are made with only the best ingredients money can buy.  As a word of advice—always be careful when taking your first bite or that wonderful juice might end up on your chin!

Your first decision it to try and decide between our delicious assortments of boxed chocolates for your valentine sweetheart.  It is hard choosing between our gourmet boxed chocolates.  Traditional, most famous, nut& chews, cavaliers and our world famous chocolate covered cherries are some of the selections.   

Your next choice is to create a box.  This will please your valentine and satisfy their craving of their favorite valentine day chocolate of their choice.  We added this new way to create a box with your favorite valentine chocolates just for you.  You can select up to four of your favorite chocolate pieces to create your valentine chocolates box.  We will carefully arrange them into your box just the way you want it.

One other great feature is the gift certificate portion of www.mrscavanaughs.com web site.  If you want your valentine to select their own valentine chocolate treats you can create a gift certificate in their name for any dollar amount.  Then they can log on and select their own favorite valentine chocolates from one of our gourmet boxed chocolates or the can create their own delicious valentine box with their favorite confections. 

If you want to taste the best valentine chocolates in the world you have arrive.  When you open your box the aroma alone will satisfy your taste buds.  After the first bite you will be hooked for life.  There is a difference in quality when you use fresh thick crème, real creamy butter and the best velvety smooth chocolate money can buy.  One taste of our gourmet boxed chocolates and you will never eat chocolate the same way again.  Mrs. Cavanaugh’s chocolates need to be eaten nice and slow so your taste buds can savor every flavor.  Our caramel is slow cooked to perfection giving it time to caramelize and bring out the caramel flavor in every bite. 

Valentine’s Day is around the corner but you have plenty of time logon to our new site at www.mrscavanaughs.com to find the perfect gift for your valentine sweet heart.  Give quality, give the best, give the gift delicious.