Today is National Chocolate Covered Cherries Day. Remember those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups commercials from the early 80s, where there’s a guy walking down the street eating a chocolate bar, and he bumps into a girl walking down the street eating a jar of peanut butter? The most annoying exchange then transpires.
She: “Hey, you got chocolate in my peanut butter!”
He: “You got peanut butter on my chocolate!”
(In unison): “What?! Mmm…delicious!”
Anyway, you have to wonder if the chocolate covered cherry was a similar happy accident. Its exact origin is unknown, but I’d be more inclined to believe somebody might be walking down the street eating cherries than a jar of peanut butter. (Seriously, have you ever seen anybody walking down the street licking peanut butter off their fingers?!). What we do know is, Cella’s Confections in New York introduced chocolate covered cherries in 1929. Folks needed something sweet and tasty to take their minds off that horrible Great Depression, so the timing was perfect. Chocolate covered cherries consist of a maraschino cherry dipped in milk chocolate and refrigerated overnight. Doesn’t get much simpler than that! We would have made our own, but we were on the go this evening and by the time they were ready, it would have been National Spaghetti Day. So a quick trip to Fred Meyer solved that dilemma!
We brought the box along to Red Robin, where we met up with a couple of Tara’s friends from Eugene whom she hadn’t seen in ten years. So, after burgers and fries, we all indulged in chocolate covered cherries. Sadly, the box of ten cost a whopping $1.89, and I’m sure you can imagine what an 18.9-cent chocolate covered cherry tastes like. If I had it to do over again, I’d splurge for Godiva.
Oh, well. It’s all about the spirit of the quest, anyway.
I’m also thrilled to report that our challenge has already received international attention, just a few days in. A radio station in England talked up the blog on their afternoon drive time show. So welcome, readers from the UK! We’re glad to have you aboard. Stick around ’til October 13, and we’ll be giving you blokes a shout-out with National Yorkshire Pudding Day!
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Eat My Words 
See? I like chocolate-covered cherries. But you’re right. You do get what you paid for.
Still can’t believe the international attention. It is beyond cool! Congrats again!!
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It IS pretty exciting. I was hoping for a slot on Oprah until I remembered that she retired. Ellen Degeneres or David Letterman would work too, if any of the networks are paying attention…
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When I think of chocolate-covered cherries, I think of my grandfather. He was diabetic and always had a box of them in his bedroom in case he needed an emergency sugar fix. He was always kind enough to share with hungry (or maybe just greedy) grandchildren. When you’re little, the cheap sweets taste divine.
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You’re right about that, Patti. There’s a lot to be said for an unrefined palate! Nice memory of your grandfather. I remember my great-grandparents always setting out a bowl of Lay’s potato chips whenever we came by to visit. Sadly, there’s no national potato chip day. Yet, at least. I just might start a petition…
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We used to get a box of chocolate covered cherries in the house when it was Christmas only. Loved those, haven’t had them for years!
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I’m assuming yours were of a higher quality than ours (which tasted eerily similar to cough syrup).
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