Whitman’s Sampler: A Box Of Chocolates
As many of you know I have been very lucky to spend a few months each year with my mom as a guest in my home. One of the things I love about it is that I almost always hear new stories about her childhood and my grandparents. This year was no exception I got the low down on April Fools and the Whitman’s Sampler Box of Chocolates story.
My history with chocolate
I love chocolate. If I were on a deserted Island and I could only have one sweet treat it would be chocolate. There is no bad chocolate from Hershey’s minis to Vosges. Anything and everything having to do with chocolate I am a lover. I have eaten chocolate covered ants(taste like chocolate). Bacon covered chocolate(tastes like salty chocolate). Chocolate molé(Tastes like mildly spicy less sweet bitter dark chocolate). I am sure that you could cover a shoe in chocolate and it would be awesome!
So now you know I like chocolate and if you knew my mom you would know I have come by this naturally. One of the few things she brought with her to Ohio in addition to her rocker and a stack of books was a large collection of dark chocolate bars. The Chocolate runs strong in this family, we know she gets her love of chocolate from my Grandfather which brings us to the story of the Whitman’s Sampler
Whitman’s Sampler and April Fools Day
When my mom was a child my Grandfather would surprise she and her sister with sweet treats his favorites were Ice Cream and Chocolates. There was a year that he brought home a Whitman’s Sampler box of chocolates as a surprise. This day was a bit different from past chocolate surprises as it was close to Easter and it was April Fools Day. The tradition was that each time my mom and Aunt Janet were graced with a Whitman’s Sampler box they took turns on who got the first piece.
If you are familiar with a Whitman’s Sampler you will know this nearly 200-year-old institution has a little map on the inside cover of how to distinguish what is what. Which is very helpful because let’s be honest no-one wants to pop a piece of that fruit nougat crud in your mouth when you think you are getting chocolate covered caramel.
It was my Aunts turn to pick her chocolate first and she was always very smart. She thought about it weighed the Easter Chocolates vs April Fools Day Chocolates. Her thought was my grandfather had removed the one piece they both coveted, the Chocolate covered toffee log and laced it with soap. A great April fools day prank or so she thought. In those days there was only one chocolate toffee log per box it came in gold foil. Aunt Janet used her turn to choose an inferior piece of chocolate like a molasses Chew(sure some like the molasses chew but seriously molasses or toffee what do you think?). Giddily assuming my mom would end up with a mouthful of soap. My mom got her pick and she scooped up the golden ticket. Well when that soap turned out to not be soap at all but toffee my moms sister had an epic melt down.
The follow-up
My mom giggles now just thinking about it. She knew her Dad would never mess with the chocolate as that would have been a sin of immense proportions.
After hearing this story I decided to share it with all of you and to share a Whitman’s Sampler with my mom. You can follow the link and order one from Amazon if you are so inclined. Share it with your family or eat it all yourself. We are lucky today Whitman’s has two Chocolate toffee logs so I do not have to wrestle my 78-year-old mother for a taste of her favorite chocolate.