Week 21: Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

This week I chose to make chocolate covered cherry cookies.  I had narrowed my selection down to a couple different recipes, and Dan thought this one sounded interesting so I chose it for this week.  They were easy to make, and OMG are these cookies delicious!!  They are so chocolaty and wonderful that I will definitely add the recipe to my regular rotation.  Ryan actually said this is his third favorite cookie, and Victoria thought they were amazing. ☺  Here is the link to the recipe that I used: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Covered-Cherry-Cookies-II/Detail.aspx

Grandpa Gene and me

I fell in love with chocolate covered cherries as a child.  I don't remember how or why I tried them for the first time, but once I did I was hooked.  My paternal Grandfather Gene, used to buy them for me all the time.  Every birthday and Christmas I'd get my own box of chocolate covered cherry cordials from Grandpa.  To this day they are my favorite fancy boxed candy.  I cannot see, eat, or smell chocolate and cherries together and not think of my Grandfather.  I was his first Grandchild and he spoiled me rotten.  From the day I was born he was wrapped around my finger. 

I was talking to my Aunt Pat on the phone the other day, and she reminded me that when the family would get together,  my Grandfather and I would be off in a corner playing.  He'd get on the floor with me and do whatever I asked.  He used special voices to represent different characters, and I remember making him pull double duty as both the handsome prince and the evil stepmother.  I, of course, was the lovely albeit "put upon" princess who needed rescuing, and Grandpa always always saved the day.  My Grandfather used to like to tease me (when I was in character as the princess) and pretend to be the village idiot.  He'd pretend to forget what he was supposed to say or do, because he thought it was funny when "the princess" got frustrated.  My Grandmother Ann (his wife) had a feather duster that I used to pretend was a magic wand.  My Grandpa would hold the wrong end (I used to think that the magic only came out of the feather side) and then act as if the wand was broken.  He used to laugh and retell the story of when I was about two and I got so mad that I grabbed the wand from him and yelled "...this is the end you hold and this is the 'abracadabra' end...get it right Grandpa!" 

He also used to take me to the coolest places when I was a child.  Every single year he took me to both the Shrine Circus and the Ringling Brothers, Barnum, and Bailey Circus,  the Christmas carnival at Cobo Hall, Stoney Creek to feed the ducks (I was actually bitten by a duck but that's a story for a different time ☺), the Joffrey ballet, and the Nutcracker ballet every Christmas.  I remember that he'd pick me up in his truck and he always had a Kit Kat in the glove box for me. We'd drive downtown and the whole way we'd talk about different things.  I felt so special.  One year on the way to the circus I fell asleep and Grandpa didn't have the heart to wake me up, so he turned around and drove home.  I woke up in the driveway as we got home and started to cry, so Grandpa turned right back around and drove back downtown to the circus.  He was always so kind and sweet to me.

My Grandpa used to work afternoons at Cadillac Gage.  My parents both worked so as a child I'd rotate between my Mom's and Dad's parents who incidentally lived one street apart. When I'd get to my Grandparent's house in the morning he'd still be asleep. I remember that his alarm clock sounded like birds chirping when it would go off.  I could not wait to hear those birds because then I could run upstairs and see him.  He'd get up and before he'd get dressed, he'd exercise.  I remember that he always used to lift weights.  He had a barbel that he kept under his dresser.  I'd watch him exercise and shave every day that I was there.  He even bought me my own child size barbel so I could exercise with him.  Then I'd help my Grandmother make his lunch while he dressed for work, and then he'd play with me until it was time for him to leave.

I could literally write a book about all the wonderful memories and experiences that I had because of my Grandpa Gene.  Whether it was playing "beauty shop" with all of my Grandma Ann's fancy Avon bottles, going for walks (where he taught me that when a man and a woman walk down the street together that the man should walk closest to the street so the woman could be safe from a stray vehicle), or picking beans and laughing that I ate them all, I always knew that he loved me. My favorite memory was of all the times that he took me to see the Nutcracker at Christmastime.  I love love love ballet...I always have.  I used to get so excited to go and watch the beautiful ballerinas dance, especially the Sugar Plum Fairy.  To this day any time I hear music from that ballet I smile and think of my Grandpa Gene. 

Dan and both my children were lucky enough to know my Grandpa Gene.  Victoria and Ryan nicknamed him "Papa Geno."  He was very kind and generous to them as well.  I wish they could have known him the way I did though.  As a handsome prince, as a fierce protector, as a good friend and listener, and as this lucky child's greatest playmate.  I miss my Grandfather and I think of him often.  I am a better person because he was in my life. I hope that somewhere in heaven he is watching the Nutcracker, eating chocolate covered cherries, and saving me a good seat. ♥

Four generations: Victoria, my Dad, Me, Ryan, and Papa Geno
Thanksgiving 2003.