When I was a little girl, on special occasions, my dad would take me downtown. We would go to the candy store, and he would buy one piece of white chocolate for himself and one for me. I remember the whole thing so vividly. We never had sweets in the house, and I was a born Sweet Tooth, so these white chocolate outings were extremely special to me. My dad really loves white chocolate, and he passed that love on to me.
When I went vegan, and realized that white chocolate isn't vegan, I was pretty bummed. It went into the large category of beloved things I would never have again - crepes, french toast, white chocolate. Well, ha! I can make crepes and french toast anytime I want! But white chocolate was still unresolved, because all the vegan brands I tried were just no good. They tasted like cheap sugar and fillers, and not like creamy cocoa butter.
Fast forward many years, to a very special PPK swap - when a buddy from the UK sent me a couple of these Organica Seriously Organic White Bars. WHOA. My tastebuds were blown! Here was the wonderful flavor of white chocolate - bursting with cocoa butter - that I had been missing. Since then, I've been lucky enough to have a few other PPK pals take pity on me and send me a bar or two...
Imagine my delight when my friend Dan told me that he was going to London. Initially, I was so happy for him and his big adventure. Then I realized that I could ask him to buy me some white chocolate - and my happiness was also happiness for myself! ha ha. So, after two long weeks of waiting... yesterday Dan returned home with three white chocolate bars for me!
He showed up to my yoga class and delivered them over... Above is a dramatic re-draw-ment of my reaction. Immediately I started petting my precious bars against my cheek. Then I started wiggling all over the place with so much enthusiasm that one of my students said "You're wagging your tail!" Then I relaxed into pure joy, clutching my three glorious white chocolate bars to my heart. It was truly a special moment.
Of course I've already busted into them! However, having learned from my dad - I just eat a few little squares at a time - to enjoy the rich yumminess, and to make it last a long time. Looks like it's time to give my dad a call and have a little treat together.
What a sweet story! I'm glad that your friend was so kind to bring some white chocolate back for you from his travels. While it would be nice if it were available in the States, it probably makes it more special in a way that it mirrors the rarity it had when you were a child. Because it wasn't something you could have everyday, it was especially treasured. Enjoy your chocolate!
ReplyDeleteyeah, i totally agree Cadry! It's cool that it is such a special treat for me, even now.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat! Cute story.
ReplyDeleteMight not be the same. But maybe you could make your own?
White chocolate... that's something I haven't had in years! I love your yoga class reenactment, ha ha ha. :)
ReplyDeletei love that story <3 father daughter moments from childhood are so sweet. hooray for dan bringing you back 3 bars, and for your dad instilling a sense of simple pleasures and savoring a couple squares at a time ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's such a cute story about your dad! And I'm glad you've got your white chocolate fix for a while! My special mom treat was a chocolate covered graham cracker whenever we went to a mall with a candy store.
ReplyDeleteYum, I love chocolate & those ones are great. I'm eating a Chocolove Almonds & Sea Salt bar right now!
ReplyDeleteThat's so awesome that you finally found a white chocolate that takes you back to the time when you were a kid with your dad.
ReplyDeleteAaaw, lovely memories relived :) I'm a dark chocolate convert. Was a milkybar girl through and through when I was little but have gone over to the dark, dark side...
ReplyDeleteOh man, I miss white chocolate too. And I've only ever had the kinda crappy vegan kind. I need to go to London.
ReplyDeleteTastes, like smells, can scoot you straight back on memory lane. Glad you got to take a spin!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I am iffy about white chocolate but...vegan white chocolate? Hmmmmmmm. Will you be eating them plain or are you thinking about recipes with them??
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that I will just eat them straight. They're almost too special to mess with, you know? I feel compelled to savor them just the way they are!
DeleteI saw this recipe recently and I think you might like it. It's by Hannah Kaminsky and she receives lots of positive praise in the vegan blogosphere.
ReplyDeletehttp://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/the-white-stuff/
I have never heard of this brand - thank you so much for introducing me to it!
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha... I love that you had the presence of mind to ask your friend to bring you back white chocolate. Forget post cards and magnets, I'll take foreign edibles any day.
ReplyDeleteYour post totally gave me a smile right when I needed one, so thanks for that.
I love this story and the art that goes with it. Those white chocolate bars look very special. I'm with you, the brands available in the US are not good. It bums me out because how hard can it be to make a delicious white chocolate bar that just happens to be vegan?
ReplyDeleteyou are so lucky! i haven't had proper white chocolate in 22 years and it is a dear dear favorite! probably my number one next to malt balls, which will never happen.
ReplyDeletexoxoxoxo
kittee
Glad you are so happy!
ReplyDeleteChocolate was easy for me when I went vegan, I love dark chocolate. The darker the better. White chocolate and I don't get along so well. All the more for you. ;)
yes, I love dark chocolate too. Evidently, I love all chocolate.
DeleteHa, "You're wagging your tail!", love it. That white chocolate is the most beautiful one I've ever seen. As much as I love vegan white chocolate chips, the bar is far prettier and looks exactly like the non-vegan ones I used to eat. I'm officially on the hunt for it now thanks to you.
ReplyDeleteI loved your story from your childhood, Amey! And we have plenty of vegan white chocolate here so don't you even hesitate to ask me to send you some because I would gladly ship some to you!!
ReplyDeleteMandee! You are the best! I've heard good things about the Aussie White chocolate. We should do a swap! :)
DeleteI adore white chocolate, too--and I am so jealous. Your yoga cartoon reaction is cute <3
ReplyDeleteClearly, there is a serious vegan white chocolate shortage in the US!!! someone's gotta get on this!
DeleteVegan white chocolate is my favorite! Why can't anyone make a good vegan white chocolate bar here in the US? The best ones I've had are the one in this post and a vegan white chocolate bar from Australia. SO GOOD! I always end up eating them plain long before they get a chance to be baked into anything delicious. Woops!
ReplyDelete