chocolate spoon factory

Well, my ‘mantle of motherhood’ today involves dipping 150 chocolate spoons. Because it so happens this is one of the jobs I’ve happily taken on to help prepare for the big day (daughter’s wedding May 27th).

Chocolate spoons really are a brilliant idea for wedding favors (seeing as how we’re dealing here with the surname ‘Spooner’). Thus I have in the last few days researched chocolate spoons on the internet, come away with several ideas of how to do it, and spent Wednesday afternoon in the kitchen, microwaving, melting and dipping (or not) practically all the plastic spoons I own, into chocolate of various kinds and consistencies.

I’ve discovered that though most of the instructions advise to use the microwave to melt the chocolate, for me that’s a bad idea as it yields an undippable and hot congealed mass with the consistency of flaky concrete. Melting chocolate chips on the stovetop at low heat works much better.

I also realized we needed a note of explanation here. Fortunately I had one chocolate spoon and its helpful little tag left from a Christmas basket which gave me an idea of what to say. So I’ve designed little tags to be attached to each spoon. The top of each tag says (in a sturdy font): "Dip chocolate-covered spoon in hot chocolate, coffee or cappuccino" and below that, (in a finer, more decorative font): "Thank you for sharing our special day..." - and the kids’ names.

I used my business card label template and cards for these, putting two columns in the format of the card, so that each business card makes two labels (and I only have to cut each card in half, as the remainder of the divisions are perforated – oh yes, and also punch a hole in the top of each little tag).

My thought was to have the official wedding spoons in gold, and slip them into little cellophane baggies instead of wrapping from scratch with a roll of cellophane. Thursday afternoon was devoted to getting those supplies. We found a party supply place near here (Turkey’s), which carries plastic spoons of every color imaginable. We found gold.

They sent us to Essential Packaging which had the little cellophane baggies (with gold dots no less) and we also picked up gold twist ties.

So with all that plus 2½ kg. of chocolate chips (and who knows, I may need more!) gathered, today my kitchen becomes a chocolate spoon factory. Which should be a lot of fun. (...if all goes well– and why won’t it? I’ve so slathered all this in prayer, I’m convinced God is making the way smooth before me, what with finding the exact supplies I had in mind, for starters). Plus my house will smell delicious!