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You may wonder how these chunky, chocolate and nut goodies fit into this post...please stay with me until the end!
Here are a few of the serving pieces my late mother collected. I love the little Bon Bon server in the center! It's Community silver plate and dates back to 1938. The pattern is called Old South.
My mother displayed her collection in this spoon cabinet. You can see the little Bon Bon server on the bottom, left, which finally brings me back to those delicious-looking chocolates that I used to open this post - the Gold! .jpg)
Please let me serve you a piece of Fruit and Nut Chocolate that I made this morning. Do you remember Chunky Bars? I used to love them when I was a kid! I've always loved nuts and dark chocolate is one my favorite things! I've you're looking for a little 'indulgence' to make for yourself or your sweetie for Valentine's Day, read on...these are wonderful and you can custom-make them to suit your taste as I did. Pure Gold!
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I remember seeing these on a blog recently and saved the recipe. I'm sorry I didn't save the blogger's link.
Fruity, Nutty Chocolate Chunks
Adapted from Gourmet, February 2003 via Epicurious
Printable Recipe
1 1/4 lb fine-quality bittersweet and semisweet chocolate (I used a combination of both), chopped into chunks, Scharffen Berger preferred
3/4 cup dried orange-flavored Craisins
3/4 cup salted, roasted shelled pistachios
3/4 cup salted, roasted whole almonds (I roasted my own using a teaspoon of butter and Kosher salt on a baking sheet in a 350 oven for about 7 minutes)
Prepare an 8" Square by lining it with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang, and spray it with a flavorless non-stick cooking spray.
Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in fruit and nuts, then spread evenly in the prepared baking pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Using the overhanging foil, lift the candy from pan transfer to a cutting board. Peel off foil and cut candy with a long heavy knife into pieces. The number of pieces will depend on how large you cut them. Approximately 36.
How perfect to use a cherished old silver bon bon server... they were de rigueur back in the day... time to bring them back! Thanks for the lovely post!
ReplyDeleteHello Susan...
ReplyDeleteOooh...what lovely pieces of silver!!! My favorites are those beautifully ornate serving pieces from Italy...simply exquisite!!! What a precious treasure to have! Now I am wondering if you are adding to your mother's collection? It would be so sweet to continue adding to this fabulous collection of silver...so that some day...you too could hand it down! Thank you so much for sharing it with us today for Silver Sunday!!!
Now I must tell you that you've gone and done it! Hehe! My sweet tooth is screaming at me after seeing those delicious fruit and nut chocolates!!! Thank you for including the recipe! They look divine!!!
Warmest winter wishes,
Chari @Happy To Design
What beautiful pieces.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pieces! I love the 3 large serving pieces. Happy Silver Sunday!
ReplyDeleteYour sterling is lovely and really unique! And anything made with dark chocolate is aces in my book!
ReplyDeleteI love all your silver pieces. The patterns are some of the best that I have ever seen. The choc. candies look so good...Christine
ReplyDeleteEverything looks larger than life ce soir..That is a compliment~
ReplyDeleteOh que tout est beau!!The tower is exquisite..Nana2..Wow~
You have some really neat silver pieces. And that candy looks yummy! Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic pieces...lots of detail! Happy SS!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely serving utensil...love the cherub on the spoon...I'm swooning over that one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being part of Silver Sunday....see you next week~
{{gypsy hugs}}
Beth
That piece with the cherub at the top!!! Wow!!! So cool!
ReplyDeleteThose silver serving pieces are such treasures. I just love things that have a little "history" to them and how neat that you have your mother's collection.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten about chunky bars, they used to be a favorite for me too - being a milk choc lover I will have to make two batches, your version for J and milk for me :)
Oh, you have some beautiful silver serving pieces! That are stunning! And let's face it, add chocolate and present with sparkling silver, you stole my heart! LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful collection of pieces you have..I love them all especially the ornate set from Italy! Absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHave a great Silver Sunday!
Miss Bloomers
Your mother had a great eye for collecting beautiful silver serving pieces. You have a great collection!
ReplyDeleteJane
Oh such lovely silver. If you can send me the letters on the back of the Swedish spoon, I'll ask my friend in Sweden to decipher. I have a bon-bon spoon. If you look at my post I have one too, but didn't know what it was for. Happy Silver Sunday.
ReplyDeleteNancy
What lovely pieces you have! So interesting...Hope you find the answers...
ReplyDeleteI loved chunkies..what a chunk of chocolate! :)
Great post, Susan..
Your post made me realize that I don't think that a piece of silver can be "too" ornate. The swirls and curls on silver are so perfect together. Love your pieces.
ReplyDeleteThat is one beautiful selection of silver you have and as for the "gold".....it looks like a wonderful option for breakfast........I can have chocolate for breakfast can't I????
ReplyDeleteBeautiful silver serving pieces! And the chocolate looks heavenly!
ReplyDeleteDebra
Very pretty silver pieces! The ones by Shourds Adcock and Teufel are really extraordinary! Your chocolate looks very yummy!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Silver Sunday!
Hugs,
Julia
Your chocolates look yummy but your silver pieces are gorgeous! Love the bon bon server. The larger similar pieces I believe are tomato servers. The first two serving spoons may be berry spoons.
ReplyDeleteSusan, loved seeing your pretty silver pieces.
ReplyDeleteI cant decide which looks yummier, the goodies or the silver goodies...I'll go for both please...
ReplyDeleteSylvia
:)
What beautiful silver pieces. I love having connections to things I use in my kitchen. Your chocoltes sound wonderful. I don't think I've ever run across orange flavored craisins. I'll have to keep my eyes open for them.
ReplyDeletewow - you have some amazing pieces! love the tomato and bonbon servers....i'm actually giving away a tomato server on my blog this week!
ReplyDeleteWow, gorgeous silver, chocolate and nuts....what is not to love!!
ReplyDeleteThose spoons are quite lovely. i love how you tied the chocolate in to Silver Sunday. The perfect treat...you've set me off on quite a chocolate craving.
ReplyDeleteSusan - you have some gorgeous and memorable pieces of silver...I'll try and take a closer look at that spoon.
ReplyDeleteThe chocolate chunks look delicious..a flash from the past! Your tiered first photo is perfect!!
Beautiful collection of silver, Susan. I especially like the two large casserole spoons, very pretty design. I love the little wooden spoon cabinet you keep everything in.
ReplyDeleteciao Susan! stasera faccio la pizza! porta un pò di questi dolcetti così ci gustiamo insieme la cena!!!
ReplyDeleteun abbraccio!
Beautiful silver pieces, and yum to the chocolate chunks.
ReplyDeleteSusan
VERY lovely silver!!
ReplyDeleteand the chocolate infused with all of that goodness, im drooling over!
I've been known to indulge in Chunky candy bars both as a child and now. I like the foil wrapped individual ones ... portion control. :) Your recipe sounds tasty.
ReplyDeleteSusan, what a lovely collection of silver pieces and gorgeous spoon cabinet that belonged to your mother ... quite the group of varied and eclectic pieces. It's nice that you're getting enjoyment and use from them.
You totally had me at the Chocolate ~ Thanks for the Recipe, I use to Love Chunky bars, haven't had one in 30 years..... I Love all the Silver you showed, I must say I don't think I have ever seen a Bon Bon Server, or probably just didn't know... I learned something interesting today....
ReplyDeletecheryl
You have some beautiful pieces Susan..I can't pick a favorite. They are all so unique. I know they must remind you of your mother too!
ReplyDeleteIf the olive fork markings are engraved try rubbing something on it that will get into the grooves. Sometimes its easier to read that way. I've never tried it on silver, but its a trick I read and tried years ago to see engravings on tombstones and buildings - use shaving cream. Seems like the princible would apply to silver too..use something that would provide a contrast.
Chunkys were a fav of mine too. And later Cadbury Fruit and Nut bar.
Yum....to the chocolates...yum...yum... :)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a bon bon server but now will certainly look for one on my treasure hunts. I have learned so much about silver serving pieces on Beth's Silver Sundays. what fun!
What a lovely post, Susan. I love old silver and enjoyed seeing your treasures. My mother had a Community Silver serving spoon she always used to serve cranberry jelly. Very nice memories...thanks.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pieces, Susan! All so stunning! What an elegant way to serve a Chunky bar :) Looks delicious, I can just remember taking a big bite of a Chunky, have to try your recipe!
ReplyDeleteYou gals are all great! Thank you for all the comments.
ReplyDeleteGracie you were sweet to offer the translations...if only I could make out the letters!
Suzy, great ideas! I tried doing a rubbing on paper this afternoon - didn't work. Paper was too thick but I think you're on to something. Honestly, before I took the macro shot, I couldn't make out much.
Thank you all for taking time to comment. I appreciate every word!
Wow! You have so many beautiful pieces of silver. The serving pieces from Italy and the olive fork are gorgeous Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteFruit, Nutty, Chocolate Chunks - Oh my! I think I just gained 10 lbs.
I love your beautiful silver pieces. The chocolate recipe sounds amazing
ReplyDeleteoh yummy and what beautiful knifes and forks
ReplyDeleteYour silver collection is gorgeous. What a lovely inheritance and rememberance of your mother.
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate, nuts, and raisins. The cut of your confections reminds me of all of the nougat that was around Sydney. Yum!
What stunning silver serving collection! That is really beautiful. Perfect to serve up your nutty chocolate chunks.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
What a lovely and nostalgic post, I have a drawerful of silver serving pieces that my mother left me, and I haven't really stopped to examine them...now I will. Thank you for the inspiration and for the lovely recipe too....
ReplyDeleteLove the jeweled bits - yum!
ReplyDeleteSusan, I love your old silver. I'm also admiring the photos--whenever I try to photograph a spoon I always end up with ME reflected in it! I have silver from both of my grandmothers, and two of my great-grandmothers (I'm the only one that likes to polish it). We also have lots of silver from Dan's family. Quite a lot to polish...
ReplyDeleteChunkies! I remember these. I loved the ones with raisins in too. The addition of pistachios and cranberries makes this very grown up.
I love collecting silver, Susan. I inherited (and have added to) a lovely collection of silver-topped jars and have them displayed on a long dressing table. I have a lot of Unger Brothers pieces and am always on the lookout for it. A friend collects Charles II so we search together.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely adore your Towle Canterbury spoon. The design on the back is wonderful. It's such fun to use serving pieces like yours!
Your little chunky pieces of heaven are to die for. And yes, thank you, you can serve some to me!
"Fruity and Nutty."
ReplyDeleteI didn't expect you, of all people, to resort to name-calling. But, I'll forgive anything for a bite of that candy.
Susan, I covet your elegant silver collection! I have only a few of those pieces pictured. Unfortunately, my silver pieces were found mostly at auctions, and estate sales.
Nothing as beautiful has ever been passed down to me. How lucky you are to have such lovely treasures from your DM and aunt.
Love the spoons.....your mum did a great job...
ReplyDeleteThe chunky bars look delish too!
Thanks again, everyone, for your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteKate, I'd love to see some of your silver pieces - especially from your great-grandmothers!
Barbara, your silver-topped jar collection sounds wonderful! How nice you have a friend that shares your hobby ;)
Marysol, at least I didn't call you nutty or fruity - LOL! I think estate sale pieces are just as charming!
Susan, what a delightful post! The silver spoons are beautiful, and the chunkies are a favorite of mine for hiking. I buy a faux chunky bar at Aldi's and it is wonderful.
ReplyDelete