OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — If you want to really sweeten someone's holiday, The Cordial Cherry offers designer candies that are decorative and delicious.
When we visited, employees were putting the finishing touches on holiday deliveries — it's nothing new to owner Melissa Stephens.
“I just love decorating,” she said.
Stephens started making her signature chocolates 15 years ago to pay for college.
"I would go to different shows and events — kind of built a following,” she said. “After several years, I kind of thought, ‘I’ve got some momentum. I think I’ll try and open a shop.’"
Ten years and three stores later, The Cordial Cherry is humming along with a staff of 30.
The recipe is her grandma's.
"We make them the exact way that she would make when I was growing up. They have a very liquid, syrupy center," she said. "You just can't get them like this in the grocery store."
Each cherry is hand-dipped and decorated one at a time. There's no detail too small.
"We decorate them like little chocolate sculptures so each one is done by hand, start to finish," she said. "It's very clear that we take a lot of pride in each little piece. Everyone here is trained to have an eye for imperfections. And, honestly, we discard a lot of things that just don't make the cut."
Chocolatiers like staff member Lydia practice to get each piece just right.
"Each of us specialize in our favorite designs,” she said. "My favorite is the ornaments and holly berries."
From decorating to packaging -- each step is essential.
"We're making sure that all of the collections are protected so that they can be received in a beautiful way," said seasonal employee Kari Bro.
Bro has been a fan of Stephens’ chocolates since the beginning and now — as a customer and now working behind the scenes.
As beautiful as the chocolates look, they taste even better.
The truffles are the newest items on the menu.
"Our truffles have a really amazing brown ganache filling — it's fantastic,” said Stephens.
Delicious and decorative; that's the ultimate goal here at The Cordial Cherry.
"We're not just making chocolates, we're making beautiful art gifts,” said Stephens.
Chocolates from The Cordial Cherry are a perfect present for a year that's been anything, but.
In a normal year, the store would be filled with customers doing their last-minute shopping, but due to the pandemic they're only taking orders online.
If you want something for Christmas day, go to thecordialcherry.comand order now. After placing your order, you'll have just two hours to pick it up a the store.
After today, The Cordial Cherry will be closed until mid-January. But don't worry, they'll open just in time to get your Valentine's Day order.
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