My Mom's Chocolate Covered Cherries

Every year I try to carry on the tradition of making candy for the Christmas Holidays. This year my attempt turned ugly. I search all over for cherries with stems and had no luck until I hit the local Walmart. The cherries were even organic! How great is that? I followed a recipe similar to one my mother used to make when I was a child. I must have done something wrong, however, because the chocolate that covered these juicy fruit developed bubbles and a white haze. I think it had something to do with "tempering" the chocolate, whatever that means. Oh well, my Christmas Cherries taste good in-spite of their ugliness.