Living and Loving Hobart:

If you are the only one who hasn’t heard, Darrell Lea is in administration. Who knows what will happen from here but out of respect, it’s time to pause a moment and reflect on something important.

If you’re of our era you probably grew up with Darrell Lea. It was part of a birthday present, it was on the Christmas table, it was a special treat.

One of my most favourite childhood memories was Gran taking us into ‘town’ to see a movie during the school holidays. We would eat lunch at The Store (Hobartians think Fitzies) which had the most delicious food imaginable – a chip buttie with gravy (I still love them #what’snottolove). We also got to choose a Darrell Lea treat for during the movie. It was always the peppermint bar.

Better than Cadbury’s

This might upset the Vandemonians but Darrell Lea’s is better than Cadbury’s chocolate. It’s nowhere near as good as Lindt or South Australia’s Haigh’s but it’s got a few showstoppers.

Out of respect for an end to an era let’s reminisce.

Chocolate walnut log: It truly is hard to find the words. Picture this walnut pieces pressed into soft jersey-esque caramel and covered in rich dark chocolate. Saturday night DVD-watching and chocolate-eating pick of the bunch!

The Christmas pudding/Easter nougat egg. The idea that these items will no longer be in my life is almost too much to bear. Half my family has an addiction to them. Another childhood memory. I’m six and my sister Michelle has just returned from her honeymoon. I missed her terribly and she showed up with the Easter nougat egg. It was the most delicious thing I had ever experienced. And that’s how it all started.

It’s just too much of wrong to think that I won’t be able to scoff another in one sitting and make myself completely sick.

The Maple Nougat. There’s not much I can say except without it…I just can’t….

Recent memory: fancy chocolates sold individually from damaged gift boxes. I bought ALL the maple nougats. Like, ALL!

Christmas jingle bells.

Chocolate coated peanut brittle.

My Tuesday’s Facebook lament over Darrell Lea’s demise highlighted that they are loved and another important point....

Darrell Lea belly up? No more chocolate walnut log... Or chocolate peanut brittle ..Or ...OMG the Xmas nougat pudding...or the freakin Easter nougat egg with little chick on top ...or my childhood fav, the peppermint bar ...or....this is just SO unjust! Time to mobilise! The people united, will never be defeated!

John what does one buy for the lady when in the dog house now!!!!!!! can only go back to old chocolate coated bullets. OR cakes from the post earlier today.

Janet Cheer up, the administrators might be fans too. Maybe they will turn things around...

Jenny Dark chocolate-coated aniseed rings! Have I contributed by buying too much Cadbury?!

Skye ‎@John, to answer that question I'd need to first know why you're in the dog house.....

Marc There's always Haighs!....oh no, that's right: not available in Tas. R u gonna die? ;)

John morning Skye....a number of little things get me in the DG. things like forgetting J's birthday, our anniversary, not having chilled wine on call, little things like that.

This caused me to reflect on a more fundamental role Darrell Lea has played in bringing people together.

Not so long ago I introduced the other Girl About Town to chocolate-coated peanut brittle. I am now officially a drug pusher and she’s about to go cold turkey. They were a little treat occasionally brought back to work to share, now I realise too infrequently.

Ange is thinking ahead to Father's Day now because a bag of liquorice has always been part of the gift.

I was also thinking about what my friend John had to say on Facebook. Darrell Lea’s has helped make repairs and patch things up too. Sure they wouldn’t help diffuse North Korea but a lot of potential is contained in a box of assorted chocolates brought home when it's most needed.

In Darrell Lea’s demise, we may need to find new ways of connecting with each other through chocolate. It will be a tough gig but in the interests of our wellbeing and our relationships, I’ll give it a whirl.

And if you haven’t caught up with the news you can check out this article in The Australian. And to the journos who thought the headline was funny…you can bugger off, this is not a laughing matter.