Cocoa Dolce chocolates give President Obama something else to smile about

obamaWICHITA — President Barack Obama and local chocolatier Beth Tully both have much to smile about these days.

Obama, of course, got his health care bill passed.

Tully’s Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates is one of seven regional finalists for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year award.

Now, the two have shared some long-distance smiles over some of Cocoa Dolce’s chocolates.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, delivered some Cocoa Dolce chocolates — including Obama’s favorite grey salt caramels — to the president at a Cabinet meeting earlier this year.

“Our friend Kathleen did a nice thing,” Tully says.

Tully enclosed a note with the chocolates suggesting Cocoa Dolce be in consideration for “Official Chocolatier of the White House.”

That may not happen, but Obama clearly loved the chocolates. Tully has a photo to prove it.

“The photo is unbelievable. He looks so happy.”

Tully has been “shocked and annoyed,” though, by the negative reaction from some people when she’s told them about Obama and her chocolates.

“I’m like, hello, people. Regardless of your political affiliation or your ideologies, the fact that . . . a sitting president, you know, takes a moment, just a human moment, to open a box of chocolates . . . and have a photo taken and write a note is very cool.

“Shame on you!”

  • podunkboy

    Congrats to Ms. Tully on her acknowledgement/honor. Politics have gotten so nasty lately that no one respects the legally-elected leader of the country anymore. Just remember, the person you’re shouting epithets at may have been elected by the person sitting next to you in church.

  • fizz

    p.s. look for a tax hike this year. Best regards, Barack

  • the_truth_hurts

    Presidential politics is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you are going to get when disguised as “hope and change”.

  • fredstevens

    The healthcare bill and the chocolates have something in common: Obama gets to enjoy both, but someone else pays for it.

    Having said that, Cocoa Dolce chocolates are really delicious and this is a nice honor. Glad they’re in Wichita and I wish them all the best.

  • http://www.creativeRHINO.com RGates

    Congratulations Beth! I’m with Obama…grey salt caramels are my favorite too! I second the idea of having Cocoa Dolce being the “Official Chocolatier of the White House.” Anything is possible and your chocolates are the best I’ve had anywhere in the nation!

  • IMCRANKEE2

    Business and politics never mix.If you have heard comments, just think how many you have not heard. You could keep you picture at home for friends rather than display it at the store. That said, my choice of protest is to not spend my money on people or places that have radical differences with my beliefs. I don’t pay to see movies with Jane Fonda,Nicolas Cage, etc.I guess that will include chocolate now, but that is just me.

  • lCT

    You just lost another customer, congrats!

  • ShockHawk

    You sent a box of chocolates to a man who doesn’t know the truth from a box of chocolates. You should make chocolate cigarettes for him. That could help him break his other nasty habit. In the mean time I won’t be visiting your store.

  • YouWish

    Geez, people, get over it! Easting chocolate has nothing to do with politics – you are going to gt mighty hungry ’cause Obama likes burgers, steak and many other types of food. Grow up and recognize the honor for what it is….a person who tasted Coca Dulce’s EXCELLENT prodict and liked it enough to send a thank you!

  • ArleighJen

    Congratulations, Beth- What a neat honor!

  • AFN

    Gotta agree with fred. Yeah, I’m not a fan of Obama but I am a huge fan of Cocoa Dolce and Beth. He was elected and I choose to respect the office even if he doesn’t. I only wish I could afford to visit the store more often:) And unfortunately that situation is probably about to get worse…

  • ponyxpress

    Ditto to AFN. Sometimes it’s necessary to recognize the office vs. the person holding it. Thumbs up to Coca Dulce.

  • BizSnype

    Un-freaking-believable! You would boycott a local business because she sent a sample of her product to the Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America?!?

    Beth, I hope you display your photo of the President with pride. Anytime a sitting leader takes the time to send an actual photo of himself with your product and writes a personal message it conveys a level of caring and support that most of the people on this forum lack. He could have easily sent you a form letter and generic photo, signed by an auto-pen but he didn’t and that’s great!

    I’ve never been to your shop but I’m stopping by after work tonight!

  • podunkboy

    Reasonably sure that I read Obama stopped at a 5 Guys Burgers in D.C., make sure you boycotters stay away from there, too.
    If you read the article, it says that Sebelius delivered some candy to Obama, not necessarily that Cocoa Dulce sent him some candy. But since they were one of the seven finalists for the US Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, you should probably boycott all those members of the Chamber of Commerce…just to be safe.
    If I could afford high-end chocolates (instead of Hersheys), I’d go right out there and buy a chocolate or two.

  • ictoldskool

    Congrats to Beth and her hard working staff, it says quite a bit when the leader of the most powerful nation takes time out of his busy schedule to personally congratulate a local business. Keep up the good work Beth, Wichita needs more people like you!

    And to all those naysayers, DON’T go back anymore. That means more delicious chocolate for me and all the other appreciative customers.

  • bth

    She may need to beef up her security with these tea-baggers throwing bricks through windows.

  • StarEyed

    Obama also breathes air, drinks water and eats food. Oh yeah, he rides in a car that uses GASOLINE! Boycott them all? Puh-leeease! It was a polite and business-like gesture. Get some manners and a clue. Did you folks recently throw some rocks, too?

  • podunkboy

    “Let he who is free from sin throw the first stone”…

  • mopar

    I see a bunch of hypocrites who blame Bush for everything all day long, crying foul. Brilliant!

    Frankly, I could give a rats ass what chocolate he likes. Or what burger, or what movie, or what basketball team. I’m worried about … the other crap he is pulling.

  • AFN

    Agreed, Mopar.

  • themoi

    Look at that signature of his! It reeks of egotism! The oversized B and O and the rest of the name in much smaller letters shows how oversized his ego is in graphology terms. Besides her chocolates are overpriced anyway.

  • LBat

    This die-hard Libertarian is horrified by Obama’s politics, but is grudgingly admiring of his taste in chocolate. Politics aside, it’s really cool that the highest office in the country is acknowledging a local business.

    My family and I will continue to spend our carefully calculated (and much smaller than in years past) fun budget on the best chocolate in town.