Chicken Bone Nougat?

On a recent trip to Peggy's Cove, I noticed Bubba Magoo's Fudge on the map of nearby shops. Naturally, I had to stop. So, after enjoying the view and taking the obligatory lighthouse photo, we headed for a purple building that really stood out. 

Bubba Magoo's offers small batch fudge, brittles, and jams, as well as freshly baked cookies. Based on their website, it appears these are "house-made." (I bought a peanut butter fudge.) They also have an incredible assortment of candy available -- but it's obviously "industrial" candy (like sour keys) that definitely isn't locally made. And then there's the in-between. A subtle distinction appears on some of their packaging -- "Maritime-made" with a maple leaf. This was the case for the most interesting item in the store: Chicken Bone Nougat.

I did a double take. Yes, I'd read the label correctly. 

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I love chicken bones. And a few years ago, chicken bones were having a moment. Moonshine Creek Distillery decided to make chicken bones liqueur. I lamented on Facebook about my inability to purchase a bottle locally. That Christmas, I received four bags of chicken bones as presents, along with the highly sought-after liqueur. It was incredible in hot chocolate. The following spring, I made a pilgrimage to Glace Bay to try a chicken bones cheese cake. Everything was coming up chicken bones! And then the moment passed.

Until last week. I found the nougat! (Or did the nougat find me?)

It turns out this chicken bones nougat is made by Ganong, though nothing on the label indicates that. Bubba Magoo's has obviously repackaged it for sale in small bags at a premium. Don't get me wrong -- it was going home with me regardless. But I do believe in truth in advertising and origins of chocolate, so I feel like somewhere on the package it should have said where it came from. 

Nevertheless, it was a delicious bite. A soft, creamy pink centre with that characteristic cinnamon flavour enrobed in dark chocolate. From my Googling tonight, I've learned that these were (re)introduced in the Delecto boxes of chocolate in December 2013. (I say "re" because I've read comments that suggest they used to be in boxes "a long time ago" and that "they suck now," suggesting they were better before.) And the chicken bone on the cake is that Ganong suggests you use them in their cheese cake recipe. 

I have no idea how these could have existed for a decade without me knowing. 

When I first found these in Peggy's Cove, I was curious about how a chicken bones nougat could be made. Now that I've tried several, I'm actually thinking they are a "cream" molded in starch and then enrobed in chocolate, rather than an actual nougat that would be slabbed and cut into pieces for enrobing. A nougat would have had a chewier texture. 

Am I contemplating making my own version? Of course I am. I have a lot to think about in terms of how the texture and flavour could best be achieved. But tasting these has reaffirmed what I've always known: that chocolate and cinnamon deserve to be together more often.

And I'm making a note of that in my book of chocolate inspiration.