Eats: Continued from Page 8


M Chocolat opened its doors


on Dec. 17, 2011, in the midst of the holiday season. Even with all of their careful planning, the sisters were blown away by the immediate rush of


customers. Running helping the customers shop


became a family affair with older children


while


Pichon and Snyder worked nonstop in the kitchen. A third sister dropped by after work to help wash dishes. “Just when we were getting into


our stride and managing production, a heavy storm blew out our air conditioning unit,” recalled Snyder. “You can’t produce chocolate in a room that’s over 70 degrees. These are the sorts of things you can’t plan for, but just have to handle as they come.”


Pichon and Snyder call such situations their Lucy and Ethel moments,


recalling the classic


episode of “I Love Lucy” when the lead female characters bumble their way through a candy factory. “There are times when we get totally absorbed in the fun of experimenting with the chocolate. We’ll be back at the work table laughing and playing, then look up and see a customer and have to switch into serious sales lady mode,” said Pichon. The sisters attribute


their early


success to the fact that true chocolate lovers appreciate a locally owned store where the confections are made in-house. “We


make everything from


scratch with the freshest ingredients possible,” said Snyder. “Real cream, real basil and mint, real lime. When the ingredients are fresh, the flavor is


M Chocolat is located on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta.


to give our chocolate turtles the perfect snap.”


Romeos, take note: for Valentine's Day, M Chocolat will offer chocolate-dipped strawberries and specially themed packaging such as heart-shaped boxes and mini purse- shaped bags.


Traditional chocolates are sold Fun-loving sisters Marlena Snyder and Maritza Pichon share a laugh in the kitchen.


more intense. Our philosophy is do it right or why bother?” Good quality chocolate is very important to Pichon who was born in South America, where large amounts of cocoa are produced. “In Colombia, hot chocolate


is a staple in almost every home,” she said. “I grew up drinking it every afternoon.”


She experimented with several dark chocolate blends before finding just the right hot chocolate to serve at M Chocolat along with coffee and pastries.


M Chocolat offers a wide


selection of traditional favorites such as chocolate- covered toffee and nut


clusters as


well as many new fun


Silver tray featuring


30 chocolates: $34.50


32 | northsidewoman.com | february2012 and flavor


combinations in specialty items like amaretto


pistachio truffles and


passion fruit ganache. A few items give a playful nod to the sisters’ Colombian heritage such as the Caramel Pecan Tortuga (Spanish for “turtle”) and the Caliente! Habanero Creamy Center Truffle. “We


can’t admitted get Pichon. too fancy,” “Or I’d spend


all of my time translating for the customers!” Snyder’s eye for graphic design shows in the colorful patterns which grace the chocolate ganaches, created with cocoa butter transfer sheets. The same attention to detail is


given to each ingredient used in the M Chocolat kitchen, from French orange rind and Italian ginger peach to Turkish apricots.


Even the search for the best Georgia pecans was a challenge. “There are so many different


types and flavors!” said Pichon who drove across


South Georgia with


Snyder to investigate pecan suppliers. “We needed the right sort of pecan


by the pound while specialty truffles and ganaches are sold by the box, from a four-piece sampler for $5.20 to a popular 15-piece collection for $19.50. A silver tray holding a colorful array of 30 chocolates sells for $34.50. As Pichon and Snyder continue to build their business, they intend to be creative. Plans are already in the works for special fondue nights for ladies’ groups.


So how do the two sisters stay in shape while surrounded by chocolate all day? M Chocolat employee Chris Johnson says she had to make a hard rule: no eating chocolate during working hours. Period. But then Snyder walked by and asked her to sample a new Earl Grey flavored chocolate. “Well, there are always exceptions, right?” said Johnson with a sheepish grin.


Pichon has no such qualms. “I see it as my duty to taste our products. You know, quality control,” she said with a laugh. “But I do try to limit myself to five or six pieces a day.”


M Chocolat Fine Chocolates 3960 Old Milton Parkway, Suite 200, Alpharetta, Ga. 30005


770-777-1780 | mchocolat.com Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.


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