Middleburg’s Finest Chocolates: How Sweet It Is
By Heidi Baumstark
Middleburg Life
Sitting pretty. That’s what customers will find behind glass cases of Middleburg’s Finest Chocolates. Rows and rows of artisan chocolates beautifully sculpted to tempt chocoholics or satisfy anyone on the hunt for a cocoa fix.
As an experienced entrepreneur, Stephanie Yowell was looking for a local business to run. She decided on Middleburg’s Finest Chocolates, previously known as Shenandoah Fine Chocolates, and purchased the business last Sept. 15. A Culpeper native, Main Street quaintness is in her blood so it was a natural fit to land her new venture on Middleburg’s Washington Street.
Yowell’s chocolates truly live up to their name: the “finest.” They’re made from old family recipes passed down through generations.
The freshest creams, butter, nuts, and spices are blended to make hand-dipped chocolates crafted from recipes dating to the early 1900s. Pure vanilla is used to make the soft-center creams for that velvety- smooth surprise. Some of the store’s treats come from a family in Pennsylvania; others come from Virginia, including chocolates from the original Shenandoah Fine Chocolates in Winchester.
“Everything’s made in small batches and made to order,” Yowell said. “They’re not sitting on a shelf; I don’t buy in bulk.”
Customers will find truffles, crème-centeredchocolates, fudge and novelty treats like “muddy” gummi bearsdrenched in chocolate.Then there are the popular pairings of salty and sweet: chocolate-covered pretzels, potato chips, and several confections made from salted caramel. There are even sugar- free treats. Chocolate barks come studded with all goodies like crystalized ginger, nuts, dried fruit, and bacon.
“Our bacon bark is popular with a lot of guys,” Yowell said. “They come in and see that and think, ‘That’s it!’”
There are also chocolate shot glasses that can be filled with dessert wines, liqueurs, or plopped with a truffle inside to double the pleasure. Or try the mimosa truffle flavored with orange marmalade and a champagne-infused white ganache. Other truffle flavors include toasted coconut, mint, raspberry, caramel, vanilla, champagne, amaretto, tiramisu, coffee, and their most popular—cappuccino.
“It’s a fun shop. After all, everyone who comes in is really happy—or they leave happy,” Yowell says. “Middleburg has that kind of spirit, that atmosphere. The other business owners here love their town and take pride in the old-town feel.”
In addition to chocolates, customers can purchase artwork by Staunton artist Jennet Inglis. On weekends, the shop offers wine tastings paired with chocolates. Customers can also purchase local and international wines, dessert wines, and wine glasses.
One of those local wines is from Three Fox Vineyards in Delaplane. Recently, Yowell met Holli Todhunter, proprietor of Three Fox; Todhunter and her husband, John, have owned and operated the winery since 2002.
“I was looking to hook up with someone who sells chocolates,” Todhunter said. “We plan to invite Stephanie during the Valentines’ weekend to pair chocolates with our wines. We like her dark chocolate; I bought some around Thanksgiving.”
For personalized gifts, Yowell carries specialty-shaped chocolates that have been poured into a variety of molds, including horse figures, cows, horseshoes, even vintage cars, sports cars and motorcycles. For movie lovers, there are movie ticket shapes; “we provided those in gift baskets for actors and directors at last year’s Middleburg Film Festival.” Music lovers will appreciate chocolates in the shape of music notes and different instruments. Tool lovers will discover chainsaw and power drill chocolates. For organizations, Yowell can custom-order corporate logos for business owners or employees who want to market their branding.
“I’m actually looking for a fox mold for our foxhunting customers,” she said. Yowell’s main goal is to be a contributing member of the community. One way to accomplish that is through a program she’s rolling out that will benefit local charities. “Every odd month, we’ll have a ‘Month of Giving’ where a percentage of proceeds will be designated to a local cause,” she said. “We’ll announce this on the Facebook page.”
And gearing up for Valentine’s Day, she added, “Soon, it will look like Cupid stopped here!”
By selling candy made only from old family traditions, Yowell loves the idea
that she’s also supporting small businesses. “But the unnecessary evil of the job,” she
kidded, “is I have to taste everything.”