A Triage of Truffles at Nutty Steph’s
What better way to celebrate a birthday than to indulge in a bit of beauty?
Just 5 minutes from Montpelier , Nutty Steph's in Middlesex , VT
is a special destination whether you have cause to celebrate or not!
Jaquelyn, the owner, surrounded by her creations.
It’s a place of color, conversation, warmth, and surprises to the senses.
Drop in on a Thursday from 6 pm to midnight and listen to live music
while sampling local wine and key lime pie;
stop by mid-day and join the proprietress in her preferred lunch
of chocolate-dipped shortcake and a glass of milk.
Need something for breakfast? Buy a bag of Nutty Steph’s granola.
Have a sweet-tooth? Buy a bag of magic chunk granola
(which contains chocolate, of course)!
Bags of Nutty Steph’s Vermont
In fact, Nutty Steph’s began with granola, which explains the shop’s name.
Jaquelyn, who is the owner and the original Steph, invented her own unique recipe and steadfastly resisted a friend’s urgings to mix it with chocolate until popular demand drove her to find a chocolatier. (This friend experimented on her own and brought a bowl of chocolate-dipped granola to a party, where it was consumed with great gusto.)
At a gathering of the Vermont Specialty Food Association, she found her collaborator in chocolate-shop owner Alllan Sirotkin, who supplied her with rich Belgian chocolate until she bought his business two-and-a-half years ago.
At a gathering of the Vermont Specialty Food Association, she found her collaborator in chocolate-shop owner Alllan Sirotkin, who supplied her with rich Belgian chocolate until she bought his business two-and-a-half years ago.
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Jaquelyn with Allan Sirotkin, her former business partner, who is known to drop in for an occasional Caramel Explosion, which, as he tells customers who beg for a recommendation, is an excellent choice “when you’re in the mood for fun.” |
Jaquelyn arranging canisters of graduated chips and buttons, which come from her Californian wholesaler. Educating customers on the unique flavors of pure dark chocolate containing successively higher cocoa contents is an idea adopted from Allan Sirotkin, who sold his chocolate business to Jaquelyn.
In addition to the treat of making Jaquelyn’s and possibly Allan’s acquaintance, a visit to Nutty Steph’s may throw you into the company of the winsome behind-the-scenes crew. Pop your head through the doorway to the right of counter on any given evening, and you might find Bob (a.k.a. “B.O.B.”, pronounced “bee-YO-bee”) and Jo-Z hard at work concocting swirls of sweetness.
B.O.B. and Jo-Z pouring dark chocolate and cherries in the back room.
Nutty Steph’s also relies on additional local talent who contribute to the goods on offer. The shortbread, Italian pizzelles, butterfly cookies, and candied lemon peels that Jaquelyn dips in chocolate are all supplied by individuals from surrounding neighborhoods. The maple candies, though supplied by a company rather than by an individual, are also made in Vermont
Allan, B.O.B., and Jo-Z bringing in a new marble-topped table perfect for the cooling of chocolate. Note the baskets of chocolate medallions in the foreground!
Perhaps the most delightful discovery involves a year-old local partnership of a different sort. Baskets of intriguing medallions – white, milk, and dark chocolate – fill the shelf-space to the left of the door upon entrance. There are several varieties: Prosperity Milk Chocolate, Full Moon White Chocolate, Aphrodisiac Milk Chocolate, New Moon Dark Chocolate…. Each variety is decorated with a different swirling design inspired by Celtic knot work and medieval marginalia. Paul Borda, the artistic force behind the metalworking – woodcarving – and jewelry-making enterprise of Dryad Designs, provides the patterns. Amela, a professional herbalist, provides the special mixture of lore-based ingredients that constitute each recipe.
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| "Aphrodisiac" -- a Dryad Design Magical Chocolate |
The herbal additions are quite captivating. Aphrodisiac includes hazelnut, fig, cinnamon, elder, and meadowsweet. Although the ingredients are listed on the packaging, the mystery lies in the amounts. The ingredients for each Dryad Magical Chocolate variety arrive in a pre-mixed sealed package. Even Nutty Steph’s staff is kept uninformed!
Jaquelyn also draws on the inspiration of a creative friend responsible for recipes of many of the most popular selections displayed at the glass counter. The pistachio toffee is a recent best-seller. Customers who bought a generous bagful would reach the parking lot only to return immediately and declare, “I need another pound!”
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| A tray of the ever-popular pistachio toffee. |
Author’s Choice:
For an alluring spicy surprise, try the New Moon in the Dryad Magical Chocolate series. It is easy to believe there is magic in this zesty creation! The whole energetic mixture of Nutty Steph’s dark chocolate with the perfect proportion of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and kava kava is delectable. It will keep kissing your tongue long after the sugar has dissolved.
A second favorite is the lemon ginger dark pecan chocolate bar, found on the shelves of colorfully-wrapped 3 oz bars.
And the chocolate-covered pizzelle cookies, made only during the holiday season, shouldn’t be missed!
Additional Reasons to Visit:
A whole array of surprising flavorful combinations and goodies on the shelves…
…. and on the counters!
And, of course, the opportunity to meet Jaquelyn herself!
Nutty Steph's is open Tuesdays - Sundays 10 am - 6 pm, and Thursday 6 pm - midnight.
www.nuttystephs.com
