By ANNETTE GALLAGHER Correspondent
With Christmas fast approaching, finding the right gift is often difficult. As with so many of life’s dilemmas, chocolate is the answer! Great chocolate, hand-crafted and made with the finest ingredients, is the perfect answer for almost any gifting situation.
Ava Marie Chocolates, in Peterborough since 2003, is owned by New Hampshire transplant Susan Mazzone. When she moved to Peterborough from Pennsylvania, Mazzone said she loved everything about New Hampshire – except she thought the area lacked a great chocolate or ice-cream shop. So she opened her own.
“I visited five family-owned chocolate shops in Pennsylvania, Boston, Upstate New York and New Hampshire and watched their production,” she said. “I started a year out of our home in Peterborough. I started with truffles, which we gave to friends and family, and they loved it. Then we sold to gift shops. Production started taking over our home, with our friends helping with shipping.”
The entire operation, including the name of the shop, is a family affair.
“I wanted a look and feel of an old-fashioned chocolate and ice-cream shop with the name to match,” Mazzone said. Our daughter’s name is Ava Marie, and I thought it was a nice fit. Our son Landon, who’s 13, is president of the company.”
Mazzone said that Ava Marie’s best seller is the Milk & Dark Chocolate Deluxe assortment and its award-winning pecan turtles, voted best in New Hampshire, according to New Hampshire Magazine in 2007. The line also includes a variety of creams and caramels, flavored barks and hand-painted artisan chocolates. Ava Marie’s artisan chocolates were even included in the Daytime Emmy nomination gift bags earlier this year.
While classics might be the best sellers, innovation is key at Ava Marie.
“We are always coming up with new ideas,” Mazzone said. “Right now, we have a Noiret that is a red wine from Candia Vineyards in Candia, mixed with our dark chocolate. If you love red wine, this is it! We also have a great chili pepper dark chocolate, as well as Cinful, which is white chocolate and cinnamon,” Mazzone said.
Additionally, Mazzone said that customers make lots of suggestions and offer feedback; she and staff also attend chocolate shows to learn new techniques.
Special items for Christmas include chocolate Christmas trees in 3- and 6-inch sizes, hot chocolate mix and Christmas-themed gift baskets.
Besides the retail shop in Peterborough, all of Ava Marie’s products are available online, and it wholesales to a variety of shops in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and New York. The Peterborough location includes an ice-cream shop, as well.
“If chocolate is my favorite thing, ice cream is a close second!” Mazzone said. “What a great combination!”
The ice-cream shop serves Richardson’s Dairy-Fresh ice cream, frozen yogurt and sherbet in 32 flavors.
Gift cards, wedding and event favors, and corporate gift baskets are also available from Ava Marie. The shop, which Mazzone said is the best place to get the whole Ava Marie experience, is at 43 Grove St., Peterborough. The Web site is www.avamarie chocolates.com.
Annette Gallagher can be reached at annettegallagher@gmail.com.
