The Gift of Bittersweet Chocolates
What do two women who have an insatiable love for chocolate, turning special moments into lifetime memories, and bringing affordable luxury to ever day people like you and me do when they retire? They open an affordable, handmade chocolate boutique in downtown Olympia highlighting the finest local and organic ingredients.
After working together for 20+ years together at South Puget Sound Community College, Cindy Uhrich and Debbie Smith began to ask themselves what life might look like after they retired from "college life". More than anything, Debbie, who helped develop and ran the baking and pasty arts program at SPSCC, wanted to work with chocolate. They did some research (including a major roadtrip) and when they discovered no one in the area was making the artisan-designed style of chocolates they wanted to make, Bittersweet Chocolates was born.
Debbie and Cindy developed their chocolate recipes using only the finest local, natural, and organic ingredients they could get their hands on, and their goal is to be a sustainable and ethical chocolate business that supports their local community. They’re also on a mission to be an affordable and unique solution when it comes to giving a beautiful gift to family and friends.
The Chocolate Process
It usually takes two to three days, depending on the ingredients and decorating, for a chocolate to be ready for purchase. The process begins with airbrushing unique colors and patterns in plastic molds, then comes the slow process of layering tempered chocolate, and filling that with the actual flavored ganache which makes each chocolate unique and special.
Bittersweet Chocolate is unique in that their products are not only beautiful, but they have a rather extensive variety of flavors, like Lavender, Maple Bourbon Pecan & Caramel, and Vietnamese Coffee -- all made in-house.
A visit to the shop provides shoppers an opportunity to view these sweet masterpieces close-up, but you’ll also find a large variety of unique chocolate treats, a chance to sit down with a delightful cup of espresso, or even better – a cup of sipping chocolate. If you know, you know, but just in case you don't, sipping chocolate, unlike hot chocolate which starts in powder form and is made with water, is made with Bittersweet Chocolate’s gloriously melted chocolate and is made with cream which makes it thicker and more luxurious. A real treat for when you’ve been especially good (wink wink!).
Seasonal Sweets Just for Summer
Beat the heat this summer with a scoop (or two!) of Olympia Mountain Ice Cream. We're partial to Whiskey Caramel Praline and Northwest Berry Magic, but you do you. If you're feeling super generous, grab a pint to share with family and friends.
How To Purchase Bittersweet Chocolates:
Bittersweet Chocolates are shelf-stable for 2 – 3 weeks which makes them the perfect traveling companion for out-of-town visitors. Running short on time but don't want to miss this unique gift-giving opportunity? Online ordering is available for pick-up in store (be sure to plan ahead!).
All of Bittersweet Chocolates products are unique, but they also do personalized orders (with advance notice of course) upon request.