Chocolate wasn’t a favorite of Poles at first
by Gia Lynn LaScala
According to a recent article on Culture.pl, “Poles didn’t like its naturally bitter taste at first. People even said that chocolate was a drink for pigs rather than humans, and that it was disgusting. Opinions began to change when chocolate started to be served hot, with added cane sugar, cinnamon and aniseed.…”
For sweet-toothed Polish-Americans chocolate has always been a favorite and many patronize two local chocolatiers who create their quality confections in true artisan fashion. Mike’s Handmade Candies and Yia Yia’s Chocolates are both family-owned small businesses that produce wonderful quality chocolate in a mind-boggling array of flavor combinations and varieties – including Buffalo’s renowned sponge candy.
Mike’s Homemade Candies at 2110 Clinton St., Buffalo is run by Suzi Walter and her mother Anna. It was established in 1962 by Mike and Anna (Suzi’s parents) after they immigrated to Buffalo from Salonika, Greece. Mike and Anna originally established an ice cream/candy shop, but soon streamlined to just making and selling chocolate as it had become so popular.
The variety of chocolates from Mike’s is astounding, and the fact that everything is homemade and hand dipped using one stove on the premises is the impressive commitment and work ethic behind this mom and pop shop. Suzi Walter states that she sometimes is working in the kitchen from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. the next day!
The most popular item is the sponge candy, and Mike’s offers seven different flavors including the rare raspberry, and white chocolate developed by Suzi Walter per special request. All the recipes used to create the caramel, marshmallow, cream and nougat fillings as well as the sponge candy were created by Suzi’s father Mike.
There are a variety of chocolate creations available to please any palate, from plain dark or milk chocolate to toffee, caramel, marshmallow or coconut to fruit flavors, cordials, nuts and truffles and sponge candy, as well as sugar-free options. Curious customers can buy chocolate by the piece or in any small amount if they wish.
Walter has been dedicated to this family business since she was a youngster working with her parents, and while she has children of her own, she continues to put extensive time and attention into every product. Walter expresses her commitment to quality and is pleased that Mike’s has been the subject of a rave review from Gourmet Magazine. Mike’s has a dedicated local customer base, and regularly ships chocolates to customers in various other states.
Walter’s brother-in-law Cliff Schultz worked for the family for years and then branched out to start Yia Yia’s Chocolates in 1987. The name was chosen because Yia Yia means “grandmother” in Greek. The original establishment was in Lancaster by the Opera House, and included among its menu items soups, sandwiches, rice pudding and baklava. Within a few years they streamlined to just chocolate.
In 1996 they moved to a location near Transit Road and Como Park Blvd. where they remained until 2014, when Basil Family Dealerships bought the location. Schultz states that the last relocation to 3100 Transit Road has yielded new customers and a growing business.
Yia Yia’s also produces a vast array of chocolates, with at least 150 different flavor combinations. Schultz states he learned about the chocolatier business from Mike’s. He also takes great pride in the quality of his creations, and everything is homemade and hand dipped using one stove.
When asked how he is able to create that volume of production with one stove and a small kitchen, Schultz states, “I never count the hours.” He states that one batch of jelly filling takes a half day to prepare, and the homemade product is not sticky like that which is mass produced. He states that the caramel takes a few hours to create, and the sponge candy filling must sit for a day before being cut.
Some special flavors were developed by Schultz, including grape and peach jellies and peanut butter sponge candy. The sponge candy is the biggest seller, and Shultz ships order throughout the U.S. Shultz states that customers can taste the difference in the homemade product, and he takes pride in making sure each batch is of the highest quality.
Schultz states that the cost of ingredients over the years has skyrocketed, but he endeavors to keep the retail prices down. Also, batches of ingredients such as corn syrup aren’t always of the same formulation, which affects the final products and sometimes entire batches of candy must be discarded as a result.
These are some of the challenges of running the business, but Schultz states that the customer base for Yia Yia’s continues to grow. They also offer a variety of novelty items such as chocolate in many different themed molds, centerpieces for holidays, weddings and baby showers, peanut butter covered popcorn, chocolate covered popcorn, and entire cakes made of sponge candy.
Luckily the summer months are a bit slower for both Mike’s and Yia Yia’s, offering the owners a slight break in production, but these artisans still dedicate a full schedule to their craft, and clearly pour their hearts and souls into every batch of chocolate they create. With high quality and novelties to suit any whim or craving these two hard working chocolatiers are worth a visit.
According to a recent article on Culture.pl, “Poles didn’t like its naturally bitter taste at first. People even said that chocolate was a drink for pigs rather than humans, and that it was disgusting. Opinions began to change when chocolate started to be served hot, with added cane sugar, cinnamon and aniseed.…”
For sweet-toothed Polish-Americans chocolate has always been a favorite and many patronize two local chocolatiers who create their quality confections in true artisan fashion. Mike’s Handmade Candies and Yia Yia’s Chocolates are both family-owned small businesses that produce wonderful quality chocolate in a mind-boggling array of flavor combinations and varieties – including Buffalo’s renowned sponge candy.
Mike’s Homemade Candies at 2110 Clinton St., Buffalo is run by Suzi Walter and her mother Anna. It was established in 1962 by Mike and Anna (Suzi’s parents) after they immigrated to Buffalo from Salonika, Greece. Mike and Anna originally established an ice cream/candy shop, but soon streamlined to just making and selling chocolate as it had become so popular.
The variety of chocolates from Mike’s is astounding, and the fact that everything is homemade and hand dipped using one stove on the premises is the impressive commitment and work ethic behind this mom and pop shop. Suzi Walter states that she sometimes is working in the kitchen from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. the next day!
The most popular item is the sponge candy, and Mike’s offers seven different flavors including the rare raspberry, and white chocolate developed by Suzi Walter per special request. All the recipes used to create the caramel, marshmallow, cream and nougat fillings as well as the sponge candy were created by Suzi’s father Mike.
There are a variety of chocolate creations available to please any palate, from plain dark or milk chocolate to toffee, caramel, marshmallow or coconut to fruit flavors, cordials, nuts and truffles and sponge candy, as well as sugar-free options. Curious customers can buy chocolate by the piece or in any small amount if they wish.
Walter has been dedicated to this family business since she was a youngster working with her parents, and while she has children of her own, she continues to put extensive time and attention into every product. Walter expresses her commitment to quality and is pleased that Mike’s has been the subject of a rave review from Gourmet Magazine. Mike’s has a dedicated local customer base, and regularly ships chocolates to customers in various other states.
Walter’s brother-in-law Cliff Schultz worked for the family for years and then branched out to start Yia Yia’s Chocolates in 1987. The name was chosen because Yia Yia means “grandmother” in Greek. The original establishment was in Lancaster by the Opera House, and included among its menu items soups, sandwiches, rice pudding and baklava. Within a few years they streamlined to just chocolate.
In 1996 they moved to a location near Transit Road and Como Park Blvd. where they remained until 2014, when Basil Family Dealerships bought the location. Schultz states that the last relocation to 3100 Transit Road has yielded new customers and a growing business.
Yia Yia’s also produces a vast array of chocolates, with at least 150 different flavor combinations. Schultz states he learned about the chocolatier business from Mike’s. He also takes great pride in the quality of his creations, and everything is homemade and hand dipped using one stove.
When asked how he is able to create that volume of production with one stove and a small kitchen, Schultz states, “I never count the hours.” He states that one batch of jelly filling takes a half day to prepare, and the homemade product is not sticky like that which is mass produced. He states that the caramel takes a few hours to create, and the sponge candy filling must sit for a day before being cut.
Some special flavors were developed by Schultz, including grape and peach jellies and peanut butter sponge candy. The sponge candy is the biggest seller, and Shultz ships order throughout the U.S. Shultz states that customers can taste the difference in the homemade product, and he takes pride in making sure each batch is of the highest quality.
Schultz states that the cost of ingredients over the years has skyrocketed, but he endeavors to keep the retail prices down. Also, batches of ingredients such as corn syrup aren’t always of the same formulation, which affects the final products and sometimes entire batches of candy must be discarded as a result.
These are some of the challenges of running the business, but Schultz states that the customer base for Yia Yia’s continues to grow. They also offer a variety of novelty items such as chocolate in many different themed molds, centerpieces for holidays, weddings and baby showers, peanut butter covered popcorn, chocolate covered popcorn, and entire cakes made of sponge candy.
Luckily the summer months are a bit slower for both Mike’s and Yia Yia’s, offering the owners a slight break in production, but these artisans still dedicate a full schedule to their craft, and clearly pour their hearts and souls into every batch of chocolate they create. With high quality and novelties to suit any whim or craving these two hard working chocolatiers are worth a visit.