Kailua Shopkeeper Loves Creating Chocolate Flavors
By Kerry Miller
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A love of chocolate has brought Melanie Boudar back to Oahu, and she recently opened Sweet Paradise chocolate shop in Kailua.
“I moved here from the Big Island where I’ve been making chocolate for a couple of years up in Volcano, it’s been kind of fun,” said Boudar, who has settled in Waimanalo.“I do artistic confections using chocolate from around the world - Hawaii, Madagascar, Latin America and Venezuela.”
Boudar, who lived in Kailua before the Big Island, noted that now that she’s open for business “people have one more reason to not go into town.”
Located at 20-A Kainehe St., the shop features her hand-made, hand-tempered chocolates, all from original recipes. While waiting to set up a commercial kitchen here, she’s currently making her chocolates in her Big Island kitchen and then shipping them here, keeping their freshness intact.
“I have a small enrobing machine from Italy, it helps to keep the chocolate at perfect temperature,” she explained.
Her use of local ingredients like tropical fruits and hand-painting her chocolates, are elements that set her product apart. Among her exotic flavors are zen truffle (with a wasabi ginger sesame), chocolate in the shape of lips (a French brandy cherry in the middle of a dark chocolate chili pepper ganache), passion orange guava and lilikoi silk.
“I continue to experiment with flavors. I’m always going to the farmers market to find something new.”
She also sells chocolate spa products and holds a drawing once a month. The prize is a chocolate-tasting party for eight. Entry forms are available at the store.
Boudar’s love of chocolate developed during her 28 years as a jeweler and diamond buyer, traveling frequently to Belgium, where she would visit chocolate shops. After her career change, she didn’t indulge her love of baking right away. First there was The Crater’s Edge, her bed and breakfast on the Big Island, which she still owns. Following two years of success entering the Kona Chocolate Festival, Boudar answered the call. She attended the Culinary Institute of America and a specialized school in Canada; then she was ready to open Sweet Paradise.
“The reception from the local community has been fantastic,” Boudar said of business so far. “I do a website and newsletter. I have customers from all over the country.”
Sweet Paradise is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call 230-8228 or visit http://www.sweetparadisechocolate.com.
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