Bespoke Chocolate: A Sweet Spot on the Shore
When Covid derailed a plan to move to Portugal, one couple pivoted to Chestertown, Maryland, in the sweetest way. Having owned a series of businesses focused on their passions—Victorian home restoration, retail and food, sometimes both and all of which were sold in order to evolve into the next chapter—Stephen and Rosalind Lotharius decided it was time to embark on their next endeavor: chocolate.
"We wanted to be a part of the community, which means Washington College, the art scene, Sultana and others,” says Steve Lotharius, now owner of Bespoke Chocolate, which opened in December. The tiny shop on Cross Street is like dessert after a good meal, a final stop on a street filled with shops and the perfect spot for a little something sweet. For a college town on the water with its share of specialty shops, Bespoke is a welcome addition.
“The College has been awesome and helped us to think outside the ordinary,” says Lotharius. “That’s what makes the shop fun.”
In addition to Steve and Rosalind, Bespoke Chocolate Manager Cera Madrigal runs day to day operations as well as all fudge design and production. Plans are in place to add new lines and more permanent staff, as well as online shopping.
Asking about a favorite can be tricky, as any parent of more than one child will attest. Lotharius doesn’t waver when he admits the most requested purchase is a quarter pound of truffles. With over 80 selections, sea salt caramel remains the customer favorite. And much like Willy Wonka’s famed chocolate factory, practically everything in the shop is edible, including turtle-shaped chocolates and hand-painted chocolates made with colored cocoa butter. Inventory varies depending on season, and customers can choose from a wide array of packaging trays, sizes and designs for their treats.
For Lotharius, the process is a labor of love. Bespoke’s chocolate supply is between 500 and 1,000 pounds in multiple chocolates and varying cocoa percentages, and ingredients like nuts, decorating additives and spices and are always changing. Fudge is made weekly, nuts are roasted every Saturday, and a steady production both in-house and out keeps the chocolate cases full and freshly stocked.
Tempering chocolate is critical and varies with humidity and room temperature. The process is more of an art than a science and it is not unusual for the chocolate to go out of temper or become over-tempered, resulting in cocoa bloom ruining everything. Working with chocolatiers over the years has taught Steve patience.
“Tempering chocolate is always challenging,” he says, “especially on large projects we’ve had, like a seven-pound race horse for The Preakness.”
The word bespoke summons images of Savile Row suits and handstitched cowboy boots. When it comes to chocolate, the effort remains just as meticulous and thorough, with special requests always welcome.
“Making George Washington busts using a single cavity mold from the 1800’s was a challenge,” says Lotharius of a recent order fulfilled for Washington College. The project was big success with no leftovers and prompted another challenging order.
Whether you consider chocolate to be one of life’s necessities or a sweet indulgence (or both), Bespoke fills the need and then some.
Bespoke Chocolate
207 S Cross Street, Chestertown, MD, (608) 215-2501; Facebook Instagram
Tues 12-4pm, Wed-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm, Closed Mondays.
