Maite + Francisca = Maitelates

Hello again!  It’s time to put it together and get back to my good old habit of writing.. writing of course about things that make me happy, extremely happy, like all the beauty behind these pictures, like Maitelates, and all what that simple combination of characters mean in my indomitable- as Mo would say- life.  

Yes, I tattooed Ann Arbor on my wrist.

Yes, I flew back to Chile

Yes, Francisca is the cutest (and smartest!) Maitelates manager of the whole word!

Yes I miss you all!!!

Yes, I have the most beautiful children ever

And yes, even though the whole move and life change has been exhausting and confusing, I’m happy to realize that there is one thing that makes me focus, relax and put my confusion together.. that would be making Alfajores from start to finish, as I did almost every day in Ann Arbor. I can’t help it!

And it is not about enjoying sticky hands or being covered in flour while you don’t even have a place to put your suitcases YET.. it is about creating with my hands, something that I know for sure, will make someone else happy. Cutting dough to bake it later, tempering chocolate until the right shining point, making Alfajores,  brings my spirit to that sweet Ann Arbor in where I left unique memories and the most amazing friends.

M-A-I-T-E-L-A-T-E-S

I remember the day I put those silly letters together. If I only knew..

The magic of that funny name keeps bringing people together. The sweetness behind each Maitelates will make people happy forever, and that, that will always make me smile..

Francisca, amiga mia, keep it rock and rolling! Go Maitelates!!!! Go A2!!!! May the force make us all be back together!!  

A2, Alex & Agnes, the soul of the farmer's market

Barbara & Michael, the sweetest reason that made all possible 

Women Power!!!!!!

La familia Maitelates

La familia M & M

Salud!

Sandy & Atila, your everyday smile fix!

Steve & Fran, cool picture, cool friends!

Recap = Recapitulando

I've been meaning to be a serious company manager, and I should at least try to tell Maitelates story using a business-y tone.... but, to whoever is actually taking the time to read this, hi, I'm Maite, and the last thing I am is serious. I have a PhD in loving life, flavors, friends and all kinds of moments. 

Life brought me to Ann Arbor where Maitelates was born. Surrounded by an amazing community and inspired by local flavors, childhood memories, and a serious need to support my family, I took a dip breath and started making one of the most traditional treats from Chile: Alfajores. Alfa.. what? Yeah I know… unpronounceable, but delicious!!

MY Alfajores, which I not so creatively called Maitelates -a combination of my name 'Maite' and 'Chocolate' and a 'sleep deprived brain'- are filled with Dulce de Leche and hand dipped in good, good chocolate (not couverture!) that I myself temper and fight with every week…. yeah, it’s time for you to know that working with chocolate is one of the hardest things I have had to do in my life! What a moody guy! 

If you are still reading (thank you!!) you should also know that Maitelates has been overwhelmingly successful in a very short period of time… hard to believe, but true. Still, all I really want to share with you is that this amazing story happened only because I was lucky enough to invest in the best thing you can really invest in: people, good people.

Maitelates is and will always be a combination of a delicious recipe, family traditions, good local flavors, lots of work, and most importantly, all the love and support of a whole community that I have been lucky enough to be surrounded with.

Thank you Ann Arbor for making Maitelates real and so special.. (if you read until here, thank you again!)

Sweet Ema... sweet life!

Hi everybody!! Back in business!!!!! Happy, recharged and reloaded!!

I'm happy to introduce to you another one of my master pieces... and I'm not talking about another flavor... this time, all sweetness comes from a little Ema, who came on a cold January morning, and I'm delighted to share with you all..

She's the best! Adorable like Pedro, but with a special touch of delicacy that I can't just get enough of. Ema came dipped in harmony and wrapped in happy colors. Life is good, way to good and generous.

All happiness brought by Ema has made me wanting to go back to the kitchen and share with the world (thank you Zingerman's for helping me with the distribution) all those sweet flavors that blend so nicely in your mouth after each bite of one of my Alfajores.
And because life is always special, I also wanted to share with you another sweet moment.... you all know that my Alfajores are all about family traditions and memories from my people and my country, so here you go, my friend Rosa took a picure of three generations in the kitchen (my mom, my Ema and my -big- self), smiling around that one recipe you all love..

Welcome Ema!!!! Have a sweet and happy life.. you are in good hands.... te queremos mucho mucho....

BIENVENIDA!!!