Cheers!!!

What a week!!!!! First, the miners in Chile coming one by one from hell to life! Then, my son Pedro telling my friends that he is having a baby sister, showing pictures of her and acting like a big brother:  “this is my Ema”! 

And now this…. 

Zingerman’s telling the world that what I do is a SENSATION!!!! Please go and check THE LINK .. This week will remain in my mind as one of the most rewarding ones…  

Salud!

ZINGERMAN'S!!!

Yeah, it’s true!!!! The rumor, about Maitelates becoming what so many of you wanted it to become, is actually happening. Good and important things are occurring. And, of course, I need to share the news with all of those  who have been an important part of this journey, I mean, all of you!

Two years ago, I was just starting to introduce my Alfajores at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market, when so many of you approached me and said, “This treat needs to be at Zingerman’s” And, as much as I loved my Alfajores and people’s reactions to them, never in a million years would I have believed that the “Z” thing would ever happen… Why? Well, I guess my brain was in more of a survival mode than a business one… 
All I knew about Zingerman’s was that whatever they touched, it changed people’s perceptions. Was I ready for that? No… not really… I needed to learn more, to explore further, to find exactly the best way to present and represent and refine Maitelates.

After all this time, after all these many wonderful things that have already happened to me, the day has come. Zingerman’s is offering to the world my finest version of what you (yes, all you) tried and admired a couple of years ago. Go tell your family, friends and pets… Maitelates made it, WE MADE IT!!!! 

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Maitelates presents (part III)

While watching the leaves welcoming the Fall, I thought it would be nice to squeeze the last drops of summer...
And what better than enjoying  pictures of a lovely lovely family, that traveled for hundreds of miles carrying the name of that YUMMY cookie you all love....

Here you can see my dear neighbor, friend, helper and always supporter, Liz with her son Aidin (the next Beckham) and her adorable Anahita. The pictures were taken in Newport, Boston and Montreal (Canada)

Love you guys!!!!!!

Maitelates presents (part II)

Hello!! Happy September!!!! I hope everybody is enjoying the beginning of school, classes, day cares, new jobs, new projects, etc! I'm enjoying everything as usual, specially the pictures of my dear friends wearing Maitelates shirts around the world!!!!

Here you see two of the cutest: Dianne and Francisca. Dianne is Agnes and Alex's Nemeth youngest daughter. Mother of two and the writer of the Nemeth's awesome blog! 

Francisca is a special friend that has been always there to give me a hand when I needed it. She is the second aboard in Maitelates' kitchen, and the best knitter I've ever seen. 

While Dianne took her picture here in Michigan, Francisca went a little farther.. her picture was taken in front of a sculpture called "the kiss" in Lima, Peru! How international is that!

Thank you ladies! Love you both!

Maitelates presents (part I)

This time I have little to say. I’ll let these beautiful pictures speak for themselves… 
Maitelates presents: MY FAVORITE PEOPLE!
Never in a million years could I adequately describe the feeling of seeing friends and good good people walking around town with the trendiest shirt of the summer… (if you don't have one yet, let me know)
Enjoy the pictures, as much as I enjoy living every chapter of this awesome adventure! 

Thanks everybody!!!!!
Pictures: Pedro (the best) -  Steve (goood friend!) - Bob (gran amigo)- Erica (best neighbor) - Zac (the tornado chaser) & Kyle;  (adorable) - Deena (come back!) - Hilary (my dear Hilary)- Gin & Margaret (lovely couple) -the happy Maitelates family! 

Sorpresa!!!!!!!!!!

I’m back! Alive, a little heavier, and happier than ever! I’m expecting another baby and even though my body and brain haven’t been cooperating, my heart is full of joy and energy. How good is that!!! Another Maitelates lover coming this upcoming January!!

So yeah, life keeps changing and improving, and while celebrating, I discovered something big: as much as I loved the flavor of my Belgian chocolate, being sick gave me some extra time to do a little research about chocolate. My Goodness!!!!!!! How can it be possible that most of that delicious combination of roasted cocoa powder, cocoa butter and sugar, comes from companies that exploit small farms of third world countries? No way, I don’t want to be part of that! Nor my Alfajores!!! So now what? Well… I guess is not that difficult; it was a matter of giving it some brain time (pretty limited during these days) to discover that there are many fantastic options out there, fair trade options, companies that pay and respect the work, and workers, of farms around the world that make it possible for you, and me, to get cacao beans of the most pure and ‘fair’ flavors.

Conclusion? Maitelates is introducing the new fair trade Alfajores now enrobed in either dark Ecuadorian Mindo chocolate (a good amount of 77% cocoa in each bite) or Semisweet Swiss Felchlin chocolate (another good amount of 60% cacao melting in your mouths with a creamy aftertaste that you just won’t forget). Each one has its own fantastic story and attributes. Stay tuned for more detailed stories and information on both! I encourage you to try both and keep choosing fair trade. You are choosing the best!

Thanks, baby, for making me sick! heh…

Dark

In the middle of the night, I heard Pedro saying WHILE SLEEPING “Maitelates” and I thought it was the funniest thing ever.. what am I doing to my child? 

Dark was the night as dark is the new Maitelates enrobed in 77% cacao Mindo Chocolate MADE IN MICHIGAN!! Joe and Barbara have cacao plants in Ecuador in where they grow Nacional and Criollo trees of chocolate. Once the beans are fermented and dried, they fly to Michigan, Dexter, in where they are grind and pressed to become the most aromatic and pure chocolate I’ve ever tried. Just a little organic evaporated cane juice and voila! Fantastic chocolate! If you haven’t tried it yet, do try my new Alfajores dipped in dark chocolate. I’m telling you, they are to die for…

And oh! You wanna look pretty? Order now your Maitelates t-shirt! They are just cool…  handmade cool!!