Good morning! I'm sure that some of you have heard the news in the Upstate Business Journal or The Greenville News or on social media that LaRue Fine Chocolate is finally opening a space! My Momma was a Leap Year Baby so this is the day we would be celebrating her birthday and I thought it appropriate to share the news with you today. Below is my official press release. Thank you to Cheryl Andrews for being amazing at your profession!
LaRue Fine Chocolate to tempt even more
with deliciously wicked new chocolate shop and café in the
Village of West Greenville
Named after “momma who was a genuine bad-ass”
Coral Gables, February 20, 2019—You’ve heard or read about how Greenville, SC has become somewhat a new culinary capital of the southern US. One woman, Elizabeth Logan McDaniel has been in the forefront of that development since 2015 with her handcrafted, small-batch artisan LaRue Fine Chocolate.
A strong woman with strong passions and strong tastes, she has traveled to many fascinating countries taking in the culture and cuisine that each had to offer. Her curious nature and love of food and beverage led her to culinary classes and vineyard tours in Thailand, Chile, France, Spain, Italy, and more. McDaniel worked for over 10 years as a fine wine representative for a large distributor in SC. During this time, she achieved the status of Certified Specialist of Wine. This career path allowed her to meet the local chefs and restauranteurs who had begun driving Greenville’s reputation for foodies. “My years in the wine industry gave me an understanding of flavor profiles and the importance of achieving balance on the palette,” McDaniel reflects. With encouragement from the local chefs and restauranteurs, to whom she began giving chocolates as Christmas gifts, who assured her she could make chocolate more than a hobby, in 2014, she quit her job and hopped on a plane to Vancouver to take a Master Chocolatier course. She received a Professional Chocolatier certificate with honors as well as achieved the rank of Maitre Chocolatier from Ecole Chocolat, and has studied under the notable Melissa Coppel, and, in 2015, in her studio with her niece as her only assistant, LaRue Fine Chocolate was born. The company is named after her mother, Dora LaRue Smith Logan, who served in the US Army, married a Marine, and survived with grace raising four sons and one daughter, Elizabeth, to whom she gave birth at almost age 40.
Since then, LaRue Fine Chocolate has built a strong base of loyal followers, eager to taste the next innovation that emerges from McDaniel’s creative mind. The Dora LaRue, a peanut butter, graham cracker crunch enrobed in milk chocolate. The GrandMa, milk chocolate, Grand Marnier enrobed in milk chocolate with candied orange zest. The Lavender Love, lavender and honey dark chocolate enrobed in dark chocolate. Lala Latte, a coffee-infused dark chocolate enrobed in milk chocolate with cocoa nibs and coffee salt. These are just a few of her offerings, some seasonal, some available year ‘round.
Next for McDaniel and LaRue Fine Chocolate is her café, planned to open in the historic Poe West building offering office, restaurant, retail and educational space in the Village of West Greenville. The café will be open for guests to grab a “chef’s choice” box of chocolates to go, create their own collection or sit and linger a while over a glass of something new and interesting, a decadent dessert or cheese plate. There will be a wine, bubbles, beer and cocktail list offering in addition to coffee and tea drinks, hot chocolates (of course) with house made marshmallows and creative non-alcoholic cocktails. “I’m looking forward to hosting ‘roll your own’ chocolate making events, chocolate classes and truffle and beverage pairing events,’ in time for the holidays.,” McDaniel promises. She is planning for a late fall/early winter opening. Opening hours will be Wednesdays and Thursdays 1pm-9pm and Fridays and Saturdays 1pm-10pm, 556 Perry Avenue, Greenville, SC 29611.
For more information or to order chocolates: www.laruefinechocolate.com or 864-616-1991
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Media contact:
Cheryl Andrews
Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications
www.cam-pr.com
305-444-4033
