Mondel Chocolates: History, Just Around The Corner

Upper West Side NY

15 November, 2021

11:59 AM

Description

Columbia Daily Spectator BY ARIANA EFTIMIU NOVEMBER 14, 2021 A neon sign reading "Mondel Chocolates" adorns the outside window of a Broadway storefront above a proud Zagat rating. Thousands of students pass by the store on their way to class, unaware of the history of the familiar haven that accompanies its handcrafted chocolates. Mondel Chocolates has served Columbia students and Morningside Heights residents since 1943. Located at the intersection of Broadway and 114th Street, Mondel's clientele extends beyond community residents to include notable celebrities, and the store offers a small but well-curated selection of chocolates for any occasion. As customers enter the store, they are greeted by an abundance of paper boxes and tins, aiding them in their selections. Stuffed animals sit by the wayside, making guests feel much like a little kid inside a candy store. Paula, a Mondel employee who has been working at the store for over 30 years, noted that not only have the store's chocolatier techniques remained constant through the years, its clientele has as well. "I've met several people over the years," she said. "Lots became regulars and are very loyal to the shop. … It's like being part of a family." What began as a family business lives on today, with the founder's daughter still involved in Mondel's operations, according to Paula. The familial feeling permeates the store, especially during the holiday season, as Mondel prepares holiday treats from Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day. Part of the store's claim to fame, Paula noted, was actress Katherine Hepburn's visits. Hepburn had once proclaimed Mondel to have the best dark chocolate in the world. Hepburn's favorites included pecan turtles, molasses chips, butter crunch, dark orange peel, champagne truffles, and dark almond bark. "She used to come by herself or send someone to buy chocolate for her," Paula explained, "And now years later, there's a standard box called the 'Katherine Hepburn mix,' because [customers] can buy what she used to get." Contrary to a modern-day candy store—extremely large, crowded, and with too many choices to decide—Mondel offers a more manageable selection. The calm interior of the store more closely resembles that of a coffee shop, and customers can peruse the chocolate options without feeling overwhelmed by an endless supply. Despite offering a smaller selection than some chocolatiers, the shop's flavor profiles are vast. Mondel boasts extensive options for milk or dark chocolate truffles and creams, with fillings such as orange, lemon, raspberry, and maple. Its shelves house selections of chocolate-dipped fruits and cordials, jellies, barks, and caramels, as well as a selection of break-up chocolate. For those looking for an alternative, Mondel also offers sugar-free options. Mondel has several tried-and-true classics, including rum cordials, varied mints, sour candies, coconut slices, butterscotch, and cinnamon drops. Some of the store's staples are hazelnut-layered Figaro truffle, almond turtles, and dark chocolate sea salt caramels. As clients and chocolate options come and go, Mondel's mission remains the same: "To keep up one day at a time, more or less." The pandemic provided some complications—there were generally fewer people in the neighborhood, which affected sales and store clientele—but the shop remains committed to its customers and craft. As the February 1966 issue of The New Yorker described Mondel as "genial" and "gentle," it is evident that some things truly are eternal. Walking into Mondel is akin to walking into a portal through time and experiencing the warm embraces of endless past customers. "[Former customers] move away and still remember the store," Paula said, noting it as part of what helps keep the magic of Mondel alive. Although Paula does not know why the store's founders chose to settle in Morningside Heights, she said, "whoever started the business, he had a very good vision." Generations of chocolatier techniques and stories passed down, a carefully crafted selection of chocolates, and familiar faces of employees like Paula have contributed to Mondel's enduring success. As a new generation of students move to Morningside Heights, multiple soon-to-be "regulars," frequenting Mondel for caramels for a significant other or orange peels for their visiting families, will aid in keeping the Mondel tradition alive. Arts & Entertainment staff writer Ariana Eftimiu can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow Spectator on Twitter @ColumbiaSpec. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.