For many of us, chocolate is a source of comfort, a rich and decadent flavor that somehow seems to make any moment just that much sweeter. For others, however, it’s a lifestyle. Artisan bean-to-bar chocolate is making a name for itself in northern Michigan thanks to two local chocolatiers who are taking great care to source and create chocolate that’s full of complexity and depth you won’t find elsewhere.

This week's Northern Express, sister publication of The Ticker, explores the joys of local treats produced by Grocer's Daughter and Great Lakes Chocolate and Dessert Company. When Grocer’s Daughter initially opened, it sold exclusively dark chocolate and built a “huge following of chocolate lovers” in both the local community and in other places in the world. Today, their offerings and their following has only grown under Jody Hayden. “The local community is really supportive,” Hayden says, “but we also get a ton of online orders from people who tried our chocolate while they were visiting and crave that bean-to-bar chocolate you just can’t find in most places.”

Dave and Shana Sicotte opened Great Lakes Chocolate and Dessert Company in August of 2021, hoping to fill a void in the Traverse City market for top-notch desserts and chocolate. Their passion for making their products from-scratch and in-house is evident in the quality of the chocolate. Shana tells Northern Express, “Every aspect of the chocolate making process is done in-house and can be seen through a window in our chocolate shop. Each bean holds a unique flavor profile, and it’s our job to really highlight those beauties individually.”

Read more about both chocolatiers - and get inspired for holiday gift-giving! - in this week's Northern Express, available to read for free online and on newsstands at nearly 700 spots in 14 counties across northern Michigan.