Moscow Food Co-op Producer Profile

by Gary Chang, from the March 2001 newsletter

Marilyn Lysohir has plenty of fun as the Head Cowgirl at Cowgirl Chocolates.

"Chocolate is joy," says Marilyn. "It really is a joyful thing." For the past three years, Marilyn has made and distributed chocolates and other treats in addition to working as an artist in Moscow. Marilyn jokes that one of the hard parts of running Cowgirl is that "it takes all of my willpower to stay out of the chocolates."

Cowgirl Chocolates are all-natural, kosher chocolates that are unique in that they contain hot pepper as an ingredient. When you first put one in your mouth, it will taste smooth like other high quality chocolates. After a second or two, you'll taste the fiery pepper. Be forewarned, they are quite hot. Marilyn admits that not everyone can take the heat of her chocolates. However, enough people enjoy both chocolate and spice to keep Marilyn busy shipping her candies from Moscow to all over the world, even as far as Norway and New Zealand.

Cowgirl Chocolates come in mint, orange, lime-tequila, espresso, and milk chocolate. Although espresso is the hottest, all five flavors are hot. In order to appease people who prefer chocolate without spice, this year Marilyn has started making "mild-mannered" milk chocolate and dark chocolate truffles. Also in the line of Cowgirl Chocolates' products are a spicy caramel sauce and merchandise emblazoned with the company logo and the tongue-in-cheek warning: "sissies stay away."

What inspired Marilyn to combine chocolate and hot pepper? As with the whole business of Cowgirl Chocolates, Marilyn credits a team effort. Marilyn's first job was at a candy factory, where one of her duties was carving 8-foot-tall chocolate animals. (Marilyn's interests in art and chocolate have a long, parallel history.) Marilyn stayed in touch with the owner of the factory, a man named Pete Daffin. One day in 1995, Pete jokingly offered $10,000 to anyone who could invent a new flavor of candy. Marilyn's brother, Bob, heard about the offer and thought that hot nuts and chocolate would make a good combination. Bob's prototype candies were laughed-at, but Marilyn liked the idea. She and a friend, Kathy Bodley, experimented with adding spice to chocolates. Eventually, Marilyn formulated a recipe for hot truffles and had some made at Hunter's Candies here in Moscow. In 1997, Marilyn began selling Cowgirl Chocolates at the Moscow Farmer's Market.

Cowgirl Chocolates quickly began earning accolades and gaining attention. Among the eleven awards that Marilyn keeps in her garage are two Golden Chiles, awarded by Chile Pepper Magazine. Her truffles were also named 'Best New Product of 1998' by the Idaho Specialty Foods Association. Cowgirl received even more exposure last March when The New York Times ran a brief "Temptations" article on its truffles. The critical success of Cowgirl Chocolates inspired Marilyn to adapt and increase the size of her operation.

Today, Cowgirl Chocolates are made in cooperation with Seattle Chocolates. Marilyn makes the caramel sauce in a specialty kitchen in Sandpoint. Marilyn's family also helps in the endeavor. One of Marilyn's twin daughters, Delphine Keim-Campbell, designed the packaging for the chocolates, while the other, Amy Keim-Des Rosier, designed the Cowgirl Chocolates Web page. Marilyn's husband, Ross Coates, is also an artist who helps with the distribution of Cowgirl Chocolates. As it turns out, shipping Cowgirl products to numerous locations throughout the world has proven to be the most difficult part of the business.

Interestingly, running Cowgirl Chocolates hasn't become a full-time job for Marilyn. Instead, Marilyn views Cowgirl Chocolates as an extension of her art, while she continues to participate in workshops and create non-chocolate art. In fact, right now, funding that keeps Cowgirl Chocolates operating comes from Marilyn's art. Marilyn is not sure how big Cowgirl will eventually become.

"The snowball's going down the hill…we'll let it go and see what's happening."

If you like chocolate and spicy food, and are curious to taste them in tandem, the Moscow Food Co-op offers Cowgirl Chocolates candies as well as CC t-shirts and caps. Cowgirl Chocolates are also available in several other Moscow locations, and are turning up in specialty shops around the world. You can also order them online at www.cowgirlchocolates.com. Marilyn has ideas for some new products, such as a dessert cookbook, so keep an eye out for those.

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