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Hidden in a quaint, yet beautiful store along Miraflores’ La Mar avenue, Shattell Choclate is a gem that won’t remain hidden for long. Owner Lisi Montoya boasts that the store is one of the first in Peru that uses 100 percent natural and Peruvian ingredients. And this is no small feat. Cacao, which is the foundational ingredient in chocolate making, is almost completely exported out of Peru, leaving little to no opportunities for Peruvian Chocolatiers to use the substance in their products.

Cacao is produced in the Peruvian jungle, and is generally exported to Switzerland, among other European countries. Lisi Montoya decided to change that, as she made plans for opening her own chocolate store. “I knew how to make bonbons, but I didn’t know how to make chocolate,” something she felt was integral knowledge for the success of her business. So, she studied for 15 intensive days in La Habana, Cuba, in order to learn about the different processes of making chocolate.





And that is something that definitely shows in her products. “I get all of my cacao from Peruvian exporters.” Lisi explains that Peruvian cacao needs to be utilized more within the country, as a way of offering Peruvians what so many European markets have given their citizens for hundreds of years.

Shattell Chocolate offers a wide variety of chocolate products, ranging from Pralines to truffles, to chocotejas and many more. All of the recipes are Lisi’s, and, if I may say so, they are some of the best chocolates I have ever had. And my personal favorite is a special invention of Lisi’s, named after her German grandfather. “Opas” are made of caramelized almonds, covered with three types of chocolate, white, dark, or milk chocolate.

Lisi’s favorites are “Omas,” an almond/chocolate bar, named after her grandmother. “They are the best because they are the sweetest out of all the chocolates,” she states laughing. Shattell  Chocolate offers something for everyone. “Everyone loves chocolate,” states Lisi, smiling. “And here, we have a little bit of something for everyone.” They even serve coffee, so you can bring a friend and enjoy the atmosphere over a cup of coffee and an assortment of rich chocolates.





Finally, one of the most interesting parts of Shattell Chocolate is that you actually can watch the workers making the chocolate. Lisi participates on a daily basis as well, and has also hired two women who have never worked in the chocolate business before. “This way, I could train them to work in the way that I learned in Cuba,” explains Lisi. And is it ever fun to watch them working, meticulously measuring and making every chocolate just as perfect as can be.

Shattell Chocolate sells their chocolates not only individually, but by the kilo as well. And, they do deliveries. Opened just three weeks ago, this store offers something for everyone, and if you are like me, you’ll want to order something from them every day.



Tienda Shattell
Av. La Mar 552, Miraflores
421-2590
www.shattell.com