…Because it’s Vegas and of course they do.
Ethel M Chocolates is southwest of the wild lights of the Las Vegas strip, further out the reddish highways toward the suburb Henderson. It’s inconspicuous from the main road: a low white building that looks like any other manufacturing center. But as you pull around, a large sign set against a bed of rampant cactus announces: CHOCOLATE.
When I arrived last Sunday, Nevada was scorching in June and I had water on my mind before chocolate. But it all still looked scrumptious. Ethel M’s flagship store features treats of all kinds: enormous caramel-covered apples, cupcakes adorned with a medallion of white chocolate, tiny handcrafted gems in a row behind the glass display.
A glimpse inside the factory:
They also have another kind of treat just outside: an enormous cactus garden. A cactus garden? Yes, a 3-acre cactus garden, the largest in the southwestern states, boasting over 300 species. I enjoyed the medley of varieties!
Just past the edge of the garden stands a huge farm of solar panels, soaking up the desert sun. I assume it provides for the nearby businesses and subdivisions. It’s cool to see the outrageously hot sun turn into a resource here in the desert.
What an interesting experience – chocolate and cactus, two things I never would have thought of together, working in the same space.
~ The Dauntless Princess ~
