The Eccentricity of Chocolate: Boehms

 

 

The Eccentricity of Chocolate: Boehms

By Heather Caro

Nestled near the lush green foothills of Issaquah, Boehms Candies has been creating the now world-famous chocolate treats for more than 50 years.  Though Yakima is lucky enough to have its own Boehms retail store, candy makers and history buffs alike may find a tour of the factory grounds delightful.
History:

Master chocolateer and Boehms founder Julius Boehm (1897-1981) was born to a wealthy family in Vienna, Austria.  As a young man he excelled in athletics, eventually participating in the 1924 Paris Olympics, and later honored with running the Olympic torch for Austria in 1936.  Boehm became a career cavalry officer for the Austrian army and lived a life of privilege surrounded by the arts with no intention of migrating to the U.S.

It was not until Hitler invaded Austria that Boehm chose to flee his homeland rather than join the tyrannous ranks.  At the age of 40, Boehm used his athletic expertise to ski over a glacier into Switzerland under cover of night with only the equivalent of $4 in his pocket.

Boehm eventually immigrated to the Pacific Northwest where he met and befriended his business partner, George Tedlock.  Together they opened the Candy Kitchen in the Rivena District of Seattle.  Slowly, Boehm reinvented himself in the craft he had learned from his grandfather, a candy maker in Austria.  Boehm would later move the growing business to Issaquah, where the landscape and mountains reminded him of his native Austria.

It was in Issaquah where Boehm oversaw construction of Edelweiss Chalet, the first alpine chalet in the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

Boehm devoted his life to his many passions, ranging from music to the arts, athleticism to candy making.  He was an avid mountaineer and would eventually summit Mount Rainier three times, the last at the age of 80.  When Boehm died at the age of 84, his plans to summit a fourth time on his 90^th birthday died with him.  Boehm lived a remarkable life by any standard and touched many lives through his zest for the extraordinary.

If You Go:

From the artwork on the factory walls to the vintage Scandinavian costumes worn by weekend staffers, no detail is too small to continue Julius Boehm’s old-world-inspired vision for Boehms Candies.  Today, more than 150 gourmet confections are created on site, using traditional techniques including their European cordial cherries (cherries dipped in brandy and aged two months before double dipping in milk or dark chocolate) and rocky road (marshmallows and almonds swirled in chocolate).  Boehms treats are hand dipped by master dippers who must intern for two years before receiving the esteemed title.

Visitors can wander the park-like grounds and peek into the large factory windows along the free self-guided tour.  Candy makers are in production Monday through Friday, 9am-2pm, though visitors are welcome during all operation hours.

To sweeten their experience chocolate lovers may want to schedule a guided tour.  The 45-minute guided tour allows visitors access to the Boehms factory, where you can witness first-hand the copper kettles and I-Love-Lucy-style conveyor belts still used to make confections, as well as watch expert dippers in action.

 

 

Visitors on the tour will also be welcomed into the chalet home of Julius Boehm to view personal photographs and his eclectic art collection – including a 1/3 scale statue of Michelangelo’s David, among other surprises.

Before heading back to the retail shop to stock up on goodies, visitors are invited to the High Alpine Chapel on the grounds. The picturesque edifice is a replica of a 12^th century chapel still standing today in Switzerland and was commissioned by Boehm as a tribute to fallen mountain climbers. The chapel interior features a recreation of Michelangelo’s famous “Creation of Man,” as well as a mural portraying a mountaineer rising into the heavens.

Today the little church is often the site of wedding ceremonies, where couples are invited to ring the chapel bell after taking their vows.  The authentic Swiss bell is engraved with the German phrase, “When this bell rings it greets the homeland of Switzerland, Austria and all the beautiful mountains.”

Guided tours are by reservation only and cost $3 per person.

Boehms Candies
255 NE Gilman Blvd. Issaquah, WA 98027

Hours of Operation:
Monday – Saturday 9:00am to 6:00pm,
Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm
Factory Production Hours:

Monday – Friday 9:00am to 2:00pm
Phone: 425-392-6652
Email: info@boehmscandies.com

Boehms Candy of Yakima

www.boehms.com

5645 Summitview

Yakima, Wa 98908

Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday 10:00am-6:00pm

Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm

Closed Sunday

Phone: 453-1143

Email: sharon@boehms.com