By Dan Shriner
Review Editor
Everyone loves chocolates but Sue Monahan has turned the timeless treat into works of art at her business, Sue’s Sweets, in Lake Orion.
Monahan had created specialty chocolates for any occasion by hand at her location at 771 Brown Road for about two years. But, for nearly 30 years, she has perfected the artistry necessary for chocolate creations so beautiful you might not want to eat them.
Monahan said she began experimenting about 30 years ago after there was a guest speaker at a 4-H group that she sponsored. At first she worked with plain chocolate but soon she learned how to color the chocolate. She learned by trial and error and experimenting.
Now she works with chocolate, dark chocolate and even sugar-free chocolate. The prices are very good considering the effort needed to craft them.
She can craft personal works of chocolate art in any color for any kind of event. Every piece is handmade.
Her shop contains such a wide variety of samples that it is difficult deciding which is the most creative.
Of course there are colorful teddy bears and flowers but there also are things such as chocolate Legos, a champagne bottle, glasses and a tray ? even a chocolate outhouse with a door and bench inside.
She makes the chocolate specialties for birthdays, weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, anniversaries, sweetest day, Valentine’s Day, office events, Easter, Christmas, family reunions or really any kind of event imaginable.
‘If a customer brings in the colors of their event, I can match the colors,? Monahan said. ‘If I ask a few questions I can come up with something they will enjoy.?
One such challenge came recently when she was asked to create a zombie duck.
The coloring of the duck was a little bit of a challenge she said, but the result was a greenish-looking zombie duck sitting inside an egg. It was more of a work of art than a treat.
On a typical day recently she was making several chocolate high heel shoes for a customer.
Often her creations are used as centerpieces and few people may even know that they are chocolate.
Monahan’s website at SuesSweetsShop.com has information and photos of the variety of products and services. She can be contacted at 248-413-7000.