Life Outside Fall 2017 - 12

QuickStrides

Fuel up for Buffalo Mountain
COCOA MIA HAS THE CHOCOLATE ANSWERS
Wait, they've got buttercreams too!
AT ALMOST 4,000 FEET, Floyd's Buffalo

Mountain's treeless summit takes a hit
from winds sweeping over the Blue Ridge.
Because of this, as well as its magnesiumrich soils, Buffalo Mountain Natural Area
Preserve supports rare grasses, wildflowers,
and even a mealybug so local it's never been
seen anywhere else.
Climbing the Buffalo's steep one-mile
trail requires vigor. The strategy is to stop
for energy-revving refreshment at Floyd's
new Cocoa Mia chocolate lounge. Sipping
chocolate -powdered hot cocoa's fancypants cousin-is the specialty here, although
truffles, brownies, torts, caramels, chocolate
bark, brittle and buttercreams also draw folks
off Main Street and into the shop.
"Sipping chocolate is like drinking a
liquid chocolate bar," says Morgan Ohland,
chocolatier and co-owner of Cocoa Mia.
The concoction consists of solid chocolate

12

2016 \\ LifeOutside Magazine

CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS
Cocoa Mia makes the perfect ingestibles for your walk up Buffalo Mountain.

melted and mixed with cream. Ohland's
signature drink is infused with ginger, orange,
and organic cream; she also creates variations
including Cocoa Mia Mayan with energizing
cayenne pepper and cinnamon and White
Chocolate Matcha, infused with green tea.
Cocoa Mia has something for creative
chocolate lovers-a make-your-own chocolate

bar at the shop's weekend Molino Bar.
Customers choose from among 30 ingredients
and watch as the chocolatier blends a custom
chocolate bar just for them. The process-
from raw ingredients to wrapped bar-takes
five minutes, costs under $6, and is guaranteed
to contain enough calories to get you up the
Buffalo.
-Su Clauson-Wicker
http://memberonefcu.com
Life Outside Fall 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Life Outside Fall 2017
