Art You Can Eat
When, as a trial lawyer, Syovata Edari ’96, JD’01 was frustrated by the black, white, and grey areas of legalese, she found solace in chocolate. “The law can be arbitrary, but it’s not supposed to be,” Edari says. “Chocolate is a precise science.” Today, Edari is the CEO and founder of CocoVaa Chocolatier, an internationally acclaimed confectionary located at 10 Odana Court in Madison. CocoVaa has been named one of the “Best Chocolatiers and Confectioners in America” by the International Chocolate Salon and an “International Rising Star” by London’s Academy of Chocolate. Edari was also a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist in the “Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker” category. This year, CocoVaa is celebrating 10 years of crafting bonbons that are works of sculptural, visual, and culinary art. Here, Edari shares a few of her stars:
This is one of Edari’s earliest, most unique, and most popular confections. It’s won two silver awards from the Academy of Chocolate, and it holds a special place in Edari’s heart: the flavor commemorates a case from her legal career. The bonbon encases the caramel in premium white chocolate.
This bonbon is a tribute to Edari’s late stepfather, Aziz, whose Iranian heritage regularly scented their kitchen with saffron. Edari infuses saffron and Madagascar vanilla into white chocolate, which is then encased in dark chocolate. Persian saffron was awarded silver in the Academy of Chocolate’s “Filled Truffle — Fruit, Floral, Spice, or Infusion Ganache” category.
This is among CocoVaa’s growing collection of vegan offerings — and what it lacks in dairy, it delivers in flavor: a blend of caramelized lemongrass and pear purees encased in dark chocolate and bottomed with almond couverture. Lemongrass pear frangipane won gold in the Academy of Chocolate’s “Other Caramel” category.
Edari and her son were visiting chocolatier friends in Ghent, Belgium, when they encountered two street vendors in the town center bickering over their identical wares: cuberdons, traditional, cone-shaped Belgian candies. The candy’s rustic, open-air presentation was off-putting, but the flavors, Edari says, were “life-changing.” She attempts to capture the cuberdon’s fruity and floral essence in her blue violet bonbon, a blend of caramelized blueberry and raspberry finished with crème de violette.
Hot & Spicy
Jennifer Patrello ’03’s parents, Max and Coralia Harn, already had a booth selling vegetables at the Dane County Farmers’ Market when they opened Stella’s Bakery in 1988 on the west side of Madison. Named for Patrello’s great-grandmother, the bakery sold pastries, empanadas, and breads inspired by recipes Stella shared from her life in Panama. The Harns began selling their baked goods at the market alongside their produce, and after a bad drought year, transitioned to baked goods alone. Today, the Stella’s booth is one of the busiest at the market every Saturday, and customers can enjoy their fare year-round at their new café at 1219 Regent Street.
Best-Seller
“The Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread was a happy accident when our mother invented it after a baking disaster ended our batch of empanadas destined for the market that day,” Patrello says. “It’s the perfect, buttery blend of red pepper, chives, provolone and Monterey Jack cheeses, and our secret sweet dough that melts in your mouth.” Stella’s currently sells more than 2,000 loaves and six-bun bags of Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread per week at multiple farmers’ markets, wholesale, and at the café.
Even Cheesier
The newest item at Stella’s is the Detroit-style pizza, which is sold at the Regent Street location. “Our crust is crafted from the same dough as the Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread,” Patrello says.
Sandwich Love
“Our most underrated item is the sandwiches at the Regent Street café, because they are new,” Patrello says. “The breads are all made by Stella’s, and ingredients such as ranch dressing, garlic butter, seasoned and roasted chicken, roasted BBQ pork, and slaw are all made with Stella’s own recipes.”
Cap Square Classic
In 1976, Miles Allen opened Madison’s first pasty shop, Myles Teddywedgers, at 101 State Street. For 50 years, the corner store on the Capitol Square has sold its namesake Cornish pie, the teddywedger: flaky pastry filled with meat, potatoes, and veggies. Today, the shop is owned and operated by siblings and longtime Teddywedgers patrons Karima Berkani ’05 and Anthony Rineer. “When my brother and I took over Teddywedgers, we wanted to maintain the classic menu while expanding on it,” Berkani says. “Since I was five, the Big Cheesy has been my go-to at Teddywedgers, but for those looking to find their favorite pasty, here are some recommendations.”
Chicken Pot Pie
“Packed with homemade rotisserie chicken, peas, and carrots in a creamy sauce, it’s always cozy and delicious. Our customers like to buy these frozen and pop them in the oven for a hearty meal at home.”
Southwest
“Toasted sweet potatoes, corn, black beans, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions come together in Teddywedgers’ first vegan pasty. It’s become a new classic.”
Weekly Special
“Every week, there’s an off-the-menu special. The most requested pasties are the Chicken Tikka Masala, Carnitas, Poutine, and Thanksgiving Leftovers.”
What’s New?
As the food and culture editor of the Capital Times, Lindsay Christians MA’08 keeps her finger on the pulse of Madison’s ever-changing food scene. In the pages of the Cap Times and in her weekly food and culture newsletter, she takes readers beyond what’s on the plate to the people who define the city’s food culture, from immigrant entrepreneurs to well-established leaders. Here, Christians shares some not-to-be-missed newcomers in Madison’s culinary community.
1859 Monroe Street
“Chef Annemarie Maitri cooks like your French grandmother at her lovely new restaurant, open since 2024. Try the duck, which gets a four-hour dry brine with coriander and citrus zest. Finish with a treat from Maitri’s companion bakery, Bloom Bake Shop, which she runs with her husband Mark Pavlovich ’10.”
1344 E. Washington Avenue
“Some of Madison’s newer restaurants take inspiration from Wisconsin’s supper club traditions. My favorite among them is Turn Key Supper Club, opened in 2022 by Brian Bartels, Ryan Huber ’06, and Sam Parker in the former Fyfe’s building. The cocktails are well-made and strong. The menus come tucked inside old books. And don’t skip the beignets — or the Bloody Mary bar — at Turn Key’s excellent brunch.”
4106 Monona Drive
“I walk into Meat People, Pip Freeman and Jenny Griep ’06’s butcher shop, with a cooking method in mind, not a specific cut. Since this friendly counter opened five years ago, I’ve been grilling picanha, broiling baseball steaks, and trying lots of new sausage flavors. Do not leave without a tub of the pimento cheese, made in-house. It’s the perfect party appetizer.”
