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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | ForsythNews.com
Malvi brings artisanal treats to north Forsyth
By Rachel Pittman
intern@forsythnews.com
Little did Laura Curtis Ratana
know when she created her first
marshmallow in 2012 that she would
soon be selling the handmade fluffy
treats from a storefront in north
Forsyth.
Curtis Ratana, A Culinary
Institute of America graduate, was
working as a chef in New Jersey
when she made a raspberry-hibiscus
marshmallow and sandwiched it
between two dark chocolate short
bread cookies for a post-work snack.
“1 always loved marshmallows
because 1 grew up as a Girl Scout
and would go to Lake Michigan in
the summers, and there would be
S'mores and bonfires,” Curtis
Ratana said. “I'd never tried making
a marshmallow before. 1 knew I
needed something light and sweet
just to end the day with after work,
so I started experimenting with it.”
When Curtis Ratana and her hus
band. Paris Ratana, moved to
Georgia in 2013 to open a restaurant.
the couple found themselves revisit
ing the marshmallow experiments.
They put the idea of a marshmal
low business on Kickstarter. and
Malvi Marshmallow Confections
was born.
“We met our funding goals and got
some really great feedback from our
first shipments,” she said. “So we
started producing the mallows, and
we officially became a business in
2013, after the Kickstarter cam
paign, and started selling Malvi to
local boutique stores in the Atlanta
area and through our online store.”
Malvi — a shortened version of
“malvavisco.,” Spanish for marsh
mallow — was the term suggested by
Paris Ratana for the name of the
company and its signature marsh
mallow sandwiches.
With the creation of the business.
customers could order Malvis for
snacking or in custom combinations
for events and flavors like raspberry
hibiscus. peppermint chocolate.
chocolate. salted caramel and spiked
espresso varieties.
Malvi’s popularity grew until the
business was able meet their custom
ers face-to-face by opening their
first store on May 6 in northern
Forsyvth County.
Lanier Tech marks
50th commencement
— By FCN regional staff
Lanier Technical College held its
‘2016 commencement Friday night at
Free Chapel, awarding 235 degrees,
394 diplomas and 631 certificates.
The college marked its 50th gradua
tion ceremony with 985 unduplicated
and 1,260 duplicated graduates. They
ranged in age from 18 to 72, including
304 from Hall, 192 from Forsyth. 81
from Barrow, 54 from Dawson. 64
from Jackson, 32 from Lumpkin and
21 from Banks counties.
Medical Assisting had the highest
number of graduates, followed by
Early Childhood Care & Education,
Cosmetology’s Shampoo Technician,
Practical Nursing and Emergency
Medical.
“Besides being our ‘golden anniver
sary class,” this class is special in
many ways,” said Ray Perren,
President of Lanier Tech. “The class
includes the largest number of associ
ate degrees ever awarded by Lanier
Technical College. The class also
includes the first Lanier Tech students
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Erin O Smith | The Times
Kimberly Ramsey, a dental hygiene major, waits in line for the Lanier
Technical College commencement ceremony to begin Friday night at
Free Chapel Worship Center. The graduating class included 62 percent
women and 38 percent men.
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Photos for the Forsyth County News
Laura Curtis Ratana started experiment
ing with marshmallow treats for person
al taste before opening her business in
north Forsyth.
glit's been
really fun to
actually open
the doors and
watch people
walk in and
see their faces
as they taste
something
new and hear
the immediate
feedback,”
Curtis Ratana
said. S It's
been over
whelmingly
positive, and
it's been real
ly encourag
ing and great
to get that
feedback and
interaction.”
Since open
ing the store —
which shares a
wall with Lake Burrito, a restaurant
owned and operated by Curtis
Ratana’s sisters-in-law — Malvi has
expanded their in-store treats to
include handmade ice cream and
Seattle-based Stumptown Coffee and
has provided north Forsyth with a
family-owned business that is unique
to the area.
“We live in the area as well as our
family, and we want to see some
to earn the Associate of Applied
Science Degrees in Physical Therapist
Assistant and in Health Information
Management Technology.
“We are proud of each and every
one of our graduates. This class repre
sents the very best and brightest to
enter our region’s workforce.”
The keynote speaker, Amy O’Dell.
was the college’s Rick Perkins
Instructor of the Year and the Lead
Instructor in the Interiors Program.
“Be bold, be brave. I believe in
you,” she told the class. “Graduates of
the class of 2016, you are warriors of
the workforce. experts of economic
development. innovators of industry.
and you are taking on the business
world, like a boss!™
Also speaking was Evelyn M.
Chacon Sanchez Johmson. the
College’s 2016 GOAL winner. origi
nally from Costa Rica, and Desmond
Vaird, the Technical College System
of Georgia’s 2016 EAGLE winner and
the TCSG’s Ambassador of Adult
Education.
thing beyond
chains and
big box shops
hiere® Sshe
said. “We’ve
seen it work
with Lake
Burrito. We
are invested
In the area
ourselves, and
we want to
see the place
we live in
have cool
things that
we'd want to
go to.”
Malvi prod
ucts are all
natural, and
the business
has created a
presence in
the north
Georgia area
through ingredients partnerships
with local businesses such as
Warbington Farms and Mountain
Fresh Creamery.
“We try to serve high-quality
everything when it comes to our all
natural marshmallows and ice
cream,” said Ethan Rivers, a Malvi
employee. “We work with a local
dairy farm to get all of our milk for
our ice cream Or coffee We use
HUMANE SOCIETY
OF FORSYTH COUNTY
a NO KILL shelter
4 ~&%. Come
meet the
coolest
dog ever.
His name
is Peter,
and he is
" aboutanß
month old
. Lab mix.
~ He gets
T along
great with
other dogs. He is very smart,and has
learned how to sit since he has been
here. Come meet him ASAP, because
he will not last long.
Allllllvvvvvvviiiiinnnnn! More relaxed than
his namesake,
sweet Alvin was
3 brought to us by a
kind neighbor after
2 : being abandoned
*:@ 2 by his owner. He is
¢ ' hoping that he will
e soon have a second
chance at a forever
home, this time with owners that won't leave
him to fend for himself. He is a gentle adult
male cat that would love to be your best
friend. Alvin did come to us along with Simon
and Theodore, please fill out an application on
any of them online at Forsythpets.org.
. S Ll
‘ ;Somc Services
Termite and Pest Control
Free Termite Inspection
770-844-1580
sonicservices.com
kw Kathleen Rastetter,
R Realtor
KW Realty Atlanta Partners
3325 Paddocks Pkwy, Ste 190
Suwanee, GA 30024
770) 298-8659 - kwrastetter@bellsouth.net
http://kathleenrastetterkwrealty.com/
Call today to see why now might just be
the right time to sell your home!
You Can Help Our Loval Companions and
Promote Your Business by Advertising Here.
Call 770-887-3126 ® www.forsvthnews.com
e
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2016
Mountain Fresh Creamery in
Cleveland, Georgia. So we try to use
as many products locally in the
north Georgia area as we can.”
The company also employs local
young adults. Due to the company’s
small size and family ownership,
these employees have the opportuni
ty to learn about all aspects of a
company and to interact with north
Forsyth customers.
“Compared to other corporate jobs
that 1 have held in the past, it is a
much more personable and fulfilling
job,” said Adam Petrey, who also
works at the store. “I can help have
an impact on a community, have
conversations with people who
come in and foster relationships
with people.”
The original Malvis are still the
signature menu item, with the addi
tion of new berry tropical, fluffer
nutter and cotton candy jumbo
marshmallows. The treats are unique
because of the ultra-rich flavor that
is contained in their light texture.
“A basic marshmallow isn’t too
hard. You just heat up syrup, add
some gelatin and whip it,” Curtis
Ratana said. “The trick and the way
I challenge myself is to add a lot of
flavor to the marshmallows because
once you incorporate that air into the
marshmallow the flavor dissipates.”
Malvi is also creating new ice
cream desserts, such as the cotton
candy sundae and the café affogato,
which is a scoop of ice cream topped
with a shot of espresso. The store
also offers a variety of coffee bever
ages.
With the new store and new treats,
Malvi’s owners plan on expanding
the business even further.
Ideas such as seasonal sorbets fla
vored with fruit from Warbington
farms, holiday gift packaging and
S’mores Kits are in progress, and the
business is always experimenting
with new marshmallow flavors and
confections.
For more information on Malvi
Marshmallow Confections, visit
malvimallow.com or visit the Malvi
store at 3040 Keith Bridge Road in
Cumming.
G ™ o
- f pair just came
A in to our pro-
A ®. gram. Bear the
P 8 Black Lab is
e » .efl-élg&?,g' 4 6yrs old and
d 4. e Dagney the
Basset mix is
1 syrs old. They
R — == are the sweetest
babies and at no fault of there own ended up
here with us. There owner was moving into
an apartment and could not take them with
him. They are house trained and great with
other dogs. Please come by the shelter to
meet them.
Simon is a gorgeous
TR Siamese kitty, and is
@ quite shy at first. If you
¥ g give a him a moment
L ‘i }to warm up to you,
3 you be pleased to find
R that he is amazingly
affectionate and is so happy to have
attention! This beautiful kitty would love
to have a happy home, and we know he
has so much love to give to a lucky per
son! You can meet Alvin, Simon, and
Theodore at our adoption center at 4440
Keith bridge road, 30041. Hours are 12-5,
Tuesday through Sunday.
R RS ol S s e e B N Ol )
” Premier Collision Service Center’
T T ——
ANH Collision
Specialists
NEAL HEAD, OWNER
706-216-0992
74 Carlisle Road, Dawsonville
Humane Society of
Forsyth County
4440 Keith Bridge Road * Cumming. GA 30041
Phone: 770-887-6480
E-mail: rescue/@forsythpets.org
The shelter is open to the public
Tue.-Fri. from noon to 6:00 p.m.,
Sat 10:00 am. 1o 7:00 pm. &
Sun 10:00 am. to 6:00 p.m.
Visit www.forsythpets.org for information on