Aaron Murdick’s Fudge – We LOVE What WE DO!
Aaron and John Murdick make fudge daily in their shop in quaint downtown Mackinaw City! Working seven days a week, making the best possible fudge they can make is really a tribute to their ancestors, who opened the very first fudge store on Mackinac Island, Michigan. Often John and Aaron think about Fran, John’s father, and Aaron’s grandfather, and how proud he would be of them today!
Each Day, Aaron and John, his father, open the store and each day they are astounded at how many people seek out the fudge that they (actual Murdick descendants) make. It is an art. The PROCESS of making fudge has as much to do with the end result, as what ingredients go into the fudge. Aaron and John take pride in the fact that they are told day in and day out that they make the “best fudge in the world!” Not only do they use the best ingredients: fresh whole cream, real butter and the finest Belgian Chocolate they can get, but they know that the way they make the fudge is a process that is not just something a person can learn overnight. Aaron has been making fudge like his ancestors did for over 15 years, and John has been making fudge for over 50 years!
The reward for Aaron and John is hearing all the people “OOO” and “Ahh” when they bite into that first taste of Murdick’s Fudge and see the smiles and expressions of surprise on the faces of the customers! “This fudge is so delightful!” “This fudge is not gritty or sugary!” “How do you do this?” “This is heavenly!” Then when customers vow that they will never go anywhere else for their fudge, it makes all their hard work worthwhile. Some customers have been buying Murdick’s Fudge since they were small children! Bringing back childhood memories of watching the fudge being made on marble slabs, and the smell of the fudge cooking in the copper kettle, is one of the favorite testimonies that they hear from customers.
Everything from the sound of the squeaky screen door, and the sparkle of the squeaky clean kitchen brings back childhood memories for customers! John and Aaron take pride in washing each utensil between making each batch of fudge, taking the time to clean each slab between batches, also. It’s they way they were taught, by their grandfather, and great-grandfather. Working in the kitchen is second nature to the Murdick family. It was just part of life. Customers who sit and watch as they spin their magic, often comment on how they appreciate the talent and the expertise they are so obviously witnessing. “It’s mesmerizing!” they say again and again! “I could watch this all day long!”
It is a daily act of love –making fudge– and a daily act of honor to their Murdick ancestors, when John and Aaron Murdick take to the kitchen each day of their lives in their one little store in Mackinaw City. The meditation begins when they take that first step around the the marble slab and smell the same smells that they know their ancestors smelled, and smile the same smile when they cut that first slice of creamy, rich, delicious fudge. It’s a feeling that somehow is transferred to the end product – you really must try the fudge to experience the reality of it. It is like no other fudge in the world!