Brigittine Monks make heavenly fudge, truffles in the middle of nowhere. Why is that?

This is part of a weekly series answering "Why is that?" questions about Salem and the Mid-Valley.

The question: Why is some of the most divine chocolate you'll ever taste made by a small group of monks in the middle of nowhere near Amity? We have the answer. But first, a little history.

The background: The Brigittine Monastery operates as part of a religious order of the Catholic Church dating back to the 13th Century. It is pronounced Bridge-uh-teen, after the founder Saint Bridget of Sweden.

The monks moved to Oregon in 1986 from the San Francisco Bay area, where they made carrot cake and zucchini bread to sell, then eventually fudge. Before long, the fudge took precedence because it had a longer shelf life and was easier to ship.

The monastery purchased a 44-acre property in rural Yamhill County, renovated existing buildings into a kitchen and a tasting room, and built an adjacent church.

The retreat is nestled in wine country, five miles off Highway 99W in Amity. A modest sign marks the turnoff from the main road, then it's a mile down a gravel lane between filbert orchards, past a stone and wrought iron gate, and behind a cluster of towering oak and other trees.

Locals are still discovering the existence and splendor of Brigittine Monks Gourmet Confections.

The monks live, work and pray there with emphasis on the latter. They follow a rhythmic prayer schedule, their daily Mass surrounded by morning, mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon, evening and night prayer times.

It is a wonder they found time to develop a successful confectionary business and manage to keep it thriving.

At one point, there were more than a dozen brothers. Some have died in recent years, and at least one left to become a priest.

The monks take vows of poverty and chastity, but they are not ordained and do not serve a congregation.

Today, there are six brothers at the monastery. The youngest is 50, and the oldest is 76.

Why is the most divine chocolate made in the middle of nowhere?

Artisan chocolate products are the monks' bread and butter, literally. They are a self-supporting community and rely on fudge and truffle sales to sustain the monastery and their charitable work around the world.

They support a group of Brigittine sisters in Mexico and a scholarship fund in the Philippines. They also contribute to local Catholic schools and scholarships and provide candy to charitable organizations for auctions.

Two of the monks are primarily involved in making the candy. The others help with administration and packaging. Their prayer schedule limits their appearances in the tasting room and gift shop, but Sunday afternoons are a good time to stop by if you want to meet Brother Steven.

On the shelves during a recent visit were 12 flavors of fudge and 22 flavors of truffles, some you won't find on the website.

The brothers credit their homemade marshmallow creme with keeping every bite of fudge velvety smooth. They hand swirl all of the fudge while still warm.

The truffles feature a hand-rolled center of creamy smooth flavored ganache smothered in fine chocolate. You can choose the original Truffles Royale, big enough to share with friends, or the relatively new Petite Truffles, more like an average-size truffle.

Oh, by the way

Holidays are the busiest time of year at the tasting room, but the monks make chocolate year-round. Truffles, however, are not shipped during the summer months because they are too delicate in the heat.

More than 50% of sales happen online. Many customers conveniently ship boxes to family members and friends out of state. Hazelnut varieties are popular because they are such "Oregon gifts."

International shipping is available, but you must call to make arrangements. The shop recently sent a fudge order to Sweden.

Not all flavors are available online or at select locations where its products are sold, including Made in Oregon stores.

The benefit of visiting the tasting room and gift shop is having the full lineup of flavors available. Plus, you can expect whoever is tending the shop to be generous with samples.

You can buy single truffles, choose an assortment or a box of your favorites, or better yet make up your own custom box.

Seasonal fudge flavors include candy cane, cherry with walnuts and amaretto with almonds. There also is a candy cane truffle. The monks introduce other seasonal flavors through the year, such as lavender for spring and Easter.

The tasting room is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Email your "Why is that" questions to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Why is heavenly chocolate made in the middle of nowhere?