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There are few things more inspiring than young, intelligent people with the entrepreneurial fortitude to open an extraordinary new business from next-to-nothing. To any with the gastronomic guts to take a chance in the extremely difficult restaurant business, I salute you. For the most passionate of chefs, cooking and baking are more than simply ways to bring home a paycheck, they are natural extensions of themselves, pieces of their lives so cherished and special, they will stop at nothing to share their love with those they meet. Such is the story of Stephanos and Monica Mylonas, two fresh-faced newlyweds, striking out to carve their place in the Arkansas foodscape.

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Stephanos, a native of Cyprus, met Monica several years ago while the two were living in England. Monica, a student deeply in love with the culture of all things edible, was completing a master’s degree in the anthropology of food. As the two became progressively entwined in each other’s lives, they found that cooking and eating became a binding force between them. During their time spent together in Europe, they took every opportunity to absorb the rich food culture that practically flooded the lives of the French, British, and Spanish people. In particular, they most admired the modern café tableau, which they describe as “a bright, minimally-decorated space that lets wholesome, rustic food speak for itself.”

When the two recently returned to the U.S., they threw themselves headfirst into the pastry business, still enchanted and inspired by the street vendors and cafes that speckle the streets of Europe. Their enthusiasm for remarkable food, the science of baking and coffee production, along with the aesthetic appeal of attractively constructed dishes, led them to create their still-young business, Mylo Coffee Company.

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Monica and Stephanos currently operate Mylo Coffee Co. on weekends, stationing themselves at the Hillcrest Farmers Market on Saturdays and at the Bernice Garden Farmers Market on Sundays. The two set up shop under a small awning and cram their few small display tables full with all sorts of eye-catching baked wares. While they plan to locate a physical shop in the future, they would like to continue to remain operational at the markets as well. They are committed to the small-batch mentality and place quality and craftsmanship above quantity and mass distribution. Eventually, they plan to carry this philosophy with them as they move from streetside to inside. Dedicated to the incorporation of local produce and other ingredients, they are also ensuring that their wonderful products are wholesome and flavorful.

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Of course, all their pastry is handmade, all from original recipes, and they are bringing to Little Rock some items not commonly found at other bakeries around town. One of their totem items is their scratch-made croissant. These flakey, buttery morsels are offered either plain or with a thin bead of high-quality dark chocolate filling. Each comes out of the oven with a crisp, brown-gold exterior and a layered, soft interior. As you bite through, your teeth pass through numerous tiny pockets of air, creating a pleasurable, light sensation in the mouth, characteristic of a fine croissant.

Meringues from Mylo Coffee Co.

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  • Meringues from Mylo Coffee Co.

More on Mylo after the jump…

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