Renee Winkler

Special to Cherry Hill Courier-Post

From the moment the voice mail machine clicks on, wishing the caller the sweetest day, you just know Chloe's Créme Puffs will fill that tiny hunger in your belly.

Pick your flavor from the five daily offerings, or order in advance for “specials” developed by the Lusardi family, tasty treats like peanut butter cup, orange cream or cookie-based confections such as gingersnap and mint chocolate chip.

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The baker-in-chief of the three-year-old business set up in a Tiffany-blue hued tiny bakery and storefront on Holly Avenue in Pitman has learned newcomers truly can't eat just one.

“Customers have stopped for a half -dozen (at $5.50), walked to the parking lot behind the shop and returned in minutes for another sugar fix,” said Alison Lusardi, who set up the business with her parents, Dave and Peggy. All three live in Blackwood. Sometimes, they bring the empty box back for a refill.

Cousin Dominae Warstall helps out in the shop, which is open Thursday through Sunday.

Where's the Chloe in the mix? It's the name of the family cat, an orange tabby with a few extra toes. You won't find her in the shop and many customers just call Alison “Chloe,” knowing she's the boss of the business that seems to have no firm division of labor. The family of bakers tried out several names but none had the panache of Chloe.

At Chloe's Créme Puffs, you can always order vanilla and chocolate and ricotta, but go for broke with salted caramel, coffee or strawberry-banana. Or order mini-eclairs, mini-cheesecakes, a cannoli tray, or 2-ounce shooters of rice pudding, tiramisu or strawberry shortcake.

If you want to enjoy the creamy treat on the spot, get a cup of coffee from one of the nearby shops. The Lusardis decided against competing with the town's coffee shops.

“My wife and I had a bucket list that included a little business dealing with food,” said Dave Lusardi, Alison's dad, who grew up in a family that loved to bake. “I still haven't been able to make a pie crust like my grandmom,” said Lusardi, whose day job is in the health care industry.

One day, walking through the blocks of small businesses in downtown Pitman, Dave and Peggy Lusardi spotted the tiny storefront, which had earlier lives as a hair salon and cookie store. Just Cookies, which moved to a larger location on South Broadway, across from the historic Broadway Theatre, remains a popular shop and the salon is also still elsewhere in town.

The Lusardis considered a “boutique cafe” that would serve breakfast and lunch, but Alison pushed to restrict the business to créme puffs and a limited number of other sweets. They tore down some walls, purchased a roomful of stainless steel appliances including ovens, refrigerators and shelving, and dusted off three electric mixers.

Cannoli and biscotti, came later, along with cupcakes and fruit crisps, and then there were apricot and lemon loaf cakes. Some of the treats are gluten-free or vegan.

Last Chistmas, Dave Lusardi began turning out pizzelles.

“We always made créme puffs for family events, always brought a tray when visiting people,” said Alison Lusardi, 26, who graduated from Rowan University with degrees in art and metallurgy. She's continuing to take classes in American Sign Language at Camden County College, now affiliated with Rutgers University.

Dominae, 20, is working on a degree at Rowan in exercise therapy.

Tossing around potential flavors, the family added Baileys Irish Cream and Kahlua flavors and even apple pie. They tried out peach and blueberry, to pay tribute to South Jersey's favorite crops, but the texture wasn't right.

All the puffs are filled to order and Alison said they have a refrigerator shelf life of about two days, if you can keep nibblers away from the two- or three-bite treats.

“We fresh-bake every day” Thursday through Sunday, said Alison. One batch of créme puff dough is good for 250 treats. Over the holidays, the ovens are producing between 700 and 1,000 puffs some days, she said. “Over Christmas, we baked 8,000,” she said.

From mixing to baking, each batch takes about 45 minutes.

Last summer, the créme puff maestros took their shop on the road, to occasionally staff a vendor booth at the Collingswood Farmers Market, where they were lucky enough to get a spot between two of the most popular vendors, Revolution Coffee Roasters and Amber Grain bakery.

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They'll go back for a few Saturday mornings this summer, said Alison Lusardi, but with all the community activities in Pitman from spring through fall, they will limit their options for the farm market, they said.

If you go

Chloe's Cream Puffs, 7 E. Holly Avenue, Pitman, is open Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call (856) 589-2919 or visit facebook.com/chloescremepuffs/