Some family heirlooms are tucked away in attics.
Others are carefully passed from one pair of hands to another.
In one Finger Lakes family, that heirloom just happens to be fudge.
When visitors stop at
Oh, Fudge in Building 1 at The Windmill, they're greeted by rows of creamy, handcrafted fudge in flavors that have delighted generations of visitors. It's easy to think you're simply buying a sweet treat.
But every piece of fudge carries nearly forty years of family history.
That story began in
1987, the same year The Windmill first opened its gates.
Megan's grandfather,
Harold Carlyon, opened Oh, Fudge during that inaugural season, becoming one of the original merchants who helped transform The Windmill into one of the Finger Lakes' most beloved destinations.
For Megan, the business isn't just something she now owns.
It's where some of her happiest childhood memories were made.
"My family memories start in the fudge room of my grandparents' Victorian home on Millard Street," Megan told me. "My grandfather was always singing along to bluegrass or country western music on his antenna radio."
The house always smelled like fudge.
"Specifically, I remember mint chocolate and orange cream."
Those aromas became woven into the fabric of her childhood, along with the excitement that surrounded every Windmill season.
"My grandmother always said how excited he was for opening day and closing day at The Windmill," Megan laughed. "That is still very true for me."
When Harold was ready to pass the business on, the next chapter belonged to Megan's uncle and aunt,
Doug and Lori Miller, who purchased Oh, Fudge in
2006.
Megan remembers spending summer days at their home, where the sweet smell of fresh fudge drifted through the house while her uncle worked.
"I remember going to swim at my uncle's pool, and he was always inside cooking fudge. The sweet smell of fudge filled their home. My Aunt Lori would roll the Buckeyes, and my uncle was always adding new things. He truly cared about the business and wanted it to be as successful as possible."
Those weren't simply family visits.
They were quiet lessons.
Lessons in craftsmanship.
In creativity.
In dedication.
Without realizing it, Megan was watching a legacy being lived.
Today, that legacy rests in her hands.
Although customers know Oh, Fudge from its shop at The Windmill, every batch begins somewhere much more personal—in the commercial kitchen at Megan's home.
There, recipes perfected over decades come to life one batch at a time. Chocolate melts. Fudge is carefully stirred, poured, and finished with the same attention to detail that began with her grandfather nearly forty years ago.
But Megan is rarely alone.
Often, just a few feet away, are her three young daughters.
Sometimes they're running through the fudge room.
Sometimes they're asking what they can do to help.
Sometimes they're eagerly waiting for what they consider the most important job of all.
"The dishes are ready yet?"
They're always hoping the answer is yes.
Hair nets become dress-up clothes. Aprons become uniforms. The fudge room becomes their playground, just as it once was for their mother.
"The most rewarding part of running our family business is that it gives me the opportunity to truly be present at home," Megan said. "They're growing up right alongside the business, and I truly mean that because they can often be found running around in the fudge room while I'm making fudge."
Then she shared something that perfectly captures what this business has become.
"I will never take this opportunity to raise them for granted. I'm not just building my business, but I'm also building a childhood that they will remember."
She paused before adding the memories she hopes they'll carry with them someday.
"I hope they'll remember being in the fudge room dancing to the music, waiting for the dishes to pile up in the sink, always wanting to wear a hair net and apron like Mom, and remembering the sweet smell of fudge that now fills our home."
As I listened to Megan tell her story, I couldn't help but smile.
A grandfather singing along to bluegrass while making fudge.
An uncle constantly dreaming up the next new creation.
And now a young mother making fudge while her daughters dance through the kitchen.
History has a beautiful way of repeating itself.
Of course, there is another familiar face that customers have come to know and love.
If you've ever stopped by Oh, Fudge at The Windmill, you've likely met Megan's mother,
Mary.
Working alongside her daughter in the shop, Mary is often the first smile to welcome visitors through the door. With her quick wit, warm personality, and genuine love of visiting with customers, she's become every bit as much a part of the Oh, Fudge experience as the fudge itself. She has a way of making people feel less like customers and more like old friends stopping in for a visit.
While Megan spends her week crafting every batch in the commercial kitchen at home, Mary helps bring that work to life at The Windmill. Together, mother and daughter create something that can't be found in a recipe book—an atmosphere of kindness, laughter, and hospitality that keeps people coming back year after year.
Perhaps that's the real secret ingredient behind Oh, Fudge.
Yes, the recipes have been lovingly preserved.
Yes, the quality has remained steadfast.
But what has truly been passed from one generation to the next is something much harder to measure.
It's the pride in creating something with your own hands.
It's the joy of welcoming strangers until they become friends.
It's the laughter that fills a kitchen.
It's the music playing while the fudge is stirred.
It's the sweet smell that lingers long after the last batch is finished.
Here at Keuka Roots, we're especially grateful to partner with Megan and her family in creating our own signature flavor,
Crooked Lake Crunch™—a rich blend of dark chocolate, Heath® toffee, and ribbons of caramel crafted exclusively for the Keuka Roots Signature Collection.
The next time you visit Oh, Fudge at The Windmill, take a moment before choosing your favorite flavor.
Remember Harold, who first opened the shop in 1987.
Remember Doug and Lori, who lovingly carried the tradition forward.
Smile when Mary welcomes you with her unmistakable warmth.
And know that somewhere nearby when the new week arrives, in a commercial kitchen filled with music, laughter, and the sweet aroma of chocolate, Megan is creating the next batch while three little girls are quietly making memories of their own.
Some family traditions are written in recipe books.
The sweetest ones are written in the hearts of generations.
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.
