Our "Cafe of the Month" for February 2012 is Dotty's Coffee House in Morzine, France.

Owner Melanie Atkinson gave us the low down on how Drink Me Chai is being received in a country renown for its culinary heritage and culture.

Can you give us a potted history of Dottys?

Dotty's opened at the end of November in time for the start of the ski season in Morzine, France. I love baking and going for coffee so it had been a pipe dream for many years! France is still very traditional in its approach to snacking. An espresso and a pain au chocolat is about as exciting as it gets. It's great to introduce new products such as chai to this part of the world!

What kind of menu do you provide?

Breakfast, light lunches of bagels and homemade soups as well as plenty of cakes and bakes. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, smoothies, milkshakes and DrinkMe Chai of course!

When and why did you start serving Drink Me Chai?

Nowhere else in our area serves chai and I thought it would be a great winter warmer for our customers. Being caffeine free it's a great coffee alternative for many people. It can get quite chilly in the Alps so the warming spices of chai are perfect after a hard day up the mountain.

How would you describe the ambience of Dottys?

Dotty's is a cosy cafe in the heart of a bustling ski and snowboard resort. Our customer base is so diverse it never gets boring.

Who are your customers i.e. locals, tourists, regulars ... or a mix?

About 50/50 french and english. Tourists and lots of seasonal workers as well as plenty of people living and working in Morzine year round. Its lovely to chat to so many different people everyday who share a common interest of snow and the mountains.

What feedback have you had to Drink Me Chai?

Our customers LOVE DrinkMe chai. French people are curious to try it and really like it. English people have commented its the best chai they've ever tried. It seems to be rather addictive!! I have plenty of customers who now don't drink anything else!

Have you ever done any Drink Me Chai Specials such as iced chai, "Pumpkin Chai" or used it in baking like Spiced Chai Muffins?

We only have the spiced chai here but we've tried it with vanilla syrup and its lovely. I've also baked chai muffins which are delicious with a bit of crunchy brown sugar on top. Cant wait for it to warm up here so we can try iced chai and chai frappucinos. I'm sure they will be a big hit in the summer.

Anything else you would like to tell us about Dottys?

Thanks for featuring us as your cafe on the month! We love Drink Me Chai at Dottys!

Address:   Dotty's Coffee House, 152 Rue du Bourg, Morzine 74110 France. 

You can follow Dottys on Twitter >>>here.