Chocolate Events

So, it's been mentioned to me that I've been spending a lot of time on recipes rather than chocolate one can consume without the work. So I thought I'd mention a few events that involve chocolate.

First, my company TeamBuilding Unlimited/Murder on the Menu does Chocolate Tastings, Chocolate Scavenger Quests, Chocolate Tours of San Francisco, Chocolate Team Building and lots of other Chocolate events.

With this in mind, Frank and I went to a great event last week in Palo Alto where we heard Timothy Childs of TCHO talk about his experiences of melding chocolate and technology. Very exciting and fun. He's always such a dynamic speaker. The room was a mix of chocoholics and techies. After the presentation that was right out of the Jetsons, we had a tasting of TCHO chocolates. Definitely could tell the difference between the chocolates and the locales where the beans are from. TCHO has a storefront on Pier 17, and is available, of course, at other fine chocolate outlets and online. Check out the cool slideshow on the TCHO website. By sometime this summer the factory will be open on Pier 17 for tours. We will continue to include TCHO in our San Francisco chocolate tours. TCHO is the only bean to bar chocolate company in San Francisco. (I reviewed TCHO chocolate awhile ago here on DyingforChocolate. Might be time to revisit.)
So what else is happening in the world of chocolate in the San Francisco Bay Area?

May 30: Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival in Berkeley
The sidewalks along North Shattuck in the Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley are the target of artists young and old, professional and greenhorn during the 13th annual CHOCOLATE & CHALK ART FESTIVAL.
There will be a chalk art contest, but for the purposes of this Blog, DyingforChocolate, the Chocolate part of the Festival is key. Chocolate Sampling starts by purchasing a packet of tickets (10 for $10) at any of the registration sites. The to-go menu features organic café mocha, chocolate mochi ice cream, chocolate truffles as well as savory chocolate mole, spicy chocolate tandori chicken, or a chocolate foot massage! Vendors with chocolate-related items and hand made arts & crafts will fill the Farmer’s Market area, music and clowns and more.

June 25: The next event is much more focused (and inside), and I'm going to reserve now. Women and Chocolate: A Natural Combination will explore why the fair sex loves the stuff so much. There'll be an expert panel of local female artisan confectioners: Carly Baumann (Cosmic Chocolate), Christine Doerr (Neo Cocoa), Malena Lopez-Maggi (The Xocolate Bar), and Kathy Wiley (Poco Dolce). And because talking about art can be like, say, dancing about architecture, a chocolate tasting at the end of the session will let the audience experience the passion firsthand. Date: Thursday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m., the Commonwealth Club (595 Market at Montgomery). Tickets are $20 ($12 for CC members).