Chocolate Sampler: January 25

Chocolate Sampler: A Sampling of News in the Chocolate World

Contest:

Recchiuti has a Hot Chocolate Recipe Contest. Recipe contest to see how creative you can be with hot chocolate using Recchiuti Dark Hot Chocolate. Send your favorite Hot Chocolate recipe and win a one-of-a-kind Recchiuti Snack-Attack Gift Box.
Fix your Recchiuti cravings with a S'Mores Kit, Dark Hot Chocolate Pistoles, the Marshmallow Gable Box, Sauce Duo and Asphalt Jungle Mix. Contest ends January 31, 2010. To submit online, go here. or email: tori@recchiuti.com or mail to Hot Chocolate Contest, Recchiuti Confections, 2565 Third St, Ste. 225, San Francisco, CA 94107.

Events:

Madison, WI: Chocolate: The Bitter and the Sweet Exhibit in the Bolz Conservatory at Olbrich Gardens. Centered on a cacao tree, this self-guided tour explores the cultivation and processing of chocolate through history, and the current growth of sustainable and fair trade practices among producers. Presentation by UW-Madison horticulture professor James Nienhus titled Theobroma Cacao: Food of the Gods on Saturday, January 30 (6:30-8 p.m), followed by a screening of the award-winning Chocolate Country documentary about the Loma Guacanejo cooperative in the Dominican Republic. Exhibit opened on Monday, January 4, and runs through Sunday, March 21. Olbrich Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily and to 5 p.m. on Sundays, . Call 246-4500 for more info.

Los Angeles (Torrance): January 26 to January 27: Bakon USA Showroom: Chocolate Class. Bakon USA in cooperation with Qzina presents an entry level two-day, hands-on chocolate making class. Participants will have the opportunity to create a variety of chocolates utilizing professional equipment. Two consecutive afternoons: Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 from 1pm to 5pm and Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 from 1pm to 5pm at the Bakon USA showroom. Instructor: Yves Keyaerts, Belgian Chocolatier. For more info go here.
310-533-3939.

San Francisco (and Saratoga): Mary Loomas of Saratoga Chocolates (3489 16th St. at Sanchez) is offering Truffle making Classes Jan. 30, 11 a.m.-2:30 (cost: $125). On Feb. 5, there's a wine and chocolate class, 7 p.m-8:30 p.m. (cost: $50). Tickets available by calling 415-861-8682. Check the website for Saratoga Classes.

Coming up in March: Mark your Calendar: San Francisco Chocolate Salon: March 20: 10:00am - 6:00pm, Saturday, San Francisco, Fort Mason Center, Festival Pavilion, 50,000 square feet of Chocolate, Wine and Confections Chocolate Tasting: Chocolate Demos, Chef & Author Talks, Chocolate Fashion & Body Painting, Wine Pairings, Sweet Beauty Chocolate Spa, Television Interviews, and more. Register online. Don't miss it!

Denver, CO: Chocolate for Vets- Chocolate Festival. January 29-January 31. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd."An Evening of Swing & Sweets" with the the Manhattan Swing Band on Friday night, followed by a two day chocolate market, kids activities, tastings and demonstrations on Saturday & Sunday. Admission to the Chocolate Festival also includes admission to the Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum at which the Festival is located. 303.595.0812

Odd News:

Swedes Swap Passwords for Chocolate Treats. Sweet-toothed Swedes are happy to trade their internet passwords for bars of chocolate, according to a poll carried out by an appalled computer magazine. The computer buffs behind PC magazine were left reeling after they sent a female reporter out on the town to pose as a representative for an anti-virus company examining computer users' password habits.

Anybody agreeing to answer a few questions was promised a bar of chocolate in return. And despite repeated calls from security experts for internet surfers to keep a tight lid on passwords, the sugary reward proved a distressingly successful lure.
Read the rest of the article HERE.

Be sure and check the last Chocolate Sampler HERE for more Chocolate News!

Send Your Chocolate News and Event Info!