MDP Signature Chocolates by Chef Michael D. Poole, gold medal winner for the Best Caramels A well-spent Sunday morning in Fort Mason includes a stop at the farmer’s market, a stroll on the Marina, and on this lucky occasion: a delicious lesson in the fine art of fine chocolate. The San Francisco Chocolate Salon in Fort Mason is clearly a meeting of the minds, but it’s also a meeting of the mouths. And if you come ready to learn (and taste), you won’t leave disappointed.
Au Coeur Des Chocolats, gold medal winner for Most Delicious Ingredient Combination and other awardsAfter five years of successful annual, and since last year semi-annual exhibitions, the Chocolate Salon is now a staple on the discerning San Francisco food scene – and with good reason. The Salon brings together chocolate artisans from all over the Bay Area (and beyond) under one roof. The result is a crash course in the finest and mostly local chocolate in Northern California.
A box of Au Coeur Des Chocolats, gold medal winner for Best Presentation and Packaging and other awardsWhether you’re a sucker for toffee and truffles, or nuts about milk chocolate-covered nuts, you’ll find something delicious at the Salon. And if you keep an open mind and mouth, you’ll learn that the days of milk vs. dark are long behind us. Here, you can sample rosemary chocolate, munch on endless interpretations of the trendy dark chocolate-caramel-sea salt combo, and savor a lavender-lemon truffle that weaves the delicate floral and citrus notes with perfect precision. You can also try numerous chocolates laced with Shiraz and Chardonnay, or nibble on crunchy cacao nibs – the subtlety-flavored bits of roasted cocoa bean that are popping up on menus everywhere.
Seattle Chocolates, silver medal winner for Best Milk ChocolateAnd while chocolate is certainly the raison d'être of the Salon, it’s not a solo show. Other confections like tasty French-style macaroons make an appearance, and wine is frequently poured to illustrate perfect pairings. Stick around long enough and you’ll also spot celebrity chefs and hear talks with chocolate masters from around the Bay.But the best part of the Salon is that you get to satisfy not only your sweet tooth, but also your curiosity. Have a question about cacao? Can you really taste the difference between 75% and 78% dark chocolate? Where do the world’s most sought-after cocoa beans grow? These presenters know their stuff, and they’re willing to share the knowledge. Ask them anything about their craft – just be prepared to hear the long answer and sample the results of their labor.
Toffee Talk with Catherine J. Hughes, Chief Toffee Talker, Top Toffee in Salon winnerWalking among the tables and chatting with exhibitors you can’t help but feel that these chocolate makers are the lucky few – the people who found their passion, and now earn a living of it. For how many of us wish we could answer the question “what do you do?” with something as simple, as delicious, and as universally beloved as “chocolate”? And that’s the life lesson you walk away from the Salon with: whether it’s your job, or your dessert – just make sure you love it. That, and: too many truffle samples will give you a stomach ache…but it’s totally worth it.From the Editor: 2nd Annual Fall Chocolate Salon took place on November 13, 2011. Its participants included dozens of chocolatiers, confectioners, winemakers and other culinary artisans. Amano Artisan Chocolate from Utah received the most gold medals for Best Dark Chocolate, Best Milk Chocolate, Top Artisan Chocolatier, and other awards.
Don’t miss the new public television program, “Chocolate FRENCH,” based on the bestselling book of the same title. The series pilot will air locally on KRCB public television (Ch. 22, 722) on December 17th at 4pm.
The 6th Annual San Francisco Chocolate Salon is coming March 4, 2012. More info: www.SFChocolateSalon.com
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