Tweet Sweet

Would you pay $15 to be a guest at a tasting event to eat as much chocolate as you can handle? With 50 different varieties on display for the taking?

Twee and luliloo in Madison, Wisconsin bet on this concept and found it wildly successful. They’ve even expanded the event to 2 days to meet the demand. “We have people come to every single event, since we feature different chocolates every time,” said Charis Hammond, who runs the store at 218 State St. with her sister Agape Hammond-Jaklich and brother-in-law, Phil Jaklic. “It’s a great way to get to meet people. You’re all just standing around eating chocolates. It’s the common denominator.”

They call it Chocoholics Night and serve up a buffet of 50 fine chocolates from around the world, indexed and available for a two-hour tasting for up to 80 chocolate lovers.

You can read more about the event in The Capital Times. Twee and luliloo also draw in people with monthly events, a chocolate of the month club, and a corporate gift giving program. (All of which are mentioned in the article but seem to be missing from their pink and brown striped website)

Interestingly enough, I just mentioned the English word “twee” a couple days ago, that the article defines as “quaint” and luliloo as “welcome”. Very hard to figure out that “luliloo”… strange at best to me.

I think the chocolate tasting event sounds fun! (Just don’t call it an “all you can eat” chocolate buffet) And since some of the chocolates can be upwards of $3 a piece, the $15 entrance fee sounds well worth it. But what I want to know… is do they have big pitchers of milk to wash it down?

So did you know that this month is National Carmel Month? What are you going to do to celebrate? I would suggest eating some carmels, but could that just be the obvious choice? Perhaps paint your house carmel?

Here’s some other candy holidays. (Did you know there were so many ways to celebrate sweets?

October
National Caramel Month
28th – National Chocolate Day
30th – National Candy Corn Day
31st – National Caramel Apple Day

November
7th – National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

December
7th – National Cotton Candy Day
16th – National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day
26th – National Candy Cane Day
28th – National Chocolate Day
29th – National Chocolate Day

January
3rd – National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
8th – National English Toffee Day
26th – National Peanut Brittle Day

February
15th – National Gum Drop Day
19th – Chocolate Mint Day

March
3rd week – American Chocolate Week
19th – National Chocolate Caramel Day
24th – National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day

April
12th – National Licorice Day
21st – National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day
22nd – National Jelly Bean Day

May
12th – National Nutty Fudge Day
15th – National Chocolate Chip Day
23rd – National Taffy Day

June
National Candy Month
16th – Fudge Day

July
7th – Chocolate Day
15th – Gummi Worm Day
20th – National Lollipop Day
28th – National Milk Chocolate Day

August
4th – National Chocolate Chip Day
10th – S’mores Day
30th – National Toasted Marshmallow Day

September
13th – International Chocolate Day
22nd – National White Chocolate Day

MiraCuLos CHoCoLaTe…. MariAn ImaGe at a ChoCoLaTe

Originally uploaded by friendsofsanroque.

Now if you haven’t heard this story running around the web over the past couple months, then you aren’t a true lover of all things chocolate. (No I’m not going to blog or link to the fella that got stuck in a vat of chocolate - just not appetizing.)

Workers at the luxury chocolate company discovered a 2-inch tall column of chocolate drippings under one of their vats that bears a striking resemblance to the Virgin Mary. Can you see it? Look closer…

Makes me wonder if that same online gambling place (something “palace’ to give you a hint) that did some strange things during the Olympics and then bought the Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich that would never rot will snatch this little jewell up. And unlike the chocolate boyfriend who I mentioned in an earlier post, please leave Mary’s head in tact thank you very much.

CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN!!

Originally uploaded by lesliebyk.

So in a previous post, I mentioned Jean Phillippe Patisserie in Las Vegas as a great place to get hot chocolate (From a USA Today review, ring a bell?). That’s all well, and great… but what I didn’t mention was that it is also the home of the world’s largest chocolate fountain. Yes, yes, I know, it’s always the little details that I forget.

Bellagio webpage described the Patisserie as “A mesmerizing fountain of cascading liquid chocolate awaits you at the Jean-Philippe Patisserie. Delight the imagination as well as the appetite, with an incredible selection of sweet and savory items including chocolates, cookies, cakes, crepes, salads, sandwiches and much more.”

Can you say TOTALLY Las Vegas? Designed by award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Philippe Maury and Norwood and Antonia Oliver Design Associates, Inc., the fountain took a year and a half in planning and design. The result is a genius work of kinetic sculpture and a daring feat of engineering. Standing 27-feet tall, the masterpiece circulates nearly two tons of melted dark, milk and white chocolate at a rate of 120 quarts per minute. (Did I say TWO TONS? Yes, I did.) Now if that isn’t a draw for a small little chocolate shop like Tweet Sweet, I don’t think anything would get people in the door.

To read more about the fountain, visit the Press Release on the Bellagio’s website. For more photos, head on over to this link on the eGullet Society’s message board.

chocolate + beets

Originally uploaded by antimega.

Now here’s an interesting dessert combination - the picture looked lovely, but how did it taste? Well I suppose if it made this flickr poster “giggle like a little girl” it had to be pretty good, don’t you think?

Experimenting with interesting conversation food is a sure way to spread the news about Tweet Sweet.

So, the big cities usually have it all… and my fair state of Utah is typically late to the game when it comes to the latest and greatest. With the constant influx of Californians (as apposed to very frugal Utahns) it seems like the market is shifting to support more and more high end shops. But I figure New York will always be one of the hippest place to check out the new chocolate trends.

So I’m planning a trip to New York - I’d love to go to the Chocolate Show next month and then have the opportunity to poke around town and check out chocolate shops. After my last review of Max Brenner’s new chocolate shop in the big apple, I found a review of other chocolate stores high on New York Magazines “best list”. Since the article is 2 years old, I cross referenced it with an article from About.com listing the Top 10 Best Chocolate Shops in New York City.

Maison du Chocolat (About.com/NYM)
1018 Madison Ave., nr. 78th St.; 212-744-7117
What to try: Tennis-ball-size, just-crunchy-enough Rocher pralines.

Martine’s Chocolates (About.com/NYM)
Bloomingdale’s
What to try: Chocolate “Butterfly” filled with hazelnut praline and fresh whipped cream.

Jacques Torres Chocolates (About.com/NYM)
66 Water St., nr. Dock St., Dumbo, Brooklyn; 718-875-9772
What to try: Pistachio marzipan dark-chocolate bonbons; “Mom’s” peanut brittle.

Richart Design et Chocolat (About.com/NYM)
7 E. 55th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-371-9369
What to try: The tiny but incredibly intricate Petits Richart, infused with combinations of everything from basil ganache to kumquat coulis.

Neuhaus Chocolatier (NYM)
2151 Broadway, nr. 75th St.; 212-712-2112
What to try: The “Caprice,” a hazelnut pyramid filled with nougatine and dipped in chocolate.

Teuscher (NYM)
25 E. 61st St., nr. Madison Ave.; 800-554-0624
What to try: World-famous champagne truffles.

MarieBelle Fine Treats and Chocolates (About.com/NYM)
484 Broome St., nr. W. Broadway; 212-925-6999

Lunettes et Chocolat (NYM)
25 Prince St., nr. Mott St.; 212-925-8800
What to try: Decadent, thick “Aztec Hot Chocolate.”

Vosges Haut Chocolat (About.com/NYM)
132 Spring St., nr. Greene St.; 212-625-2929
What to try: The “Rooster Truffle”—dark chocolate with Taleggio cheese.

Chocolate Bar (About.com/NYM)
48 Eighth Ave., nr. Jane St.; 212-366-1541
What to try: Peanut-butter-and-jelly bars.

Kee’s Chocolates (About.com/NYM)
80 Thompson St., nr. Spring St.; 212-334-3284
What to try: Vanilla custard-filled “Crème Brûlée Truffle.”

Christopher Norman Chocolates (NYM)
60 New St., nr. Beaver St.; 212-402-1243
What to try: A whimsical chocolate walnut shell filled with banana-nut-cream truffles.

Li-Lac (About.com/NYM)
120 Christopher St., nr. Hudson St.; 212-242-7374
What to try: Scrumptious dark-chocolate almond bark.

Evelyn’s Chocolates (NYM)
4 John St., nr. Broadway; 212-267-5170
What to try: Heavenly Hash, a chocolate-drenched smorgasbord of marshmallow nuts, dried fruits, and whatever else is lying around the kitchen.

Varsano’s Chocolates (NYM)
179 W. 4th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-352-1171
What to try: The CPR—a pretzel stick coated with caramel and dipped in chocolate.

Black Hound (About.com)
170 Second Avenue(10th/11th Sts.); 212-979-9505

Perhaps with all the good chocolate in the city, I won’t have time to actually eat real food. It’s a good thing all the walking makes up for it.

Any good chocolate places in New York City you’d recommend?

Chocolate Boyfriend

Originally uploaded by GreenThorns.

Here’s something interesting for you ladies. Your own chocolate boyfriend. This was a great picture that I ran across on Flickr and had to blog about it.

The packaging reads “My boyfriend really makes me drool. He’s a hotty! Super cool! But if he changes his mind and splits, I’ll chew him into little bits.

Eat him up just the way he is! All natural solid Belgian milk chocolate. If he gets any hotter, he’ll melt.”

And guys you’re not left out either… you can get a chocolate girlfriend as well. Find them both online at Le Gourmet Chef.

I ran across an article doing a search recently in a local newspaper in Bloomington-Normal Illinois about s’mores. Here’s a quote: With a mouth full of graham crackers, melted marshmallow and warm chocolate, try asking for “some more.”

Today, s’mores are appearing on the menus of some of the hottest restaurants and a few have added a twist, including Oreo cookies, peanut butter cups, even bananas.

The article goes on to list a few recipes for s’mores and s’more-like treats (just scroll down after viewing the article) But also mentions a restaurant called Cosi’s that’s well known for serving s’mores as a dessert. I could only find their franchisee website located here, but it has a copy of their menu and some pretty tasty looking pictures.

What’s cool about this dessert (which is also a fantastic idea for Tweet Sweet) is the way they let you roast your own marshmallows at your table. (Another fondue-like-experience for eating and sharing food). Here’s a picture of one in action:

Looking for more pictures? See all sorts of random people enjoying this delight at Cosi’s compliments of Flickr.

The website also allows you to buy these s’more-making kits to use at home for parties. For $40 plush shipping you’ll get the wooden s’mores platter, a s’more hibachi/ marshmallow skewers, marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers and some Cosi branded matches. The fuel for the hibachi is avaiable at most hardware stores. Pretty cool hu?

So I don’t know if anyone senses the irony that the first two test locations of “Showcolate” franchises from Brazilian company Showcolate Fondue Express are funded by Gary Findley, the former president of Curves International. (A diet and fitness business which has 10,000 locations nationwide) Perhaps he, better than most, knows the power of chocolate.

Findley has opened two franchises in Texas - the Lakeshore Times reports - to test the model claiming that “this is the next Dipping dots, pretzels or yogurt. This is something you may not just see at malls, but in airports, them parks and possibly in some grocery stores.”

Showcolate’s home page touts its franchises that operate from state-of-the-art kiosks and are designed for retail malls at prime locations. Kiosks feature showcolate’s famous chocolate-spinning wheels and serve up products consisting of selected fresh fruits and fine chocolates.

And if this paragraph from their home page doesn’t have you plunking over the $100K to reserve your franchise, nothing will: “Imagine a cascade of chocolate pouring over fresh fruit - the appealing aroma of refined chocolate fondue filling the air and enticing your senses. This dream is now a reality with Showcolate, a franchise business now available for the U.S. market that will have chocolate lovers asking for more!”

After my experience at The Melting Pot, I’m all over this fondue-thing. In a mall kiosk? I’m not so sure of… but I can only image that smell of chocolate permiating the mall and drawing people from every corner. I bet it’ll be a sure winner.

Here’s a YouTube movie I found that displays showcolate’s famous chocolate-spinning wheels: