Decadent Evening of Chocolate and Cocktails

On September 20, on the eve of The Big Chocolate Show, I attended the Decadent Evening of Chocolate and Cocktails presented by the Cocktail Guru at the Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, NY. The tasting included chocolate friendly cocktails paired with sweet and savory desserts, all featuring Guittard Chocolate. My favorite pairings, which were both phenomenal were the Three Chocolate Budino + Bonette Brands and the Dark Chocolate and Pisco Shrimp Ceviche paired with Caravedo Pisco. I am hooked on budino but the only place I know where to get it is at Scarpetta in Las Vegas. If someone can direct me to where I can find budino in NYC please let me know! 

The Salty Heifer Three Chocolate Budino with Salted Caramel paired with Bonnette Brands (Coquerel Calvados, Boudier Creme de Cassis, Bache Gabrielsen Cognac)

Sandeman Port paired with Roni-Sue's Chocolates Portly Fig Truffle

CSW Catering Dark Chocolate and Pisco Shrimp Ceviche paired with Caravedo Pisco

Sowella Chocolates Green Chartreuse Mint Chocolates, Dark Chocolate Strawberry Truffles and Macadamia Matcha Cream Squares paired with Chartreuse

Jomart Chocolates Marshmallow Cookie "Mallomar" paired with Zyr Vodka

Twizzles Tasty Treats Organic Apple Raisin Chocolate Truffle dusted in Apple dust and Nutmeg paired with Amarula

- Kim Weling

The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018

The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018 preview with 

Cookie DOH Cones from The Dessertist

The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018 took place on September 28th and 29th at The New Yorker Hotel at 481 Eighth Avenue, kicking off Chocolate Week NYC (September 28 - October 5th). 50+ exhibitors and more than 200 chocolatiers, artisans, chefs, authors, purveyors and experts from around the world offered chocolate tastings, master tasting classes and live demonstrations. 

The master tasting and pairing classes included 3-D Chocolate Printing, Whiskey + Chocolate Pairing, Indoor S'mores, Specialty Spices & Chocolate, A Craft Cocktail & Chocolate Pairing Primer, Cooking with Cacao, A Hawaiian Chocolate Tasting, Truffle Making and more. 

My favorite part of The Big Chcocolate Show NYC is of course sampling all of the chocolate! Sea salt has always been a classic favorite of mine, but I was excited to see more of Coffee, Espresso and Lavender offered among the exhibitors. Each year I am also seeing more and more creative and artistic packaging. Here's a look at some of my favorite chocolates / exhibitors from this year's show!

Mishti favorites: Darkest Lavender Sealt, Coffee Trip and Bitter Sweet Toffee

Amore di Mona - thank you for your generous sampling of your chocolates! Amore di Mona is vegan, Non-GMO, and low glycemic. Their chocolates are free of gluten, soy, milk, wheat, peanuts, eggs, and tree nuts. I was thrilled to have been able to try an assortment of your flavors! Among my favorites were Caramela with Cherries, Dark Chocolate with Coffee, Dark Chocolate Ganache topped with Sea Salt, and Lemon Rose. 

Raw Chocolate Love is 100% raw, organic, gluten + dairy, free. They offer some unique flavors  including White Truffle Oil and Earl Grey. Sea Salt, Espresso and Rose were among my go-to flavors. The chocolate is indulgent, rich and soft. It's the type of chocolate bar you want to savor one piece at a time, instead of eating the whole bar at once.

MarieBelle with beautiful 1940's Vargas pin-up girl packaging

Moka Origins favorites: Espresso and Sea Salt

My newest obsession: Nitro Cold Brew Coffee

Favorites: Pepperming infused with Lavender, Rose infused with Cardamom and Sea Salt infused with Tumeric

I got a lesson in tasting fudge: to let it melt between tip of your tongue and the roof of your mouth, and don't chew or swallow the fudge. The Fat Ass Fudge from the kitchen of Chocology was very decadent and flavorful, one of the best I've ever tasted! 

My favorites from Brooklyn Born Chocolate's include Almond Butter and Cafe Au Lait

Bang Cookies are giant-sized organic & natural soft baked cookies delivered nationwide. Among my favorites are the Espresso Chocolate Chunk, Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk and Triple Chocolate Chunk. I would also love to try the Bourbon Walnut Toffee and Cinnamon Whiskey Crackle Cookie.

- Kim Weling

Get Your Tickets to The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018

The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018 is coming up this weekend on September 29th and September 30th at The New Yorker Hotel at 481 Eighth Avenue. The Big Chocolate Show sets the stage for Chocolate Week NYC, (September 28 - October 5, 2018), a celebration of all things chocolate taking place in restaurants, specialty shops, bakeries, and ice cream parlors throughout the 5 boroughs.

Meet some of the greatest chocolatiers, artisans, chefs and pastry chefs from Europe, North & South America. 

Attend live demonstrations, classes and chocolate pairings. Take part in a variety of activities: talks, tastings, exhibitions and chocolate workshops for adults and children.

All attendees also get to participate in the FAVE Awards. Taste with a purpose, and vote for your favorite brands, flavors, and textures. 

Chocolate experts will be demonstrating how to turn cocoa beans into chocolate, truffles, and bars. Making chocolate has always been thought of as a complex procedure, but the best artisans will demonstrate how simple it is to produce quality dark, milk and white chocolate using the finest cocoa beans and ingredients.

During the ticketed tasting classes and workshops see how to roast, crack, grind, temper, mold and make delicious chocolates in all exciting new ways.

The 2018 event benefits Cookies for Kids’ Cancer a non-profit that raises money to find less toxic and less invasive treatments for pediatric cancers. Since its creation in 2007, the organization has sold over 1 million cookies (enough to scale Mt. Everest up and down!) and funded 100 grants for cutting-edge research resulting in 37 treatments available to kids today.

Get tickets

Check out my coverage from previous years:

The Big Chocolate Show 2017

The Big Chocolate Show 2016

- Kim Weling

The Big Chocolate Show 2017

On Friday, October 6th, I got a sneak peek at The Big Chocolate Show 2017 at the Tunnel/Waterfront at 269 11th Avenue. Check out highlights and favorites from the show below, including artistic designs and unique flavors. 

William Dean Chocolates makes hand-made artisan chocolates and other confections. They make everything by hand. Their chocolate are beautiful, vibrant works of art and taste incredibly fresh! William Dean Chocolates was one of my favorite finds at The Big Chocolate Show!

DAGOBA organic chocolate has come out with two new flavors, Picante Chocolate with chilies and nuts and Lavender Blueberry which I'm really excited about!

Chocolate Moonshine Co. makes artisan moonshine bars, hand painted with French cocoa butter. There are a variety of different designs and flavors, gluten free, pure & natural, 0 trans fats and non-alcoholic. 

Fairytale Brownies are delicious, individually wrapped brownies. Some of the flavors include Mint Chocolate, Raspberry Swirl, Espresso Nib, Toffee Crunch and Cheesecake Swirl. I remember receiving a Fairytale Brownies assorted gift package that I had received when I first was hired for my current job. It was a great gift that I was able to share with my colleagues, and also save for later since each brownie is wrapped up.

KACAU Chocolates had the most beautiful packaging I had ever seen! Each bar has its own identity and flavor. The bars are made with dark chocolate in different percentages, with the rich flavor of Ecuadorian cacao and a mix of spices, fruits and aroma. 

- Kim Weling