The Chocolate Show will be at the Metropolitan Pavilion through Sunday
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th St. between Sixth & Seventh Aves.
November 10-13, $30-$35
www.chocolateshow.com
If you’re like us, there’s virtually no problem that a good dose of chocolate can’t make better. Every night before we hit the sack, we partake in some high-quality chocolate, usually of the very dark variety. There will be just about every kind of variety you can think of at the fourteenth annual New York Chocolate Show, serving up delectable delights November 10-13 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. More than fifty exhibitors from around the world will be selling their wares — and, occasionally, offering free samples, so bring along a little plastic bag to take some goodies home (and so they don’t melt in your pocket). Scanning the current list, we didn’t see a lot of our favorites, although the always dependable Guittard will be there, along with Chocolate Christophe Roussel, Maison Boissier, and Vincent Guerlais from France, Jer’s Chocolates from California, and D.C.’s Divine Chocolate. More familiar names include Valrhona, Jacques Torres, François Payard, and Michel Cluizel. The four-day event also features demonstrations and workshops, book signings, a Kids Zone, and the always extravagant fashion display, which pairs master chocolatiers with clothing designers to create unique haute couture incorporating cacao, with this year’s theme based on Broadway musicals. We usually get the biggest kick out of Martin “Chocolatina” Howard’s contribution; he’ll be creating a “Playbill Dress” with 24-Hour Catwalk’s Michael Plosky.
Håkan Mårtensson admires his deluxe chocolate creations for Fika (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
Update: The 2011 edition of the Chocolate Show might not have a bevy of familiar names, but it does have a lot of fresh newcomers giving away plenty of free samples and offering good deals. We suggest starting out at E. Guittard, whose large booth features multiple dishes stocked with varying degrees of dark chocolate from South American countries. (We went home with the Sur Del Lago and Ambanja Bittersweet bars.) You can then cleanse the palate with a shot of rich, historical melted chocolate from American Heritage before continuing on your cacao adventure; among the standouts are the Nib-a-Licious bar from the Grenada Chocolate Company, Håkan Mårtensson’s explosive gingerbread truffles, Liddabit Sweets’ sea salt caramels, 5th Avenue Chocolatiere’s cold cocoa covered truffles (being handed out by a third-generation youngster), Maria Luisa Rodriguez’s orange zest Jazz Brownies, Pacari’s Ecuadorian salt & nibs bar, Rogue Confections’ holiday-designed Belgian circles, ChocoBolo’s chocolate cake (formerly known as the Best Chocolate Cake in the World), Co Co. Sala’s crunch bar, and Comptoir du Cacao’s flaky pralines. But don’t miss Salt of the Earth Bakery, whose chocolate-chip cookies, made with E. Guittard chocolate and Maldon sea salt, are phenomenal, rivaled only by their well-named OMG caramel and Fleur de sel de l’Ile de Re salt brownie.