341 replies to this topic

[tikidoc]

If anyone has any magnetic molds they are looking to sell, I might be interested, bring them along if you can!

[RobertM]

I just spoke to the Marriott; thank you to all who made their reservations. Just a note, that as of today, the hotel is sold out for both Friday and Saturday evening. Anyone wishing to make a last minute reservation, please let me know, perhaps I can help direct you to another hotel nearby.

[sarahdwyer]

Hi Robert,
I have been reading the forum for ages, but just joined the society. I'd love to be a part of the Conference if possible. I don't need a hotel -- I live in Silver Spring MD. Happy to help with any local errands, as well. I have a 6 kg mol d'art, and a good supply of molds, magnetic and regular. I can't wait to meet all of you I have been following for years.

[Kerry Beal]

Hi Robert,
I have been reading the forum for ages, but just joined the society. I'd love to be a part of the Conference if possible. I don't need a hotel -- I live in Silver Spring MD. Happy to help with any local errands, as well. I have a 6 kg mol d'art, and a good supply of molds, magnetic and regular. I can't wait to meet all of you I have been following for years.

Welcome Sarah - glad you've decided to join us.

[tikidoc]

Looks like we are going to make the Friday festivities after all! Now I just need to decide what to make.

[sarahdwyer]

Hi, I thought I might share a little information about where I am in the chocolate learning process. I was in banking for 15 years, and in 2009 decided to move to Paris to attend Le Cordon Bleu for the patisserie program. When I returned home, I floundered for a while, making cupcakes, macarons, cakes, and cookies. Then I thought about what I really loved, caramel and chocolate. I started making chocolates at home, practicing tempering and gumming up every pot with sticky caramel. I found a commercial kitchen to rent by the hour and started selling 5 different chocolates later that year. In 2011, I focused on making more flavors and selling online. Now, I have 4 local retailers carrying my chocolates. I do everything myself, with the exception of my nephews making boxes for me. My best seller is balsamic vinegar caramel. I am interested in learning more about getting very clean closes on chocolate bases, sourcing quality ingredients at good prices, and airbrushing.

Here is the link to my blog - http://www.sdinparee.blogspot.com/

And my website is http://www.chouquette.us/ if anyone is interested.

Really looking forward to meeting everyone.

--Sarah Dwyer

Edited by heidih, 20 February 2012 - 05:55 PM.
Fix links

[Viktoria]

Robert - I'm in the definite category now. Not staying at the hotel, but planning on being there!

Kerry, I would love one of those thermometers.

I absolutely can't wait to meet everyone!

[Kerry Beal]

Starting to make piles of things to bring - looking back through the thread can't find the post about what book it is that Curls wants me to bring.

Donna can you remind me so I can add it to one of the piles?

[curls]

Kerry, please add the Geerts and Morato books to your piles.

Edited by curls, 21 February 2012 - 08:12 AM.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, please add the Geerts and Morato books to your piles.

Done!

[lironp]

Kerry- I'd like to buy the thermometer as well if it's ok with you!
Any interest by anyone for the Valrhona chocolate book or William Curley's book?

[Kerry Beal]

Just bought the Curley book - I'm enjoying it - lots of nice decorating ideas for enrobed chocolates. What's the Valrhona book like?

[Sue Casey]

Curley's book sounds like something I should get. always looking for new ways to decorate dipped truffles.

[Kerry Beal]

Curley's book sounds like something I should get. always looking for new ways to decorate dipped truffles.

He's got lots of neat ways to decorate the dipped squares - most of his truffles seem to be done with powders of some sort.

[patti_h]

Mette, I looked at some websites to try to figure out how man tonka beans I would want and I found that I could order them on Amazon! They are legally being sold for soap making and such. I ordered some, so maybe I will bring tonka bean chocolates!
I am getting SO excited for the conference- Kerry I think I need to follow your lead and start making a pile of stuff to bring!!!! So looking forward to meeting everyone!

[RobertM]

Met yesterday with the chef at the school. He is asking if anyone has any food allergies. Can you PM me if you do and specifically to what? Shellfish? Peanuts? etc?

I also found out that the school does not have 220 in the kitchens so bringing my JKV is out. I'm still going to bring the ACMC tabletop.

[lironp]

Just bought the Curley book - I'm enjoying it - lots of nice decorating ideas for enrobed chocolates. What's the Valrhona book like?

I really like it, apart from the mouthwatering pictures, it explains a lot of basic patisserie techniques, for example what are the 6 techniques to make a chocolate mousse, when to use each and the possible pitfalls. I finally manage to make a Pate a bombe chocolate mousse without having the chocolate clump up It also has a chocolate section with some nice recipes by Jean Paul Hevin.

William Curley is one of the best chocolatiers I have tasted- he uses amazing chocolate (Amedei), creates very unique and interesting flavors and manages to get a perfect texture every time (although I do think that his dipping results aren't perfect, I assume they aren't using an enrober).
I also usually like decorating my truffles with some edible powder that reflects the flavor inside- I made orange powder from orange skins for an orange truffle, peanut butter powder for my PB&J, raspberry powder for raspberry truffles and etc.

[Kerry Beal]

I had hoped at the conference to bring up the proposed group buy of Perfect temperer/enrober units that one of our eG members is organizing. It appears that this has moved ahead at an unexpected speed and that given the excellent price they were given that this may happen before the conference. So if anyone is interested, drop me a PM and I'll hook you up with the member who is organizing it before the conference.

I had great hopes today that another goodie I found at Canadian Tire might prove useful to us - it is a Richard trim guide - stainless steel, nice clean edge on it. I had hoped it would serve well as a scraper for molds - and it does. However because the blade is so narrow cleaning the chocolate from the scraper turned out to be a problem. It's OK with the Selmi, because I can clean it off on the Selmi's scraper - unfortunately I doesn't look like it will work well with a bowl.

[psantucc]

Long expected, but now final and official - there's no way I can get clear of the increasingly misnamed day job for the conference... and it looks like the weekend following, too. I'm a little envious, but mostly happy for those who get to do it. Have fun for me!

If things work as I hope, I'll be able to send a piece or two to represent me.

Best wishes-
Pat Santucci

[RobertM]

Pat, bummer you won't be joining us, you will be greatly missed.

[RobertM]

A couple more odds and ends

I've had a couple local people inquire if they can bring their spouses to the dinner on Saturday night. For anyone else that is wondering, the answer is of course, but I need to know so I can give the school a final head count. If you wish to have your spouse join us, please PM me and we'll add them to the count.

I'd also like to get an idea of the people who will be here on Friday for any kind of Friday afternoon activity I can muster up. Depending on the numbers, I'm contemplating a couple of different activities. Please let me know if you are interested in a Friday "outing", one just hit me last night but it will depend on the number of people interested.

[Kerry Beal]

I'm around Friday and by myself for dinner on Saturday.

[Mette]

I'm there on Friday as well, and if you need help with anything, let me know

[curls]

I'm around Friday. Depending on the activity, I'll be there.

[RobertM]

Updating our attendee list & adding new Friday Category which is only for the Friday daytime activity, not the Friday night meet and greet...


Yes, I'm coming, booked the room and transportation

Chris Hennes (+1)
Kerry Beal
Chocolot
curls
gfron1
Gene
lironp
lebowits
patti_h (+1)
chocoera
Mette
Tikidoc +1
Sue Casey
LindaS
Viktoria
Sarahdwyer

Friday (Daytime activity)
Kerry Beal
curls
Mette
Chocolot
Lebowits

Pretty Definite Attendees

Prabha
Robdoc000
MariaP

Maybe

Lisa Shock
prasantrin
MelissaH
DianaM
Lior - pending Lottery ticket(s)
AnythingButPlainChocolate
Genkinaonna
MarkIsComing
Carsondial

Can't Make it
mjx +1
mkayahara
YetiChocolates
Ruth Wells
Kevin Liu
nolnacs

[lironp]

My flight arrives in BWI at 1:35pm. I don't know how much time it'll take me to get from there, I guess about an hour?
Aside from that, I will be arriving from a 2 week trip that goes through Vegas, where I will visit ChefRubber, if anyone needs anything from there I can get it- I am travelling with a suitcase anyway.
Also, I will be carrying around some chocolates with me to bring to the conference, I really hope they will stay ok!

[lebowits]

My flight arrives in BWI at 1:35pm. I don't know how much time it'll take me to get from there, I guess about an hour?
Aside from that, I will be arriving from a 2 week trip that goes through Vegas, where I will visit ChefRubber, if anyone needs anything from there I can get it- I am travelling with a suitcase anyway.
Also, I will be carrying around some chocolates with me to bring to the conference, I really hope they will stay ok!

It will take you more than an hour to make the trip. BWI is close to Baltimore and you're heading south into Virginia. My guess is that it will take 90 minutes or more depending on traffic. Fortunately, you should be able to get ahead of the Friday rush hour traffic.

[lebowits]

RobertM - Would you please post the street address for the conference location?

[RobertM]

Of course:
Stratford University
14349 Gideon Drive
Wood bridge, VA. 22192

The school is in it's own building, near Potomac Mills Mall, across the street from COSTCO (closest to the COSTCO gas). For anyone needing landmarks there is a Toys R Us on the other side, Ikea is about 1/4 mile away.

[lebowits]

Of course:
Stratford University
14349 Gideon Drive
Wood bridge, VA. 22192

The school is in it's own building, near Potomac Mills Mall, across the street from COSTCO (closest to the COSTCO gas). For anyone needing landmarks there is a Toys R Us on the other side, Ikea is about 1/4 mile away.

Forgive the nagging... Is there a specific room we should look for?