ChocolateMom

I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to attend the annual workshops anymore as long as it continues to be on the May long weekend- conflicts with new cottage opening weekend. Sorry to miss everyone and the time to experiment. Just thought you should know why I appear to have disappeared. Still chocolate tempering- and now selling a couple of times a year at work. Still active in Facebook.

@patris - Kerry has said she will pay you for my bowl on the Thursday and I will pay her back in US cash. They look beautiful!

Thanks very much Kerry...alternatively maybe I can etransfer to you and have you bring her the cash?

Thanks @patris I won’t be arriving until the Friday and i won’t be there for Tomric. I’m hoping Kerry or someone can pick it up for me, but maybe I could do an etransfer in advance somehow? Just so I’m not posting it online, Kerry has my contact phone and email and if you’re in touch with her she can pass along to you.

Hi, @patris, I’m just getting caught up now and realize I’m very late to put in my bowl glaze preference request. I like #13 or #2 (in order of preference)- if still possible to choose. And how and when would you like payment for these? Thanks!!

I would be interested in a dipping bowl.

status report: -no to Tomric since not arriving until Friday -no to master classes -Is there going to be the usual sharing of chocolates and drinks on Friday night to get to know everyone? In the hotel or elsewhere? I would go to that because every time I get to one of these, it has been a while since the last one and I need to remember names and faces and learn new ones... -Yes to all day Saturday -A “Maybe” for spouse and I for dinner on Saturday. Depends where you decide to go. Tend to be a meat eater, would even try beaver. -Sunday we will be heading home. Thanks for all the organization Kerry!

So I'm definitely going to miss Tomric on Thursday. @Kerry Beal would I be able to place an order perhaps for you to bring back when I see you on the Friday or Saturday...depending on when the meet/greet and chocolate sharing night occurs?

I booked my room at the Hilton for Friday to Sunday. Given that this will be the first anniversary of my father-in-law's death and the spouse will be with me, I may be dividing my time between workshops and her. Disappointing that Tomric isn't a go this time. But would be great if we can maybe place orders and have them brought over (definitely helpful for those of us Canadians).

Count me in - no impending deaths on the horizon. I likely won't pay extra for the master class, but will do the usual workshop stuff.

Hi, I'm Checking in on eGullet. Booked at the Tuscany with spouse. We're arriving on Wednesday night, so I'm interested in the Chef Rubber and the afternoon demo on Thursday afternoon. Doing dinner plans separately though with Spouse and a friend. Spending Friday playing tourist and workshop on Saturday/Sunday. I see my name is already on the workshop list :-) Looking forward to this.

Hi, it's an older basic nougat recipe from back when Kyle first went to the chocolate workshops: 400 g sugar, 155 g glucose, 150 g water, pinch of salt, 50 g egg white (2 whites), 80g nut butter. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water with salt to 132 degrees Celsius. Drizzle in to stiffly beaten egg whites. Beat until consistency of dough. Add nut butter. Spread into 9x9 pan and cool. The first couple of times I couldn't even spread it, it hardened instantly. The third time, I could spread it, but as soon as it cooled, it was solid.

Hi, I was using the handheld type with two beaters on it. On my third try, I did manage to get it so it was pouring into the pan and I could lay it out and it was malleable, but then it still hardened. Re the IR: I had changed the batteries right before going to your place and you noticing it was off a bit. It is 10 years old, so maybe it's just time? It was the one I bought for Kyle when he first started.

Hi, I don't see my name on the Morato for sure listing, but I got my invite and my ticket, so I'm definite for that. I won't be available on the Friday at all, so no Soma or show and tell for me this year. I'm mainly attending the Saturday and Sunday learning and play opportunities, but I'm a no for the Saturday dinner. Kerry, you asked for us to consider things we might want to learn...I know I would love help learning to make a chewy nougat...you know I've had one night where I tried three times and each time I ended up frustrated. I don't have an industrial mixer and I would like to learn to make these things in my home kitchen on a lower scale. I'm also hoping to be able to latch on to another group to learn with them and not work independently, even though I really don't know everyone. Some of the names I know won't be here this year, last year I couldn't go and the Las Vegas trip I was so sick I barely remember getting through it. Mostly I'd like to learn from others. Kerry, any idea what the actual workshop cost will be? And I would like a new IR thermometer if you still have some that are accurate. Last time you saw mine I think you had mentioned it was becoming inaccurate. Thanks!

Hi, Yes, you are correct...my spouse will be busy selling our house to the casino while I do the workshop...we knew that she would not be able to spectate that. If it works up that she can join me on the tour though, would be great. I completely understand the need to non-refundable and the only issue for me is that I will not be able to sign up until late Monday when she's had a chnace to speak with her boss to get Thursday and Friday off. She works in a daycare and even though she's pretty sure she will get the days, I don't want to risk laying out the Monday until we know for sure. I recognize that means I might be too late by Monday to sign up. Here's hoping. Not planning to take the Master class...since my spouse will have a lot of time to kill (and I don't consider myself advanced), we'll do the tour Friday morning and then the Saturday-Sunday workshop for me ...that way I can keep her company Friday afternoon and not have all our saving gone too quickly. Fingers are crossed that on Monday I can sign us up for the hotel and the workshop.

Hi Ruth & Rob (& Everyone)...You may remember me as one of Kyle's moms...the young man who has attended a couple of the Niagara-on-the-Lake workshops. He's 16 now and although he enjoys making chocolates casually, he's less inclined to go to the workshop this year...however, this allows me to participate without him feeling like I'm invading his space...after shadowing his work in this area over the years, I have learned lots through him and I'd like to sign up for the classes. I'm busy looking into whether my spouse and I can take a couple of days and then sign up for a room. But I have a couple of questions...right now we're looking at arriving on Thursday and maybe participate in the chocolate shop tour Friday morning and then I would take the classes. So If I sign up as the one to take the classes on Sat & Sun., my spouse is just wondering if she would be allowed to tag along for the shop tour...second question is we are not planning to rent a car, so we see there is a bus along Flamingo to Decatur, but wondering if the shop tour will require driving to various locations or if it's just one location we would need to figure out how to get there. Also, how are people making their payments for the conference. Sorry, I know that's a lot for my first post