Chocolate degustation / workshop

[Chmekas]

Hello dears,

anybody participated or organized chocolate degustation / workshop / ceremony?

We are invited to organize the degustation for 200+ people next Thursday and it got me thinking about creating the event with nice context.

We are thinking to do chocolate pairings with alco / cheese. We are also thinking about making aztec or french style hot chocolate w/without spices as well as chocolate fountain.

It would be perfect to involve the people into this ceremony but how to make it properly and without big mess all around the table? Any good tips / ideas on

chocolate workshops? Truffle making? Dragee making? What to avoid? Any ideas welcome.

Biggest thanks in advance!

[Lisa Shock]

I am not a fan of the fountain: double dipping happens, finger-dipping happens, you need to add a ton of oil (lowers chocolate quality) to make it work, messy, and, it can create a spot that interferes with the flow of traffic in the room.

Having a person making hand-dipped fruits and candies would be a good demo.

I am not sure about involving people in making anything, there are sanitation issues requiring glove use and, issues about inexperienced people making messes -of the station, of their own clothes and other people's clothes.