Chocolate Workshop 2018 Niagara on the Lake

[Kerry Beal]

9 hours ago, Diana D said:

Hi Kerry, for first timers (a-hem) ... do you mind posting the address where all the fun and games will take place? Thank you. 

Ah c'mon - that takes all the sport out of it!

 

So - hotel which is where most are staying and where the 'show and tell' will be held on Friday night is Hilton Garden Inn Niagara on the Lake - 500 York Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

 

Niagara College Niagara on the Lake Campus - 135 Taylor Rd, Niagara on the Lake, On L0S 1J0 - it is very close to the hotel

 

Tomric Systems -  85 River Rock Dr #202, Buffalo, NY 14207, USA

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Could each of you wanting a melanger send me a PM so I can give you the information on paying - I'm not really comfortable posting the discount code here online as it might end up on one of those coupon sites and that would not be fair.

 

The discount code will give 10% off all the products in the store. 

 

1. Please use a US shipping address so you do not get charged for shipping. We ship for free in the USA. If you put down canadian shipping address then the website will ask them to pay for shipping. 

 

2. Please write down any address in USA except NJ. If they use NJ shipping address then it will ask for NJ sales tax. 

 

As long as they use this discount code I will hand carry the machines or nibs I do not think it will be a problem. 

 

Essentially what he is saying is that identifying with the coupon code he has provided will tell him that he needs to bring it to Niagara. Canadians will just need to make up an imaginary address that is not in NJ. 

 

Here's the website - melangers.com
 

Edited May 1, 2018 by Kerry Beal (log)

[gfron1]

31 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Oh don't you worry! We've already decided you are hosting next year. Perhaps we should check that with you first?

No need to check. I would love it. And I've been here long enough now to have all the connections to make it work.

[Kerry Beal]

9 minutes ago, gfron1 said:

No need to check. I would love it. And I've been here long enough now to have all the connections to make it work.

We will start a planning thread after this one is over. 

[Diana D]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Ah c'mon - that takes all the sport out of it!

 

So - hotel which is where most are staying and where the 'show and tell' will be held on Friday night is Hilton Garden Inn Niagara on the Lake - 500 York Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

 

Niagara College Niagara on the Lake Campus - 135 Taylor Rd, Niagara on the Lake, On L0S 1J0 - it is very close to the hotel

 

Tomric Systems -  85 River Rock Dr #202, Buffalo, NY 14207, USA

 

 

 

LOL, Kerry! You can play with us...but you have to find us first. 

[YetiChocolates]

2 hours ago, gfron1 said:

Well, no surprise here - it looks like we'll be signing a lease on our new restaurant in about two weeks. After two years of waiting, of course it happened right during the workshop...my gut had been telling me this would be the case. We're doing the final drawings for the finances all this week, so I'll know 100% within days if this is the case. 

 

Once again, have fun without me, and hopefully I'll see you in 2019...although I see most of you daily on Facebook and IG  And again the reminder that if the group wants a midwest conference I would be happy to host, and have good friends at Bissingers, Rick Jordan and a few others smaller name chocolatiers in the city as well as the various cooking schools.

 

You absence will definitely be missed (I was really hoping you would make it!) but I am super excited that you're finally signing the lease! 

[YetiChocolates]

Hey does anyone have a want/need for loose gold leaf? I used 5 sheets out of 20 and pretty much vowed to never work with it again, but someone else might have a need. Let me know and I’ll bring it along!

[Gwbyls]

On 5/1/2018 at 7:33 AM, gfron1 said:

Well, no surprise here - it looks like we'll be signing a lease on our new restaurant in about two weeks. After two years of waiting, of course it happened right during the workshop...my gut had been telling me this would be the case. We're doing the final drawings for the finances all this week, so I'll know 100% within days if this is the case. 

 

Once again, have fun without me, and hopefully I'll see you in 2019...although I see most of you daily on Facebook and IG  And again the reminder that if the group wants a midwest conference I would be happy to host, and have good friends at Bissingers, Rick Jordan and a few others smaller name chocolatiers in the city as well as the various cooking schools.

Congratulations! Will miss you this year and super excited for the possibility of a Midwest workshop!  Can’t wait to hear about and see your new space.

 

[Kerry Beal]

We have one space available for the Saturday and Sunday workshop and one space for the Bar master's class. And of course dinner on Saturday if desired.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Kerry Beal (log)

[chocoera]

On 4/18/2018 at 6:54 PM, Tri2Cook said:

Good price!

i'll take some!

 

[chocoera]

On 4/27/2018 at 7:08 PM, Kerry Beal said:

I'm going to try and put together some sort of itinerary for the workshop

 

1. Thursday May 17th - 10:30-11am or so until 2 - Tomric in Buffalo - Brian will do something in the way of a demo and there will be a purchasing opportunity. @patris will meet us there with the dipping bowls. 

2. Thursday evening - fend for ourselves for dinner.

3. Friday there will be breakfast out for the am class 9-12 - nut pastes master's class, lunch 12-1 provided, 1-4 bar class - haven't got total confirmation on the room yet - but there will be signs. 

4. Friday night - around 7 - meet in the Gardenview A room of the Hilton Garden in for Show and Tell - bring what ever you want to show off. It's BYOB - we are going to have to sneak it in - I haven't made it official with the hotel so we don't get charged a corkage fee - so be discrete and bring a glass!

5. Saturday am - meet at 9 am in the College lab H119 - there will be pastries for breakfast - then the talk by Lisabeth for a couple of hours, then we let you loose to play. Lunch will be set out - lovely breads by @Alleguede, cold cuts, cheese, salads - build your own sandwich. Clean up around 4:30 or so on Saturday - dinner in the cooking lab at the college around 7. 

6. Sunday - again start around 9 am and play until around 4. 

so if you're going to the 1 pm masters class, can we show up for the  noon lunch prior?

 

[chocoera]

On 5/1/2018 at 7:33 AM, gfron1 said:

Well, no surprise here - it looks like we'll be signing a lease on our new restaurant in about two weeks. After two years of waiting, of course it happened right during the workshop...my gut had been telling me this would be the case. We're doing the final drawings for the finances all this week, so I'll know 100% within days if this is the case. 

 

Once again, have fun without me, and hopefully I'll see you in 2019...although I see most of you daily on Facebook and IG  And again the reminder that if the group wants a midwest conference I would be happy to host, and have good friends at Bissingers, Rick Jordan and a few others smaller name chocolatiers in the city as well as the various cooking schools.

noooooooooooo!  was SO looking forward to catching up and talkin' biz!!!  well, i love stalking you on instagram, you amaze me daily- and congratulations on the restaurant!  glad its finally getting squared away!!!!!

 

[chocoera]

On 5/1/2018 at 4:44 PM, YetiChocolates said:

Hey does anyone have a want/need for loose gold leaf? I used 5 sheets out of 20 and pretty much vowed to never work with it again, but someone else might have a need. Let me know and I’ll bring it along!

i use a ton of it, i'll call dibs if no one else needs it

 

[Kerry Beal]

6 hours ago, chocoera said:

i use a ton of it, i'll call dibs if no one else needs it

 

I assume she's selling it though

[Kerry Beal]

22 hours ago, chocoera said:

so if you're going to the 1 pm masters class, can we show up for the  noon lunch prior?

 

I've planned sufficient for the folks who are teaching and those taking both classes and won't be able to run out in the hour between classes. I've made the assumption that the only morning people won't stay and the only afternoon people won't have the one hour issue so you'd probably be wise to grab a bite before you come at 1. 

Edited May 4, 2018 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, chocoera said:

i'll take some!

 

I've lost track of the link - is this referring to cocoa butter - if so - how much?

[Kerry Beal]

I just had a look at the spot in the hotel we have for our show and tell - it's going to be fantastic. There is access to a little patio out the back with a gazebo - and  bar area. Practically limitless space!

[YetiChocolates]

5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I assume she's selling it though

 

That would be correct Kerry. 4 sheets have been claimed so I have 14 sheets left at $2.40/sheet. Let me know if there are any other takers or if Erica is claiming the rest!

[YetiChocolates]

28 minutes ago, YetiChocolates said:

 

That would be correct Kerry. 4 sheets have been claimed so I have 14 sheets left at $2.40/sheet. Let me know if there are any other takers or if Erica is claiming the rest!

 

Well they’ve all been taken!

[patris]

First big batch of bowls out of the glaze kiln today!

 

 

Our glazes are mixed in-house, not purchased in liquid form, so there is always some variation, but some of the results on these are really striking. In particular the Castile blue and Hyacinth bowls, at the left of the photo, came out just beautiful, with a deeper color on the inside of the bowls and  much lighter color on the outside - even some cool streaking and variations in the finish in certain areas, especially on the two Castile blue bowls. 

 

The remainder of the bowls (17 in total!) came out of the bisque kiln this morning; I glazed them all and they’ll go in the next glaze firing. There are a couple more Castile bowls in that group - it has been mixed a little differently since the last firing so I can’t wait to see how they come out.

 

As they are fired, I am checking each one by filling them with water to measure capacity and they consistently hold 650 grams with about a half to three quarters of an inch of room at the top.

 

This is my first experience doing anything on this scale and I am learning so much - thanks to everyone for your interest. It is giving me a wonderful perspective on my own work going forward!

Edited May 5, 2018 by patris
Info on capacity (log)

[Anna N]

 Oh my gosh @patris.   They are just gorgeous. 

[Sweet Impact Mama]

Glorious results!! I'm in awe. 

[RobertM]

Patris - methinks you should file a patent for those......and yes, I’m being serious 

[curls]

@Kerry Beal it has been a while since we have been to the Niagara on the Lake campus -- I'm not sure how their kitchen is currently stocked. So, what sorts of things should we bring to the workshop? I'm guessing that we still need to bring along containers (to bring chocolates home), aprons or chef's coats, IR thermometers, notebook, camera, and base recipes. And of course, some chocolates or confections for the meet & greet. Also, if you are planning to try something that needs some specialty ingredients, you may want to bring them with you -- but maybe not? Will there be chocolate moulds, scrapers, caramel rulers? Yup, I am looking forward to this and starting to put together my packing list!  

[Diana D]

On 5/5/2018 at 4:28 PM, patris said:

First big batch of bowls out of the glaze kiln today!

 

 

Our glazes are mixed in-house, not purchased in liquid form, so there is always some variation, but some of the results on these are really striking. In particular the Castile blue and Hyacinth bowls, at the left of the photo, came out just beautiful, with a deeper color on the inside of the bowls and  much lighter color on the outside - even some cool streaking and variations in the finish in certain areas, especially on the two Castile blue bowls. 

 

The remainder of the bowls (17 in total!) came out of the bisque kiln this morning; I glazed them all and they’ll go in the next glaze firing. There are a couple more Castile bowls in that group - it has been mixed a little differently since the last firing so I can’t wait to see how they come out.

 

As they are fired, I am checking each one by filling them with water to measure capacity and they consistently hold 650 grams with about a half to three quarters of an inch of room at the top.

 

This is my first experience doing anything on this scale and I am learning so much - thanks to everyone for your interest. It is giving me a wonderful perspective on my own work going forward!

 

Ohhhh they are so lovely!