Chocolate Workshop 2018 Niagara on the Lake

[RobertM]

This is probably obvious observation, but, for those of us buying an awesome pottery dipping bowl from Patris, you may want to pack some bubble wrap to assist in the safety of it while traveling home

[patris]

@RobertM bubble wrap is a great idea...

 

The gang is finally all together! I hope you will indulge a final class photo along with a few remaining details.

 

 

With the exception of @Tri2Cook and @Sweet Impact Mama whose bowls will be shipped to them, I will meet the group toward the end of your Tomric visit on Thursday and will take payment at that time. Cash (USD) is preferred, but checks are ok if necessary. If you use Apple Pay or the Cash App, that would be fine too and we can handle that on delivery.  If you will NOT be at Tomric, please send me a PM so we can sort out payment, and I will ask @Kerry Beal to bring your bowls to the workshop. @MelissaH - I know you will not be at Tomric and I think you have my details for sending a check.

 

One final comment about glaze behavior over time. A few of the glazes (hyacinth and forest green in particular) may develop very fine cracks or crazing. This is a feature of these glazes and does not affect their durability or safety, so don’t be alarmed if you see it happening. All the glazes are microwave and dishwasher safe.

 

Looking forward to seeing many of you on Thursday - safe travels to all!

[curls]

@patris they are gorgeous! Looking forward to using my bowls. Going to find some display space for them too! Thank you.

[patris]

3 minutes ago, curls said:

@patris they are gorgeous! Looking forward to using my bowls. Going to find some display space for them too! Thank you.

 

You’re welcome and thank you! 

[Smithy]

Those bowls really are gorgeous. They make me want to take up chocolate-making, just to buy one or three - or else figure out another dipping use. (Sauces for fondue, or tempura?) But I'd also have a terrible time choosing a color! 

[jim loellbach]

On 5/11/2018 at 12:46 PM, Kerry Beal said:

 Looks like two other people are bringing Greweling. I'll probably just not bother to bring mine. Less to lug. Anybody bringing Wybauw? Maybe I should bring Morato but it's even heavier.

 

I suspect here is the best place to talk about dinner options. Might want to cross post on Facebook.

 

 

I'll bring Wybauw 3 (shelf life) and Morato.  I also have Greweling and Notter (art of the chocolatier).  Can easily bring them all.

Made a soft caramel and 3 ganaches today, ready to dip and mold tomorrow.

[chocoera]

On 5/11/2018 at 6:46 PM, Kerry Beal said:

Someone needs to get rid of their workshop and 1 class and is willing to take half price. PM me if interested 

Hi guys- it’s me that is looking to hand off my class and or conference fee at half price. You know I’m a die hard and love love love the conferences but Work has exploded, shit has hit the fan, major employee turnover, graduation orders and the other competing coffee shop closed yesterday. I am desperately needed at the shop, and hope someone who has a friend that wants to go can snap this up? Or maybe you’re an on looker wondering if the conference is worth it? Trust me. It is. ❤️❤️❤️.  Even kerry  agreed my life is like a soap opera right now     Pass along the message if you can!

[Diana D]

5 hours ago, jim loellbach said:

 

I'll bring Wybauw 3 (shelf life) and Morato.  I also have Greweling and Notter (art of the chocolatier).  Can easily bring them all.

Made a soft caramel and 3 ganaches today, ready to dip and mold tomorrow.

I can bring Wybauw Gold 

[Tri2Cook]

Anybody willing to ask Lisabeth a couple questions for me during the bean to bar talk? Unless somebody already knows the answers and we don't need to bother her with it. I'm just wondering if there are detrimental effects associated with higher levels of milk fat in chocolate (for example, if you used cream powder instead of milk powder) and with bringing in other fats (for example, using peanut butter powder or coconut cream powder in the mix). Would the latter just end up making a variation on a meltaway or is there a level that can be tolerated in the mix without causing texture problems? And if so, would that level be sufficient to even matter in terms of flavor?

[chefmd]

I am coming for Sat and Sun workshop.  My main goal is to meet people, have fun, and of course to enjoy dinner on Sat.  But I must confess.  I do not know anything about the chocolate.  I do not bake.  I do not make confection.  So consider yourself warned.  I will be roaming from one work station to the next bothering everyone and tasting excessively.  You can task me with doing simple things like chopping.  I am really good with knives.  Or I can make coffee.  Mostly I want to meet my imaginary eGullet friends;)

[Tri2Cook]

1 minute ago, chefmd said:

I am coming for Sat and Sun workshop.  My main goal is to meet people, have fun, and of course to enjoy dinner on Sat.  But I must confess.  I do not know anything about the chocolate.  I do not bake.  I do not make confection.  So consider yourself warned.  I will be roaming from one work station to the next bothering everyone and tasting excessively.  You can task me with doing simple things like chopping.  I am really good with knives.  Or I can make coffee.  Mostly I want to meet my imaginary eGullet friends;)

Sounds like a great reason to be there to me. Between asking questions, some dedicated internet searching and lots of experimenting, I can usually figure out how to do most of the things I want to do. It's meeting the people and seeing how they do things that would be the fun part for me. I'm determined to get to one of the workshops someday, conspiracy of the universe to prevent it be damned! 

[chocoera]

On 5/3/2018 at 10:37 AM, 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!

I’ll buy whatever you got

[chocoera]

Any takers on the 1/2 price masters bar class or conference fee? 

[jim loellbach]

8 minutes ago, chocoera said:

Any takers on the 1/2 price masters bar class or conference fee? 

OK, I'll take the bar class at 1/2 price.  Sorry, I've already paid for the conference.  PM me and we can work out payment.

[curls]

1 hour ago, chefmd said:

I am coming for Sat and Sun workshop.  My main goal is to meet people, have fun, and of course to enjoy dinner on Sat.  But I must confess.  I do not know anything about the chocolate.  I do not bake.  I do not make confection.  So consider yourself warned.  I will be roaming from one work station to the next bothering everyone and tasting excessively.  You can task me with doing simple things like chopping.  I am really good with knives.  Or I can make coffee.  Mostly I want to meet my imaginary eGullet friends;)

Well, I can assure you that we are not imaginary but we might not look like you have imagined. Before we met,  @Chocolot was expecting me to be an old bald guy (perhaps she was expecting one of the three stooges). It is nice to put faces to names.  @chefmd would you like to learn how to make some chocolates and/or confections? Chopping is somewhat helpful but even more helpful is dishwashing!  :-)  Looking forward to meeting you too!

[Kerry Beal]

2 minutes ago, curls said:

Well, I can assure you that we are not imaginary but we might not look like you have imagined. Before we met,  @Chocolot was expecting me to be an old bald guy (perhaps she was expecting one of the three stooges). It is nice to put faces to names.  @chefmd would you like to learn how to make some chocolates and/or confections? Chopping is somewhat helpful but even more helpful is dishwashing!  :-)  Looking forward to meeting you too!

Oh - wait until you see the new dish pit beside the new lab we are going to be in on Sat and Sunday!

[chefmd]

1 minute ago, curls said:

Well, I can assure you that we are not imaginary but we might not look like you have imagined. Before we met,  @Chocolot was expecting me to be an old bald guy (perhaps she was expecting one of the three stooges). It is nice to put faces to names.  @chefmd would you like to learn how to make some chocolates and/or confections? Chopping is somewhat helpful but even more helpful is dishwashing!  :-)  Looking forward to meeting you too!

I would love to learn.  Doing dishes is the least I can do for this learned crowd.  @Chocolot is female? I be damned.  Just kidding.  I think all of you are beautiful:)

[tikidoc]

2 hours ago, chefmd said:

I am coming for Sat and Sun workshop.  My main goal is to meet people, have fun, and of course to enjoy dinner on Sat.  But I must confess.  I do not know anything about the chocolate.  I do not bake.  I do not make confection.  So consider yourself warned.  I will be roaming from one work station to the next bothering everyone and tasting excessively.  You can task me with doing simple things like chopping.  I am really good with knives.  Or I can make coffee.  Mostly I want to meet my imaginary eGullet friends;)

 

I had zero idea what I was doing on my first trip. I still have a TON to learn, but I at least have some basics now. Kerry can likely be talked into going through the basics of tempering (my daughter will be there and could use this as well) and there are always lots of people willing to teach. Looking forward to meeting you!

[Kerry Beal]

By the way - everyone does their own dishes and @Gwbyls will make good and sure that we don't wash chocolate down the sink. It's her superpower!

[pastryani]

Hi folks - I was scheduled to go to the group dinner on Saturday night but can no longer make it.  Is there anyone who might be looking for a dinner spot?

 

Update:  spot taken! 

Edited May 15, 2018 by pastryani (log)

[Matthew Hayday]

On 5/11/2018 at 1:46 PM, Kerry Beal said:

 Looks like two other people are bringing Greweling. I'll probably just not bother to bring mine. Less to lug. Anybody bringing Wybauw? Maybe I should bring Morato but it's even heavier.

 

I suspect here is the best place to talk about dinner options. Might want to cross post on Facebook.

 

I can bring my Wybauws (#2, 3 and 4), and I'll have my Greweling as well.

[Kerry Beal]

15 minutes ago, Matthew Hayday said:

I can bring my Wybauws (#2, 3 and 4), and I'll have my Greweling as well.

This is all perfect - I'm bringing no books!

[chocoera]

17 hours ago, jim loellbach said:

OK, I'll take the bar class at 1/2 price.  Sorry, I've already paid for the conference.  PM me and we can work out payment.

awesome jim!!! i'm talking to kerry about how she wants to handle transfers since she was the money goddess, once i hear back i'll let you know   thank you and i hope you have an amazing time!!!

 

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, chocoera said:

awesome jim!!! i'm talking to kerry about how she wants to handle transfers since she was the money goddess, once i hear back i'll let you know   thank you and i hope you have an amazing time!!!

 

I'm not handling the transfers at this point - you need to do that amongst yourselves. Workshop is $175 and class is $120 so I'll let you do the math to figure out half. If you look at your PayPal account I'm sure you can figure what the exchange gave you. 

[Kerry Beal]

I have two people for sure that want to take EZtempers home from the workshop. Could anyone else who thinks they might want one PM me. I want to be sure to bring enough along because I will not be going home during the workshop to collect and calibrate any others.

 

Also if any Canadians are interested in one of the La Chocolatiere melters send me a PM - I'll let the americans buy from the states because it's not easy for me to get any number of them across the border and I only have a few.