Chocolate Workshop 2018 Niagara on the Lake

[Kerry Beal]

RobertM

gfron1 (tentative)

pastryani

tikidoc (perhaps +1)

ChocolateMom

Audrey Brown

TandemChocoPC

Chocolot

MelissaH (pending)

Beets3

YetiChocolates (very big maybe)

VistaGardens

Diana D

Gwbyls (a very strong maybe)

Chocoera + 1 staff 

Beth Wilson (tentative)

lambrecht gourmet

Sue PEI 

Kata

Anna Chi

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Thank you Lord, thank you Jesus - I found my steno pad that has all the details from 2013 and 2016! I've been searching for it for about a week. I learned a lot about how much of everything we used vs everything I brought. Should make fine tuning much, much easier this time around.

 

 

[YetiChocolates]

Well I took the plunge! Kerry put in the confirmed category, because I just booked my plane ticket! Niagara 2018 here I come!  I will have lots of questions for all you chocolate business owners, so get ready  Woot Woot! I'm pumped!

[Kerry Beal]

RobertM

gfron1 (tentative)

pastryani

tikidoc (perhaps +1)

ChocolateMom

Audrey Brown

TandemChocoPC

Chocolot

MelissaH (pending)

Beets3

YetiChocolates!!!!!

VistaGardens

Diana D

Gwbyls (a very strong maybe)

Chocoera + 1 staff 

Beth Wilson (tentative)

lambrecht gourmet

Sue PEI 

Kata

Anna Chi

[RobertM]

5 hours ago, YetiChocolates said:

Well I took the plunge! Kerry put in the confirmed category, because I just booked my plane ticket! Niagara 2018 here I come!  I will have lots of questions for all you chocolate business owners, so get ready  Woot Woot! I'm pumped!

Yeah!  Was hoping you wouldn’t miss two in a row....

[Chocolot]

Can't let Yeti get too far ahead of me. I booked tickets this morning. 

[tikidoc]

Do you know the policy on kids in the kitchen? Considering bringing the 12 yo if allowed. She’s getting into the chocolate thing, and I will be visiting some family in Buffalo area.

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, tikidoc said:

Do you know the policy on kids in the kitchen? Considering bringing the 12 yo if allowed. She’s getting into the chocolate thing, and I will be visiting some family in Buffalo area.

They don't have a policy against - we've had kids before. Younger than 12 hasn't always been completely smooth. Send me a PM and we can discuss.

[tikidoc]

30 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

They don't have a policy against - we've had kids before. Younger than 12 hasn't always been completely smooth. Send me a PM and we can discuss.

PM sent.

[WayUpNorth]

Ok Kerry, if there's still room I'd like to come! 

[Kerry Beal]

RobertM

gfron1 (tentative)

pastryani

tikidoc (perhaps +2)

ChocolateMom

Audrey Brown

TandemChocoPC

Chocolot

MelissaH (pending)

Beets3

YetiChocolates!!!!!

VistaGardens

Diana D

Gwbyls (a very strong maybe)

Chocoera + 1 staff 

Beth Wilson (tentative)

lambrecht gourmet

Sue PEI 

Kata

Anna Chi

WayUpNorth

Edited February 16, 2018 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Gwbyls]

Plane tickets have been booked! It's a definite for me now Kerry! Yeehee!

[Kerry Beal]

Excellent!

[carol lang]

Hi Kerry,

Can you add me, Carol Lang, and my friend Meg (Max) McConaghay.

Need details and exact dates for all activities.

How to book a room etc.

Will PM our info

Edited February 23, 2018 by carol lang
spelling (log)

[Kerry Beal]

20 minutes ago, carol lang said:

Hi Kerry,

Can you add me, Carol Lang, and my friend Meg (Max) McConaghay.

Need details and exact dates for all activities.

How to book a room etc.

Will PM our info

 

Wonderful - looking forward to seeing you and Max again!

[Kerry Beal]

RobertM

gfron1 (tentative)

pastryani

tikidoc (perhaps +2)

ChocolateMom

Audrey Brown

TandemChocoPC

Chocolot

MelissaH (pending)

Beets3

YetiChocolates!!!!!

VistaGardens

Diana D

Gwbyls 

Chocoera + 1 staff 

Beth Wilson (tentative)

lambrecht gourmet

Sue PEI 

Kata

Anna Chi

WayUpNorth

Carol Lang and Max

[curls]

Kerry, when do you expect to have the agenda finalized for Thursday and Friday?

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, curls said:

Kerry, when do you expect to have the agenda finalized for Thursday and Friday?

Let me work on that over next couple of days - won't be able to say what Tomric will be able to do for us - but at least we can schedule the time 

[curls]

8 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Let me work on that over next couple of days - won't be able to say what Tomric will be able to do for us - but at least we can schedule the time 

Thanks Kerry, that would be very helpful for making plans!

[Kerry Beal]

Just waiting for confirmation from Brian at Tomric re time on Thursday - I've suggested we come at 11 and leave at 2 but I'll clarify when I hear.

 

Friday two master's classes - the first I think will be 9 to noon - and it will be Nut Pastes, Gianduja's, Praline and perhaps a quick primer on bean to bar. As I think I mentioned before Bhavani from Diamond Custom Machines will attend and bring the machines we will use. I'm going to start a list of folks who want to attend that and perhaps if you are interested in purchasing a machine to take home you could give me an idea so that I could give him an idea of how many to bring along.

 

The second class from 1 to 4 will be 'Bars' - and by that we mean chocolate bars - things like nougat, twix, the chewy bar... with any luck we'll be able to make use of some of the nut pastes we will have made for the morning master's class.

 

I'm hoping to keep the cost of the Master's Classes to around $120 CDN each and the workshop itself to about $175 CDN. Our costs have gone up significantly both in room rental and the ancillary costs from the last time we were at Niagara. 

 

On Saturday morning for two hours we will be taught something chocolate by Andres Lara - who, fresh from heading up the Cacao Barry Academy in Japan, is now an ambassador and source of chocolate talent in Toronto for Cacao Barry. We should aim to start at 9 am on Saturday and Sunday and finish up by 4 so we have time to clean.

 

Then of course we will spend the next day and a half playing as we always do. I will, as usual, talk tempering basics to anyone who wants to hear them!

 

We will have our big blowout dinner on Saturday night - let me know if there are any dietary restrictions as we tend to be a bit meat centric! I believe we paid $60 each for it last time - I suspect with the significant increases in food costs in the last year that it might come in closer to $70 this time (but that's Canadian!) I will start a list for dinner as well - plus 1's/spouses welcome. 

 

What do you need to bring? If you have any tools that you simply can't work without - bring them along - make sure they are labelled with your identification so you don't lose track of them. Bring any molds that you want specifically to play with - we will have all sorts of colored cocoa butter, transfers etc. Might want to bring along a transfer mold or two if you have them and want to try transfers with them. Again - label so you don't lose. 

 

There will be a Fuji spray gun to use for painting molds - we'll have to rig up something in the way of a spray booth.

 

Let's start a list of folks interested in each of the Master's classes - I think we will have to limit them to 10 participants. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[curls]

Kerry,  please sign me up for the workshop, both of the master classes, and the Saturday night dinner.

 

Do the countertop diamond custom machines work well for making your own gianduja? If so, do you know what the min and max yeilds are? What will these machines cost if we buy them at the workshop?

 

As previously mentioned, will you and Rodney be teaching the master class or will it be someone else?

Edited March 1, 2018 by curls (log)

[Kerry Beal]

The grinders will work well for making nut pastes - I would then add melted chocolate and temper it to make the gianduja. Don't know that I'd bother to make it right in the grinder.

 

There are a couple of sizes of grinder sold by Diamond - I'll see what I can find out about prices.

 

Rodney and I will be teaching the master's classes this year (if I play my cards right - more Rodney than me!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Saturday Night Dinner

 

curls

 

Master's Class - Nut Pastes, Giandujas, Praline

 

curls

 

Master's Class - Bars 

 

curls

[RobertM]

Count me in for all...

[RobertM]

Will the famous Beal Dipping Fork be for sale again?