After we made it back home the the Airbnb - we headed out again to the venue for the show with the intent of starting to set up our booth. Of course we spent far longer there than anticipated - but got a chance to see a whole lot of high end chocolatiers hanging around their booths for opening night. Highly over represented by MOFs. I suspect that's the last we'll see of them for the show.
Lots of posh cars with drivers in the parking area for the special guests - here for the opening night fashion show.
Didn't get a picture yet - but there is a huge (and I mean huge) chocolate fox at the main entrance to the show. Made by the same fellow who makes the smaller chocolate foxes.
Cheese - but really chocolate.
Chocolate Salami.
Flowers, but really chocolate.
An adorable little ball roaster (named for it's shape - not what it roasts).
Tools - also chocolate.
You've heard of Piecaken - this is Macmatchacaken.
Huge number of Japanese chocolatiers this year - this must be a favourite - he had a huge fan club.
Chocolate World was kind enough to bring me two melters to use for the show so that we don't have to head back out to Cacao Barry to drop back off a melter that looked like it would weigh about 20 kg. We had a lovely chat with Ran from Chocolate World and took the opportunity to check out a new piece of bean to bar equipment they are starting to manufacture. It's two in one - has a very powerful melanger/conche and is also a large automatic tempering machine. It is a work in progress right now - they will likely change it from a drop in to a few pieces that are assembled right in the bowl of the temperer. Then after the 6 hour or so processing - you can remove the stones and scraper and turn the machine to temper the 20 kg or so of chocolate you have made. The first picture is of their unit that takes the nibs and turns them into a paste that you then process.
I've got somebody in mind for this machine. Suspect it might be just the thing for their startup.
