PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

[Kerry Beal]

Yeah - tried it from the link itself - also didn't work - will hopefully get a functional link tomorrow.

 

OK - try this link - https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=BUFDTHX&groupCode=CHHTCT&arrivaldate=2023-05-18&departuredate=2023-05-21&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

 

But you need to do it in Chrome or something other than Safari.

 

 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Kerry Beal (log)

[carol lang]

I am planning for booking room and flight to Buffalo. What will be the beginning and ending times for the workshop? Thank you

[Kerry Beal]

31 minutes ago, carol lang said:

I am planning for booking room and flight to Buffalo. What will be the beginning and ending times for the workshop? Thank you

Oh dear - details - let's say we will likely get started around 9 on Friday and a lot of people get ready to clear out by noon on Sunday. 

 

[curls]

@Kerry Beal the new link works for me. Thank you!

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry Beal

lironp

tandemchocoPC

YetiChocolates

curls

chocolot 

patris 

Audrey Brown +1 (Melanie)

alleguede 

tikidoc +1 (maybe Maddie)

Sue and Jane 

Maggie Smith

Anniebakes

carol lang

kimmiq

Haley + Kelsey + Britney

Matcha Wizard - aka Jenna

 

[curls]

@Kerry Beal when do you expect to know the cost for the workshop? Are we still planning to have the usual events... pre-workshop chocolate night, extra chocolate mould sales area? Should we bring any ingredients, chocolate, colored cocoa butter or will that be taken care of by the workshop fee & sponsorships? Any tools we should bring (looks like Tomric is well supplied)?

 

Any chance that @patris will have some extra ceramics available for purchase?

[Kerry Beal]

I'm not sure - I do know the cost of the venue. But I'll need to get more idea of costs around the day to day.

 

We hope to do the show and tell in @patris's back yard - that of course will be weather permitting. 

 

Callebaut is sending us chocolate, carakrakine, swag (bowls and such). Kriss Harvey is going to arrange some Boiron purees for us - but I'm also hoping we can get some shelf stable purees from Pontier to compare. I'm having no luck getting ahold of Kurt for colored cocoa butter - I guess it's time I talk to Chef Rubber - perhaps I can also reach Rich of Roxy and Rich. 

 

For now - apron, any tools that you specifically need for you. And any special ingredients I'd say. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[patris]

4 hours ago, curls said:

Any chance that @patris will have some extra ceramics available for purchase?

 

I am not actively making pottery at the moment, but if anyone is interested in dipping bowls I do have quite a stash of them!

 

57 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

We hope to do the show and tell in @patris's back yard - that of course will be weather permitting. 

 

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we have an early warm-up this year!

[Kerry Beal]

18 minutes ago, patris said:

 

I am not actively making pottery at the moment, but if anyone is interested in dipping bowls I do have quite a stash of them!

 

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we have an early warm-up this year!

Maybe we should add the cost of a couple of propane heaters to the mix!

 

I love my dipping bowls - I'm going to do a class for my child's sheltered workshop as a fund raiser on the 29th  - we will dip oreos - I keep looking at my favorite dipping bowl and saying I won't take it - not going to risk it getting broken!

Edited March 9, 2023 by Kerry Beal (log)

[VistaGardens]

On 3/1/2023 at 4:52 PM, Kerry Beal said:

Yeah - tried it from the link itself - also didn't work - will hopefully get a functional link tomorrow.

 

OK - try this link - https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=BUFDTHX&groupCode=CHHTCT&arrivaldate=2023-05-18&departuredate=2023-05-21&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

 

But you need to do it in Chrome or something other than Safari.

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry Beal

lironp

tandemchocoPC

YetiChocolates

curls

chocolot 

patris 

Audrey Brown +1 (Melanie)

alleguede 

tikidoc +1 (maybe Maddie)

Sue and Jane 

Maggie Smith

Anniebakes

carol lang

kimmiq

Haley + Kelsey + Britney

Matcha Wizard - aka Jenna

VistaGardens

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

 

 

Basic technique figured out - a little fine tuning required. I believe a lighter colored cocoa butter will be a good option. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[YetiChocolates]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:53 AM, Haley said:

I would love to learn a bit about the business side of things if anyone is willing to share. From small home businesses to full on chocolate shops, I would love to hear everyone’s best practices, see each other’s packaging/labels, hear what people have learned along the way. Maybe in a class setting, or panel of people sharing, or even a discussion over lunch/dinner one day. 

 

Not sure if I'm the best one for this, but would be happy to pass along whatever knowledge I can that might be of help.

[Kerry Beal]

Found another coming!

 

Kerry Beal

lironp

tandemchocoPC

YetiChocolates

curls

chocolot 

patris 

Audrey Brown +1 (Melanie)

alleguede 

tikidoc +1 (maybe Maddie)

Sue and Jane 

Maggie Smith

Anniebakes

carol lang

kimmiq

Haley + Kelsey + Britney

Matcha Wizard - aka Jenna

VistaGardens

Gwbyls

 

 

 

[lironp]

@Kerry Beali am happy to demo any of the design techniques i use for my store if there is interest. Also, in my previous life in eguullet there was a lot of interest in a whipped ganache i had learned that i am happy to share the recipe for

[Kerry Beal]

4 minutes ago, lironp said:

@Kerry Beali am happy to demo any of the design techniques i use for my store if there is interest. Also, in my previous life in eguullet there was a lot of interest in a whipped ganache i had learned that i am happy to share the recipe for

Perfect - why don't you post some here and we can see what people want to learn. 

 

Still hoping someone who is driving can bring an airbrush and compressor. 

[Gwbyls]

 

Hello all.

Super excited to reconnect and to meet future friends at this year's workshop! In order to prepare for the workshop, I wanted to share a document that @YetiChocolatesand I had put together several years ago. This is a suggested list of items to bring and I would love to hear additions from previous attendees. Hopefully this will help as you plan for the workshop. Can't wait!

Chocolate workshop items to bring.docx

[Kerry Beal]

There will be scales at every station so don't need to bring one of those.

 

Suspect we won't need any molds either - given we will be at Tomric.

 

[Kerry Beal]

Brian from Tomric confirms that they have a couple of Iwata compressors and badger 250's. They also have a big central compressor with hookups to the lab. So we could bring our own airbrushes and not have to worry about a compressor. 

 

There is also colored cocoa butter in the lab already that we can use if I fail in my attempts to get more. 

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry Beal

lironp

tandemchocoPC

YetiChocolates

curls

chocolot 

patris 

Audrey Brown +1 (Melanie)

alleguede 

tikidoc +1 (maybe Maddie)

Sue and Jane 

Maggie Smith

Anniebakes

carol lang

kimmiq

Haley + Kelsey + Britney

Matcha Wizard - aka Jenna

VistaGardens

Gwbyls

Bernie Mueller (+1 maybe)

[Kerry Beal]

Ok - have been running the numbers as best I can without actual access to the stuff we need to buy - but thanks to @patris who is checking prices at her end I think I have a ballpark of $225 US per person which will cover the supplies, the breakfast/brunch and lunch at Tomric for the 3 days and the show and tell night. We are looking at options for an outside dinner on a patio somewhere to replace our usual big blow out dinner - but still undecided if we should make that a Prix fix meal or each person pays their own way. We should have more info later in the week so until we have decided I won't post a link so folks can pay both at the same time if that's the way we go. 

 

Give me a couple of days to see if I can set up an intake account that won't cost me 3% to collect funds. 

[curls]

Looking forward to the workshop!!! So glad that it is happening this year! Thank you @Kerry Beal and @patris.

[Kerry Beal]

Well - went digging back to the last time I did this and discovered that I had used PayPal.me to receive funds. So @patris and I discussed it and it would appear that if I use use my Canadian PayPal account I'll get charged on the conversion from US to CAN and then again when we purchase stuff on the conversion from CAN to US. 

 

So we have decided that we will collect the funds via your choice of PayPal, Venmo, cash app, Zelle sent to @patris. If you PM @patris she will send you a send a link for your choice of payment method. 

 

Cost is $225 US for the workshop and $25 US for Saturday dinner - booze on Saturday not included. 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry Beal

lironp

tandemchocoPC

YetiChocolates

curls

chocolot 

patris 

Audrey Brown +1 (Melanie)

alleguede 

tikidoc +1 (maybe Maddie)

Sue and Jane 

Maggie Smith

Anniebakes

kimmiq

Haley + Kelsey + Britney

Matcha Wizard - aka Jenna

VistaGardens

Gwbyls

Bernie Mueller (+1 maybe)

[patris]

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone (some for the first time altogether, and some for the first time since the Toronto workshop) in a few weeks and welcoming you all to Buffalo!

 

As Kerry mentioned upthread, I will be hosting the Friday night show and tell on my patio. I'm planning a heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks situation with wine and hard and regular seltzers, and will be doing some of the cooking myself and ordering a few things in. If we get rained out, I have a backup plan but hopefully we will not need to use it.

 

Saturday dinner will more than likely be at Tacos, Community and Beer, where they have a covered patio with heaters if we need them. I have heard great things about their food (tacos, unsurprisingly) but have not yet eaten there myself. It will be a buffet-style service and as Kerry mentioned, drinks will be on your own.

 

If anyone has any dietary restrictions (assume omnivorous menus throughout the weekend with lots of vegetarian choices), please let me know so I can make sure we create an inclusive and accommodating experience. Similarly, if anyone has any mobility challenges, please let me know that too - my house is a ranch with just one step up from the patio but our rain plan is a second-floor event space with no elevator or lift.

 

At this early stage, our weather in Buffalo is encouraging - this past weekend I got the patio entirely set up and there's no sign, at least for the next couple of weeks, that I'll regret that. Hoping it stays that way!