The most spectacular "Chocolate Soiree" ever!

[Stephanie Wallace]

What a fantastic experience! Thank you for sharing.

What did you guys think of Valrhona's Porcelana? I am totally blown away by Amedei's, but I'm afraid to shell out the cash for the flower. Is it worth it?

[CanadianBakin']

I am in AWE! I don't think I've ever seen that much chocolate in one place, even more than the Chocolate Buffet at one of Vancouver's hotels. I just can't imagine. What a wonderful event to put on. Thanks for sharing your photos and experience.

[butterscotch]

wow! that was amazing to see!

thanks so much for sharing the pics with us. my gosh it looks like it was one incredible evening.

[Terrasanct]

Wow, all that chocolate! And none for me? It's nice to see all the photos. I tried to show my husband but he got grumpy and walked away. He's a big chocoholic.

I made the Black Pearl cake and didn't like it at all. The idea was great, but the recipe for the cake was terrible. I don't remember where I got the recipe from; somewhere online. Maybe I got a link here. The cake itself was dry and crumbly. I'm not a beginning baker by any means, so I'm not sure what the problem was. I thought I'd try it again but with a different cake recipe--I liked the black sesame seeds and the wasabi flavor. No one was able to guess what it was. Everyone else liked the cake, but I'm picky about stuff like that...

[schneich]

oh my god

you guys are SICK !!!

thanks for sharing the pics (even though i cant eat them) :-(

cheers

t.

[Ling]

I was supprised to read a good review of the green & blacks chocolate Ling. I never really noticed their existence until a couple months ago. So when I saw some at the store I had to try it. I really, really don't like what I bought (it was a milk choc bar) it's rotting in my cabinet now. It's horrid.........definately leaves a musty taste in your mouth, like I've eaten mushroom chocolate. My hubby even disliked it.

I've had some of Haas's chocolates........some of them are fantastic, a couple of them tasted old/dull. I do think his chocolates that he layers with jellys are auesome..........huge taste impact! His pastries were the same way for me, some were fantastic and others weren't worth finishing. AND I have a HUGE ditto on his sparkle cookies. They make you weak in the knees when served warm.........but all the recipes I've tried to make from the net, pale in comparision. I get too much almond flour grit in my mouth.

Vosages...........well............I've purchased all their bars at Marshall Fields and liked all of them but the curry one. Then I bought the same sized box of assorted truffles (as shown in your photos) to try all of their product. I really wasn't crazy about their chocolates. For me, it wasn't worth the money, I'd have been happier with a couple hersheys chocolate kisses. I'd never spend my money on them again.

I would have loved to hear how Norman Loves and J. Torres chocolates compare to the others...........not to forget C. Elbows.

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The Green & Blacks chocolate that I sampled was dark, I believe. Actually, I don't remember for certain if I liked it or not, now that I think about it...I could have confused it with something else, easily, given the sheer number of chocolates I ate!

I agree about the Haas pastries. I've had stale/dry ones. I think you may have misread my original post though--the Sparkle cookies that they make NOW are very much like a chocolate-flavoured almond cookie, not the ones I make at home using their recipe. The one I bought from Sen5es a few years ago was AMAZING--soft texture, couldn't really taste the almond. The one I had 2 months ago was OK, nothing spectacular. I could taste the almond for sure. The ones at the party were very almond-y indeed!

Vosges--I had 2 of their truffles. I think their packaging is beautiful, and the truffles are a cut above some of what we ate at the party, but they did not compare to the Marcolini and the GG ones from Montreal. The Black Pearl bar is great for a snacking chocolate.

I haven't had the C. Elbows or Jacques Torres, but if someone will send me a box, I'll be glad to sample and tell you what I think!

[Ling]

You tasted everything at the party and then you went home and had TWO bowls of dumplings?

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They were fresh! Made from scratch! I would hurt my mom's feelings if I hadn't eaten them!

[Ling]

What did you guys think of Valrhona's Porcelana? I am totally blown away by Amedei's, but I'm afraid to shell out the cash for the flower. Is it worth it?

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Here I am going to show you how little I actually know about chocolate

I heard someone say that the chocolate flower was Valrhona, and then I heard someone say that it was Porcelana...so I thought it must have been the Amedei Porcelana chocolate molded into the flower.

So I didn't try it...I ate the squares of Amedei Porcelena and admired the beautiful flower from afar. *sigh*

[Ling]

Wow, all that chocolate!  And none for me?  It's nice to see all the photos. I tried to show my husband but he got grumpy and walked away.  He's a big chocoholic.

I made the Black Pearl cake and didn't like it at all.  The idea was great, but the recipe for the cake was terrible.  I don't remember where I got the recipe from; somewhere online.  Maybe I got a link here.  The cake itself was dry and crumbly.  I'm not a beginning baker by any means, so I'm not sure what the problem was.  I thought I'd try it again but with a different cake recipe--I liked the black sesame seeds and the wasabi flavor.  No one was able to guess what it was.  Everyone else liked the cake, but I'm picky about stuff like that...

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Black Pearl cake

[Rebecca263]

I don't know, Ling. I tried everything that you showed us here, it all tasted like computer screen to me. Seriously, I get a really bad sugar high when I eat a lot of chocolate, did that happen to you? Drinking lots of water and taking 3 aspirin when I go to sleep helps me to feel better the next day. (Notice, I haven't stopped over indulging, just learned how to compensate).

[Wendy DeBord]

There's a really nice article on Haas and Torres chocolates in the lastest issue of Food Arts. I admire them soooo much!

[RuthWells]

I have been taken off chocolate for medical reasons, so I am triple-y appreciative of this report and all the wonderful pix, Ling! Thanks for sharing.

[lannie]

Wow, all that chocolate!  And none for me?  It's nice to see all the photos. I tried to show my husband but he got grumpy and walked away.  He's a big chocoholic.

I made the Black Pearl cake and didn't like it at all.  The idea was great, but the recipe for the cake was terrible.  I don't remember where I got the recipe from; somewhere online.  Maybe I got a link here.  The cake itself was dry and crumbly.  I'm not a beginning baker by any means, so I'm not sure what the problem was.  I thought I'd try it again but with a different cake recipe--I liked the black sesame seeds and the wasabi flavor.  No one was able to guess what it was.  Everyone else liked the cake, but I'm picky about stuff like that...

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Black Pearl cake

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Wow! Fabulous pics - I would have eaten a sample of *everything*!!! What a fantastic soiree...

I made the Black Pearl Cake last year and liked it a lot. I didn't have black sesame seeds so used white ones instead. They add a nice nutty flavour and crunch. Someone suggested to increase the wasabi amount in the recipe (from 1/2 tsp to at least 1 tsp); otherwise, it's barely discernible.

Funnily enough, I found the cake to be very moist and was close to a 'box mix' cake texture. Here are some pics (please excuse the wonky slice...).

[filipe]

Ling :

I have just seen this thread tonight and I have three simple words for you :

Oh My God!

[LordBalthazar]

Umm.  I don't have any words.  That looked like a night to remember and one that no one should have ever turned down an invite to...

What an amazing night.  Although I don't possess the hollow leg that Ling does so perhaps I would have gone home that night in an ambulance.

LB looks like you throw good parties!

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I'm hoping to host another one in 4-6 months.

Re: the ambulance. A friend informed me about a pop singer who apparently hires an ambulance to park in front of his place whenever he hosts a bash - just in case. Now THAT is a serious party.

[LordBalthazar]

just one more reason why I wish I lived in Vancouver!

I was supprised to read a good review of the green & blacks chocolate Ling. I never really noticed their existence until a couple months ago. So when I saw some at the store I had to try it. I really, really don't like what I bought (it was a milk choc bar) it's rotting in my cabinet now. It's horrid.........definately leaves a musty taste in your mouth, like I've eaten mushroom chocolate. My hubby even disliked it.

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I'm not a big fan of the organic chocolate I've tried (Green & Blacks or Dagoba) but included them for varieties sake.

Can anyone recommend an organic chocolate they enjoyed?

[LordBalthazar]

What a fantastic experience! Thank you for sharing.

What did you guys think of Valrhona's Porcelana? I am totally blown away by Amedei's, but I'm afraid to shell out the cash for the flower. Is it worth it?

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No one dared touch the flower so I made it a point to take one of the petals to get the ball rolling. It was excellent but I personally prefer the Amedei Porcelana - but enjoy the Valrhona Chuao just as much as its Amedei counterpart.

[Ling]

Can anyone recommend an organic chocolate they enjoyed?

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I like Cacao Camino, but it's not in the same league as the chocolates you had at the party.

[LordBalthazar]

Can anyone recommend an organic chocolate they enjoyed?

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I like Cacao Camino, but it's not in the same league as the chocolates you had at the party.

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Haven't tried it. They sell it at Meinhardt's, I believe. Will check it out next time I make a Michel Cluizel.

[cupcakequeen]

i'm sooo jealous. have any of you sampled the Pralus single-origin chocolates? they're french, and i've tried a few, and i think they're outstanding. you can really taste the terroir in each one. (available in Seattle through Peterson's). any thoughts?

[LordBalthazar]

i'm sooo jealous.  have any of you sampled the Pralus single-origin chocolates?  they're french, and i've tried a few, and i think they're outstanding.  you can really taste the terroir in each one. (available in Seattle through Peterson's).  any thoughts?

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Yes. I ordered a bunch from Chocosphere as well but, sadly, ran out of room at the party and didn't get a chance to put them out. I ordered (if memory serves me correctly) the Fortissimo (which was an 80%), and the Caracas, Madagascar, Venezuela, Java, Equateur and Trinidad (which were all 75%). My writing partner and I spent an afternoon sampling them and both chose the Venezuela and Caracas as our favorites (the former was my number one, this latter his). Of the 75%'s, the Java was my least favorite as I found it a little too strong and lingering. Of course, there are a bunch I've yet to try including the Trinidad, Vanuata, and Jamaique.

Which are your favorites and why?

[Wojo]

Those who attended Lord Balthazar's chocolate event were blessed, I think. I attended a chocolate and port event in Vancouver several years ago, which I enjoyed, but I understand now what a REAL chocolate soiree is all about. What an amazingly professional job Lord Balthazar.

Ling provided a long list of chocolates and photos and many sound absolutely devine. Of the chocolates you enjoyed, which ones can I purchase in Vancouver and where ... essential information with Easter just around the corner.

Thanks again for sharing.

[jcho]

Ling, fabulous post, thank you for taking the time and the pictures!

Lord, what a party! Your generosity is an inspiration.

[Shaya]

Thanks for sharing, Ling and Lord Balthazar. I've never seen such a generous offering of goodies - you really know how to live. I love it!

[Terrasanct]

Ling, that was the recipe I used. I wonder why the cake didn't work out? I'll have to try it again.

I did add more wasabi--I knew I wasn't going to add more than I would like. There really wasn't enough in the recipe. As far as the black sesame seeds, they really added a nice contrast and tasted good, too.