The SF Chocolate Salon took place Saturday and Sunday, and where was I? Recovering from a hideous case of food poisoning. Something I ate had its revenge on me all day Friday, leaving me draped over the couch, too weak and useless to stand up for more than a few minutes at a time.
This is not the state I envisioned being in for the Chocolate Salon. I had to bow out of my role as a judge on Saturday for fear that my stomach couldn’t handle the richness of chocolate, but I did manage to swing by for a brief visit on Sunday and sample a few very small pieces.
The small space at Fort Mason was swarming with people on Sunday. Guests were so ravenous for chocolate that one vendor had to take out her “One Sample Only Please!” sign and prop it on her booth. Friends at the salon told me that Saturday was even busier.
The U.S. chocolate industry has really developed itself over the past decade or so, paying homage to single origin chocolates, leaning toward higher percentage bars and incorporating once-unimaginable flavors into the centers of filled chocolates. With all of this innovation, evolution and competition, it’s increasingly rare to find chocolates that stand out as being cutting-edge.
Like all food professionals, there are chocolate producers that are original, those that are impeccable, and the few ones that are both. The ones who are both are superstars, but if I had to choose between the two others, I would want a chocolate that is impeccable—one that has a perfect melding of taste, texture, pure flavor and voluptuous melt. I am more wowed by a raspberry-filled 65% chocolate that tastes like freshly-picked fruit than a gimmicky combination that sounds witty but has no heart.
Although I was not able to eat nearly as many chocolates as I would have liked, I did manage to sample a few that really impressed me. L’Estasi Dolce’s lemongrass-ginger truffles had a fruity, focused flavor that complemented, rather than overwhelmed, the chocolate. Both ginger and lemongrass can give off a lot of heat when used with abandon, but L’Estasi Dolce’s formulation tamed the heat just enough to keep it punchy while not making you feel like you’re breathing fire.
I was also pleasantly surprised by this company’s Cabernet truffle, whose filling reminded me of a poaching syrup for fruit, bringing out flavors of cherry with a little raisin. Wine isn’t always a good pairing for chocolate, but this combination worked very well.
I ate some outstanding English toffee with almonds at the Rushburn Toffee booth. It had a deep, rich buttery caramel flavor with just the right hit of salt. I can imagine these being dangerously addictive.
Although I didn’t try them, Saratoga Chocolates had some flavor pairings that sounded tempting, like apricot-caramel, grapefruit-honey and lemon-cranberry.
Sacred Chocolate has a product line formulated to showcase the health benefits of chocolate. All their products are made from raw, organic beans (roasting destroys health benefits, according to the sales reps). They’re also vegan. I tried a sliver of a piece, and it was actually quite good, considering its strict qualifications. I found it to be a bit astringent, but the chocolate flavor was prominent and pleasant.
The Charles Chocolates gang was there, smiling more than anyone else and, as always, giving out more-than-generous samples of all their goodies. Chuck Siegel and his staff are totally in love with what they do.
What do you think about eating blue cheese and chocolate? According to my friend Sarah, people were raving about Lillie Belle Farms‘ smoky blue truffles on Saturday. The truffles combine milk chocolate, almonds and Rogue Creamery’s Smoked Oregon Blue cheese. I’ll have to take Sarah’s word for it because my fragile stomach was in no condition to eat such a rich confection.
A press release announcing salon award winners is going out this week. I’ll keep you posted.
