October 22, 2004 -- It's hard not to wince at the thought of November and the impending election recounts, litigations and bi-polar mood swings that will sweep the nation, but here's something sweet we're looking forward to next month: The 7th Annual Chocolate Show in New York City.
From November 11-14, this festival will be a Mecca for chocolate connoisseurs and casual Snickers-lovers alike. Over 50 top chocolate companies -- including Koppers, Valrhona and D'Artagnan -- will set up booths in Chelsea's Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman building, totaling 40,000 square feet of chocolate. Are you salivating yet?
You'll come to understand how the price is worth it once you see the line-up of good. You'll find the standard chocolate truffles, chocolate mousse, chocolate crepes, chocolate éclairs, and hot chocolate, but also chocolate-covered potato chips, chocolate-covered figs and kumquats, chipotle chile chocolate, black pepper chocolate, curry chocolate, kosher chocolate, organic chocolate and green tea chocolate, among others. You get the point.
These people get a lot of mileage out of their cocoa beans. Last year we saw a booth for "chocolate facials" using a cocoa-infused moisturizer purported to have antioxidant benefits. This year, expect a "Chocolate Lounge" area with chocolate paintings and "chocolate-inspired" furniture (non-edible, the organizers insist).
Tickets normally cost up to $20, and you pay $1 to $4 for most of the treats (you'll easily spend between $5 and $15 for a decent sampling). The show's organizers are giving Frommers.com readers a generous 50% discount for all online orders for the November 11 and 12 shows. Log onto www.chocolateshow.com and use the code 102604-FRO (valid from October 26 through November 8 only). Spend those "bonus bucks" wisely.
Try MarieBelle's ultra-rich hot chocolate and do not miss The Chocolate Fountain booth. For $3 you can wave a stick of marshmallows under a small, gurgling, three-tiered silver spout. We nearly cried when we saw this last year.
The show will also feature TV-studio style cooking demonstrations by top pastry chefs, including Jacques Torres and Francois Payard, plus cookbook sales and author signings. For the kids, you'll find tables of dessert-themed arts and crafts (a place to keep them still after their first few pounds of chocolate).
The (more adult) piece de resistance is the kick-off Gala Opening and Chocolate Fashion Show on November 10th ($120 admission), in which world-renowned designers create outlandish couture out of stitched-together chocolate bars & chocolate beads, including molded-chocolate hats and handbags. Most of the costumes use a fabric base with applied chocolate "paint," which seems like cheating to us, but the results are still impressive. If you skip this gala, you'll see the costumes on mannequins at the show.
It all sounds a bit haughty and ridiculous -- try not to chuckle at the chocolate pasties -- but the sheer invention and exhaustive creativity on display will win you over. Not to mention the free samples. We recommend that you use some restraint during that initial giddy revelation that "There are hundreds of trays of chocolates here, and I want to put them all in my mouth before they're gone." Take a deep breath, pace yourself, make note of your favorite brands, then let the caffeine and the tryptophan do their magic while you stroll through several informative display areas. Soon you'll find yourself comparing Italian and Swiss varieties and talking cacao percentages with your friends and family.
Of course, the chocolate buzz turns into a chocolate stomachache, and you may leave vowing to never eat the stuff again. If that happens, you can always take a cue from the show and turn your next candy bar into a bracelet or a tube top.
The Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building are located at 125 West 18th Street, between 6th & 7th Avenues. Take the 1/9 subway train to 18th Street and walk east.
Standard tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, $10 for children under 15, and free for children under 6.
For more information and for tickets, call 866/CHOC-NYC or log onto www.chocolateshow.com.
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