What I ate at Salon du Chocolat Opening Night

Fortunately I squirrel away many of the samples they hand out on opening night at the Salon du Chocolat...the better to show you all.

Clever chocolatier Pierre Marcolini had a roped off area demonstrating

The bean-to-bar process of making chocolate. This includes tasting roasted beans and feves, broken up bits of bean that often can go into a bar and are quite tasty.

Enfin his exquisitely refined chocolates.

Cacao beans were everywhere in all states of development as a reminder where this luscious candy comes from...

There was plenty of goofy stuff at the Salon du Chocolat. Don't worry.

These Cemoi Petit Ourson/little chocolate marshmallow-filled bears seem to have taken on a sex. Is the 1st one pregnant?

Life-size Mikado chocolate sticks - you can find Mikado in all the supermarkets here. Top pastry chefs are fond of adding it to their creations.

The M.I.A. French squirrel can be depended upon to show up

Some of my favorite chocolates: these seasonally flavored half globes from Hugo and Victor.

Pierre Herme has a booth this year at the Salon

His smallest box is a wonderful treat!

Sadaharu Aoki has a variety of the vert croissants and cakes.

Chocolat chaud

From Jean-Paul Hevin

Henri Le Roux' specially designed treat this year was pain perdu smothered in caramel au beurre sale.

I could not resist Arnaud Larher's Kouign Amann. I bought it last year and died and went to heaven. Fortunately in the taxi going home Georges took it and a number of my other irresistible Salon acquisitions off my hands (and off my hips).

Some of Larher's chocolate pastries from last night.

As soon as you come in the door Poilane + beurre Bordier + shredded chocolate as your 1st bite of the evening.

This year there is a separate floor for the candy makers. Georges Marques of Le Bonbon au Palais was in charge of organizing it.

I fell victim to these wonderful caramels made with goats milk. MIAM. Thank you Georges for taking them away with you or I'd be munching this minute.

Georges' candy stand was decorated with big wall paintings made by kids in nearby schools describing their taste experiences. By the end of the evening these bowls were near empty.

Merci mille for inviting me last night Georges!

Did I mention I've been doing pastry illustrations for Frederic Cassel Fontainebleu..? What a surprise to see them used all over the walls of his stand at the Salon! *Note that devilishly good jar of caramel au beurre sale in the right corner...

MILLE MERCI Chef Frederic!!

What to wear to opening night at the Salon du Chocolat? 

A DIY batch of necklaces made with Georges candies and very much inspired by Coco Jobard's pile of Chanel necklaces seen at the Petrossian event. This morning it's many splashes of cold water and cups of hot chocolate so I can get out and face another round of the Chocolate Salon. Bonne Chance!