Chocolate is good for you, Salon du Chocolat

 

I went back to the Salon du Chocolat on Monday to see what I had missed opening night like this giant sculpture by Francois Daubinet. Is it really made of chocolate? The Answer: OUI from M. Daubinet 👏

There were many chocolate sculptures. Animals are always a favorite. So far no one had taken a bite.  

I personally loved these little cross-legged giraffes (the sculptures are not made of chocolate) from Uganda Palet D’Or - a Japanese company run by chocolatier Shunsuke Saegusa. 

Bonnie said I should go back and get some Pralus Infernale nougat bars. You could buy a suitcase full of them, perfect for traveling. The French have something called gateaux de voyage (usually an elaborate pound cake). Chocolate should certainly be included as a traveling companion. I tasted a bite. They were delicious. 

Talk about taking bites, this stand had their chocolates well-protected behind a thick shield from wandering hands. 

I am still on the lookout for small, reasonable boxes of chocolates and found it at top chocolatier, Vincent Guerlais. The top of the box says, as if we needed a reminder,

“Une vie sans chocolat est une vie à laquelle manque l’essentiel”, a quote from M.Colan & F.Norton. (A life without chocolate is a life without essentials.) I completely agree. The 6 chocolates inside, which I meant to paint, are all gone. Trop bon! 

Orange 🍊 and chocolate go well together. Is it because the cabosse or cacao bean is often orange or a color wheel thing? ‘Orange zest and orange-flower water has been used to flavor chocolate since the 17th century’ to  quote The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segit.

Especially orange flavor in orangettes  which are suppose to be easy to DIY. Have you ever made orangettes?

And pain d’epice, the French version of gingerbread which I’ve come to love over the years. 

Heading downstairs at the Salon you find world-wide guest producteurs, the sources where chocolate actually comes from. 

And a livelier party going on.

more educational chocolate-wise too. Peru, Ghana, Philippines, Japan, Brazil, Madagascar were represented to name a few. Bean-to-bar tablets was emphasized rather than fancy bonbons.

And les fèves de cacao were ever present. This is where the healthier aspect of chocolate comes in to play. I bought a pound bag of cacao powder from the Madagascar stand. 

Shouka of Chemonix-Mont-Blanc Alpes was touting their fèves infusions. I wish I’d bought some. It was hot at the Salon, though they were not giving out tastes. I wonder how it tastes. Have you tried it. 

Lovely vanilla beans are always at the Salon.

I wonder what you do with Vanilla jelly? Any ideas? 

Cindy asked me if I went back to the Salon for more tasting. Attending opening night you only see limited fancier stands. I went back to see the producteurs downstairs and learn more about the chocolate-making process. Plus its fun to attend with the general public. 

More cooking demos and chocolate contests were going on. Plus a lot of screaming and celebrating 🍾🥂😊🎉  Plus on the way home I got to see Halloween celebrators on the Metro. 

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