International Chocolate Salon Highlights Ten Days of Chocolate

TEN DAYS OF CHOCOLATE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

If you love chocolate, this will be a dream come true!

The San Francisco International CHOCOLATE SALON, July 14 and 15, 2007, will be the highlight of ten days of chocolate events across the Bay Area. During the week leading up to the International Chocolate Salon, Bloomingdale's San Francisco will present daily chocolate recipe demonstrations in its kitchen, and local restaurants, bars and clubs will offer "Chocolate Specials" on dishes, drinks, and desserts. In addition, hair salons and spas will create "Chocolate Experiences," and ice cream parlors and bakers will spotlight chocolate specialties.

The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon happens on Bastille Day Weekend, July 14 & 15, at the Fort Mason Conference Center. Highlights include chocolate tastings, wine pairings, and a chocolate spa and fashion show.

The San Francisco International CHOCOLATE SALON takes place on Bastille Day Weekend, July 14 and 15, 2007 at the Fort Mason Conference Center in San Francisco. Chocolate aficionados, fanatics, buyers and journalists will experience the finest in artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world's great culinary metropolitan areas.

International Chocolate Salon participants include NEWTREE Gourmet Belgian Chocolate, Lillie Belle Farms Artisan Chocolates, Theo Chocolate, San Francisco Chocolate Factory, XOX Truffles, Grand Avenue Chocolates, MarieBelle Fine Treats and Chocolates, DeBrito Chocolate Factory, The TeaRoom Chocolate Truffles, Terra Nostra Organic Chocolate, Gelato Classico, Coco Délice Fine Chocolates, Serendipity Chocolates, L'Artisan du chocolat, Poco Dolce, Cosmic Chocolate, Coco-luxe Confections, Saratoga Chocolates, Charles Chocolates, Quady Winery, Silkwood Wines, Four Vines Winery, Steele Wines, Sol Rouge Winery, C'est Tres Chic Chocolate Molds, Le Creuset, Swissmar, Putumayo World Music, Chocolate Television and TasteTV.

The Salon will also include a Chocolate Awards Tasting Panel and an evening Charity Fund-raiser, featuring a Chocolate Fashion Show and champagne.

The San Francisco International CHOCOLATE SALON is July 14 & 15, 2007, Fort Mason Conference Center, San Francisco. Tickets $20 for adults. Saturday July 14th, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m, Sunday July 15th, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. For Salon information, or for the menu of ten days of chocolate events, go to www.SFChocolateSalon.com.

For those in the Twin Cities area, there's Taste of Chocolate, a benefit for the Bloomington Fine Arts Council. It's Sunday, March 11, from 1:00 to 5:00. Advance tickets are $20, tickets at the door are $25.

Sharing this on the off-chance that any of you are in the mid-Michigan area. I work at MSU and this just popped into my work email....

Chocolate lovers indulge for a great cause MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM CHOCOLATE PARTY BENEFIT SET FOR FEBRUARY 25

The Michigan State University Museum Chocolate Party Benefit is set for Sunday, Feb. 25, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, Harrison Road and Michigan Avenue, East Lansing. The event features samples to savor from the area's finest "chocolatiers." In this popular community event, chocolate lovers indulge for a great cause -- all to benefit the care and preservation of the MSU Museum's collections.

This year's competition theme is "Birthdays, Anniversaries and Major Milestones" in honor of the MSU Museum's landmark 150th year. Chefs, caterers and all-around chocolate connoisseurs compete to make extravagant masterpieces using the key ingredient, chocolate. The event is unique in that it's one of the few professional culinary industry competitions open to the general public. Meanwhile, the MSU Museum will also mount an exhibit "150 Years of Collecting," showing a sampling of its diverse holdings, which number nearly 1 million objects, artifacts and specimens. The MSU Museum is Michigan's natural history and culture museum and the state's first Smithsonian Institution affiliate.

Tickets are $30 for the general public and a special "Premier Chocolatier"
ticket for $75 offers an advance preview of the elaborate Chocolate Party creations and a year-long MSU Museum membership. For more information or to order tickets, see: http://museum.msu.edu . Tickets are also available at the door on event day. Contact (517) 355-2370 for more information.