Tag Archives: event

Chocolate-tasting class at Kafka’s Coffee and Tea

Posted on April 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

Chocolate 201Spring has sprung! It means spring cleaning, gardening and maybe (please, pretty please?) the opportunity to trade our winter coats for lighter jackets. We can only hope.

For chocolatiers, this is a hectic time of making chocolate-shaped bunnies, eggs and chicks. And for me, it means it’s time to get out from behind my little desk and teach a class or two.

Chocolate tasting at Kafka’s Coffee & Tea

Once again, I’ll be teaching at Kafka’s Coffee & Tea. Learn about where chocolate comes from, how it’s made, and the wacky personalities behind the products. For those who haven’t taken a chocolate-tasting class before, this is a great introduction to the world of fine chocolate. And if you’ve already attended one of my classes, you’ll know that one of the best ways to improve your palate is to practice. Lots.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011
7:30-8:30 p.m.
Kafka’s Coffee & Tea (2525 Main Street, Vancouver)
$15 plus HST and service fees.

Purchase tickets in advance: http://chocolate-tasting.eventbrite.com/

The last session sold out, so don’t dawdle!

Here’s what people have said about previous sessions:

“[I] enjoyed learning about the background information on chocolate making and chocolatiers! I’ll be more discerning and appreciative of chocolate now that I am better informed.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the event – hard to say anything bad about an event where you get to taste chocolate! I especially enjoyed the anecdotes about all the various chocolate manufacturers – it is great to know a thing or two about the way your food is made and the people who make it.”

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A Night with Theo Chocolate

Posted on October 19, 2009 | 1 Comment

Artisan chocolate meets wine, beer, cocktails and canapes

Theo_Banner4

Mark your calendars: Friday, November 20th will be the chocolate event of the year. Joe Whinney, CEO and founder of Theo Chocolate, will make a rare appearance in Vancouver for this special event.

Theo Chocolate is a fair-trade, certified organic bean-to-bar chocolate producer in Seattle. They were one of the first to create organic chocolate that didn’t taste like dirt. In fact, it tasted amazing. The company’s values, philosophy and transparency is matched only by the passion of the people who work there.

The night will feature Theo Chocolate in some surprising ways: as savoury canapes, in cocktails, and paired with artisan wine and beer. Joe Whinney will talk about the company that he founded, and entertain us with stories about the trials and tribulations of being an artisan chocolate maker.

This unique event will feature canapes from the Refinery, the mixology stylings of Lauren Mote, fine wines selected from the Farmstead Wines collection, and the opportunity to taste some amazing chocolate. And that’s not all. There’s more stuff coming down the pipe, so stay tuned.

Date: Friday, November 20th, 2009
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: The Refinery, 1115 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $50.00 $40.00 | Buy tickets

UPDATE, November 5, 2009:

We’ll be featuring two single-origin dark chocolates. One’s from Madagascar, the other from Ghana. We’ll also try the fig, fennel and almond bar from the 3400 Phinney line.

I’m not usually a fan of milk chocolate, but I’m not one to argue with the London Academy of Chocolate. In 2009, they awarded the Theo Jane Goodall milk chocolate bar with a silver medal for best milk chocolate bar. Not only is the chocolate good, the company was just awarded the Jane Goodall Institute award for Excellence in Corporate Responsibility.

Wine-wise, we’ll be tasting two gems from the Farmstead Wines collection: the Agricola Marrone Arnies 2007, and the Claus Preisinger Basic. We’ve got some tricks up our sleeves for more pairings, so stay tuned.

Throughout the night, we’ll hear stories about each product: where it comes from, who produced it, and the craft that went into it.

What are you waiting for? Buy tickets here. Tickets are only $50, but the actual value of the experience is well over $75.

This event is proudly sponsored by Sheraton Wall Centre, Foodists, and Industrial Brand, with a fabulous door prize donated by Xoxolat.

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