Portland Chocolatefest 2016: How sweet it is...

     I'm a big fan of Chocolatefest, big fan.  Ever since it began,  11 years ago, what?  11 years ago? Whoa.  I'm proud to say I was there back in the early years.  It started up at the World Forestry Center as a fundraiser and then it grew, almost too big for it's britches and had to move to the Oregon Convention Center where it opens again this weekend, Jan 22-24.  Tonight was opening night and catered to the 21+ crowd and so there were no young ones to worry about stepping on or tripping over as I ran to my next confectionery grab.  There was a lot of deliciousness to grab for.




Let's begin with what I enjoyed starting my evening with: Tito's Vodka Chocolatini. Smooth, warm, Tito's Vodka distilled small batch in Austin, Texas and poured up rich and delicious, chocolate milk style.  Yes and Please and Thank you, all at once.  A nice way to begin the evening.

I want to go on and on about some of my favorite vendors but I know I've written about them before and I don't want to be redundant.  But I must, at the very least, implore you to try their wares because thinking about them right now makes me happy and I want to share them with you.  Perhaps the Chocolatini is prompting me with an "I love you, man" kind of mood but seriously.  If you go to Chocolatefest this weekend or if you ever happen upon the chance to try out one or more of these vendors, please do yourself a solid and go for it.  Who at that show warrants this kind of love and affection?  Arrowhead Chocolate out of Joseph, Oregon comes to mind.  My favorite will always be the Ginger Cream Truffle, no wait, the Stein Whiskey Truffle, no no the Juniper Gin. Dang!  You get the point.
Sea and Sage Shrubs, a delicious drinking vinegar, and of course, Cupcake Jones, are all great folks to visit.



There is definitely a lot of sweet going on here but with all of the sugar, chocolate and alcohol that was flowing, K and I knew we needed something of more sustenance.  We headed to the Eat area (see food court) and were delighted to find some nice chocolate complimentary entrees.  We went with the Convention Center's catering table Pacificwild and their Cinnamon Dusted Pork Loin with Chocolate Stout Mole and seared polenta.  Oh!  Seriously.  This was Convention Center catering and it was delicious!  I know! I'm shouting!  I would go back to this restaurant if it were a restaurant I could go back to.

Now on to my new Chocolatefest discoveries.  I have found it!  and by it I mean the perfect toffee.  and by perfect, I mean Perrrrrrrrfeeeeeect.  Cowboy Toffee Company out of Oakdale, California.  How can I describe this toffee.  First off, Sam McGinnis, one of the delightful owners, noticed K and I were drinking some beer (Rogue Chocolate Stout) and asked us to please try her Ghost Town Toffee ( dark chocolate, almond dust, roasted ghost peppers, salt).  She knew it would be a perfect pairing and she knows her product.  I was frightened at first.  Mentioning Ghost Peppers in your ingredients intimidates me but this was some serious deliciousness.  The toffee itself has a texture that most toffees wish they could attain, light airy, just chewy enough without sticky tooth residue.  You won't loose your fillings to this but you will lose your heart.  The dark chocolate is a perfectly creamy compliment hugging the toffee.  Love at first bite.




Speaking of love, fera wyn's  motto "Forget Love, I'd rather fall in chocolate"  No truer words spoken when speaking of these delightful artisan style chocolates.  I'm a little sad they didn't have the Green Fairy with them but I thoroughly enjoyed the Limoncello. The tang and zip were perfectly balanced.  creamy but not too sweet. The Hawt Date was delightful. Not too hot with the lovely nutty chewy date finish.  I will be ordering more.




I'm also a huge fan of Lillie Belle Farms'  Most Awesome Chocolate Bar Ever.  It really is. And Goldfinch Caramels.  Creamy, delicious (love love love the Rosemary) Just great caramel.

(Amendment 1/23)  Found out this morning that Nothing But Bundt Cakes took the Best in Show.  Great Choice- they have amazing delicious baby bundts, my favorite was the Chocolate Turtle. Mmmmmm, soft and delicious.  Not too sweet but just enough chocolatey goodness.

Finally, and worth the wait, we have Thomas and Sons Distillery. When I say wait, I mean wait because there were lines at this place All Night Long.  but K and I finally just said forget about it and waited at the side for our turn to be served.  Like I said "worth the wait".  I have never had a liqueur distilled from tea and most likely neither have you because, as far as I know, these are the only people doing it. and I'm not talking about tea infused alcohol.  I'm talking about Tea and sugar distilled into liqueur.  It is surprisingly delicious and they have liquors that run the gamut from White Tea right through bitter black and onto my favorite, Smoke Tea. Smoke Tea is distilled smoke Lapsang black tea flavored with Vanilla Bean and blackberry honey.  It seriously is camping in a bottle.  I know they were using all of their liquors in mixed drinks but I don't think I would want to mix this one.  It would be a nice long sip by the campfire, or the couch or the kitchen table, wherever.  The new release from Thomas and Sons is the Bluebird Liquer.  I'm not quite sure what it is but it reminds me of maybe St. Germaine or other herb and spice based spirits.  Warm, yet fresh.  Sweet and spicy.  The perfect end to a delicious evening.

Leftovers 2015: Time to Ketchup...

Oh my, sometimes I crack myself up.  Funny stuff.  Not funny stuff?  Looking back at my blog and seeing my last post was in April of 2015 and then looking at my camera and seeing pictures of food that I truly meant to share with you.  Best laid plans and all that.  Here's to actually writing about more of the places and I'm eating and drinking at.  Sláinte.

 Always looking for control and order in my life before I just totally give in to the universe and loose all control, I make New Year's resolutions to eat at home more and eat more healthfully.  That's when I generally whip out these great one pan meals like greens, beets and sausages.  Seriously, it was good but then again, this was January.





February brings one of my favorite holidays of the year, President's Day.  The Saturday of President's Day weekend to be precise: Zwickelmania. Brought to us by the Oregon Craft Beer people, this day brings food, fabulous fun and tasters of fine brew all gratis.  It was this past year that I re-acquainted myself with my favorite stout, Base Camp S'More Stout.  Served complete with a toasted marshmallow on the rim.  Deeelicious!



It was while waiting to head over to another OCB event, the Malt Ball, that K and I discovered Martinotti's Italian Deli.  The most delightful cappuccinos I've ever had.  Sadly, this lovely little world market has closed. It only took me 30-some years to find.  Cannoli just like Mrs Davi used to make and a Tiramisu from heaven.  You may or may not know that Tiramisu is one of the only kinds of "cake" that I actually enjoy.  Tres Leches being my first.

 While we were packing for our trip to Austin, we treated ourselves to a Portland Monthly Dining Out deal and tried out Autentica and although we found the Ceviche Pescado and the Barbacoa delicious and the drink menu amazing, it was a little over-priced.  Let's just say, I would go here again, with a coupon.

 May brought back Farmer's Markets and as soon as the Beaverton Farmer's Market opened we headed over to Money Bowl for some savory sweet hot Rice Noodle Bowls.  Just the thing on a chilly May morning.

 Other discoveries for K and I in 2015 included The Local Cow in Gresham where you will find Rosemary, Garlic, Truffle Oil, Parmesan Fries.  A delightful surprise.  The Burgers here rank up with the best in Portland. Period.

 And tucked away, in a tiny little mini-strip mall we found a wonderful Thai food place.  Truly a hidden jewel.  Sa Bai.  The Tom Yum soup was fragrant, hot and sweet.  Divine comfort food and comfortable prices. Really looking forward to returning here, feeling awful that we haven't as of yet.

For the first time ever, in my life, we ate OUT for Thanksgiving Day.  I couldn't believe it but it was a pretty fabulous experience.  There is nothing like a Mai Tai flight at Trader Vic's to let you know the holiday season has officially begun.

I know I've already told you about the Portland Mercado ( My new Happy Place) but we went back, of course, more than a few times and each time we try something different.  The thing is, there is so much good stuff here, you can!  Always delicious, always a treat.  You need to try the Tlayudas at Tierra Del Sol.  Feast!

2015 will go down in history as the year we discovered Pip's Donuts!  Ohmygawd! You haven't been to Pip's? Who can honestly resist these little balls of goodness?  Crispy, creamy, salty, sweet.  Umami for a breakfast treat!  

And then there is the Mama Leo's in the Roseway neighborhood.  Colombian/Venezuelan/Caribbean cuisine served with simple style.  Don't let the term Gluten free scare you from this dining room, embrace it!  Be careful not to fill up on Patacones before dinner and be sure to order coconut rice with your meal.

Alas, I have no pictures of my food from The People's Pig.  I dove into faster than my voyeuristic tendency could pop up and remind me to pull out my camera and it was really dark in there so the pictures I did take didn't do the flavors justice.  This is some good stuff.  Not your traditional bbq so I won't bother to compare it to other's but it has it's own unique style and menu to delight.  Must Have: The Chicken.  The smoked then deep fried chicken is outrageous.  I would like to try it on a waffle but the sandwich does it fine justice, especially with the jalapeno jelly.  Crunchy, juicy, spicy.  Grab the napkins.  Must Avoid: the coleslaw.  Go with greens (although mine are better) and the corn bread or the dilly potato salad, if you must.  Why do I have such a hard time with sides at BBQ places?  I'll need to explore that more.

So, as you can see, we bounced around a lot in 2015 but I didn't really share the way I should and so I start 2016 with a new resolve and a few new quests ( I still haven't found my quintessential Monte Cristo). I'm getting excited for the festivals to begin again.  First up, ChocolateFest January 22nd.  After all, if I'm going to use the nom de plume BiGMoUth, I'd better act like it.

ChocolateFest 2014: Returning to Yum

This weekend K and I decided to return to the ChocolateFest after taking a year hiatus from the event.  Last year we headed south to Salem for the First Taste of Oregon and that was wonderful but we missed the decadence and yumminess that is ChocolateFest.

Still fun, still delicious and filled with vendors of all things chocolate and some things not so chocolatey but still quite wonderful.  And occasionally quite decadent.

SakeOne again brought it in big with their delicious fruity but not overly sweet Saketinis. This Forest Grove, Oregon based craft sake brewer stole my heart long ago with their Momokawa, Moonstone and G+ Sake lines.  I had never enjoyed sake before SakeOne and now I purchase it as regularly as wine or beer.  It is a refreshing change and should be considered.

There is a small coalition of wineries at the festival and although they are fun and often offer a unique sampling of flavors (ie Chocolate wine) they aren't my favorite part of this event and so I try not to spend too much time lingering around them.  (I know a few of you who know me personally are doubting the validity of that statement but it's true).  I was however, intrigued by a sampling of sipping vinegars that were absolutely delightful and had me envisioning an evening of concocting old-timey flavored punches and cocktails.  I had to pick up the warming sweetness of the Ginger Honey Shrub from Sage and Sea Farms.

It was a difficult choice and I'm sure I'll need to visit the Portland Farmer's market and pick up a couple more bottles.  Perhaps the Beet Sipping Vinegar or the sweet soft and refreshing lavender.  Don't balk, just try them and let me know what you think.


Because we had already attended the Wine and Chocolate Pairing seminar a couple of years ago, K and I decided to watch the cooking demonstration for Chicken Mole by Lane Community College's Chef Clive Wanstall.  His humorous and delightful presentation may have been a little rushed but it introduced a delicious way to serve up chocolate in an unorthodox manner.











Now certainly some of my favorite suhweet treats were represented and we quickly sought out Cupcake Jones.  Still the best place for cupcakes in Portland,  if you ask me.  Did I tell the about the time I was sitting outside of Cupcake Jones face deep into an Orange Cremesicle when Timothy Hutton rode up on his bike?  Let's just say no words were exchanged but I know he wanted my cupcake.

Another favorite purveyor of dreamy deliciousness is Arrowhead Chocolates out of Joseph, Oregon.  They create the best single-malt whiskey truffle ever.  Their salted caramel, earl grey, tiramisu and huckleberry truffles should not be missed.  I need to stop talking about them because seriously I could talk myself into driving the 5-6 hours out to eastern Oregon just to buy some more.

I'm also a big fan of Cocotutti, although they are neither a local nor a small batch chocolatier.  They do, however, offer some bold adventures in chocolate without tasting fake, waxy, or false.  The tea infusions are amazing.  I know.  Overused word.  But amazing pretty much wraps it up here.




Some of the vendors were simply producing run of the mill, waxy, flat chocolate but some stand-out yum appeared around each corner and I was especially impressed with the organically and sustainably driven Stirs the Soul.  The owner/chocolatier, Darren Hayes, was especially informative and in spite of his laid back demeanor his passion for chocolate was clear.  I found him later on YouTube, so you can check him out here and see what I mean.  The man and his chocolate are the real deal.

I was also really delighted to meet the owner/creator of Kilikina's. You can tell that this chocolate is created with and inspired by love.  Really sweet, make you smile, kind of love.

With no doubt, I love ChocolateFest and was very happy to return this year.  Sadly, there were no chocolate fountains or sculptures or models drizzled in chocolate as in previous years but that just left more time for meeting people who love their product and eating more chocolate.  And really, that is the point.

NW Chocolatefest 2012: Indulge

Woke up this morning to a very typical Portland day. It was sunny in the backyard and raining in the front yard. It was a day that screamed "get out of the house" but also whispered "it's time to spoil yourself". It was just that kind of day and so, Kieran and I headed to the Portland Convention Center for the ChocolateFest 2012. I know I've posted about ChocolateFest before. It's an amazing event with a million ways to treat yourself to chocolate and some truly fascination sights. Last year, I believe there was the woman having her body painted with chocolate. This year, no such luck on the choco-bodypaint but there were the obligatory Harajuku girls and even ordinary Portlanders seem more intriguing after a few Chocolate Martinis (imbibed by them or me, no matter). The chocolate from Leonida's truly makes the most amazing chocolate martinis ever. Creamy, delicious, good enough to go back around and get in line three more times...

Unfortunately, we went a little late this year and the crowds were horrific. People started out in lines but after a bit everybody was so hopped up on chocolate simple civility went out the window. But, hey, this is chocolate we're talking about. Amazing chocolate from all over the world but mostly the Pacific Northwest. Seattleites hawking all Organic, Oregonians pushing free-trade bean to bar. So good, so good for you. No-one can deny, chocolate is good for the soul. And although I can't say that all of the chocolate I tasted today was good I can say that some of the chocolate I had today was amazing. The "Best in Show" chocolate truly was, in my opinion "Best". Cocotutti put out some of the most scrumptious bits of chocolate truffle and confection. Chocolates infused with lavendar,ginger,mint or peppery spices that made "hot" chocolate not just hot, but savory delicious. Truffles and caramels disappeared from the trays as quickly as the vendors could pile them up. It reminded me of the "Candyman" sequence from the original Willy Wonka. I was living the dream.