28070 Thu Feb 26 14:09:09 -0800 2004 7 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 116833 Any comments on Godiva chocolate school? Free seminar, started last weekend, continuing this friday and saturday at local Godiva outlets (call individual stores to register). Link: http://www.godiva.com/chocolateschool/ Thu Feb 26 14:09:09 -0800 2004 0 Melanie Wong 1 116842 I don't know, this seems to be more of a marketing event. I think that if you took the Scharffenberger tour, you'd probably get a much better idea of the chocolate making process and the history of chocolate. Also, I'm not sure that, in terms of food pairings, Godiva offers enough variety of chocolate. Now if they could put together a sampling based upon different percentages of chocolate vertically from say 60% and up, along with a horizontal of different countries of origin, then we'd have something to broaden the palate. Hmmm, do I feel a Chowhound event coming on? :) Then again, perhaps I'm still a bit bitter that Godiva had made "American" chocolate (read lower percentage of chocolate liquor) just for our market up until very recently. a sante, Curtis Thu Feb 26 14:46:06 -0800 2004 116833 0 Curtis 2 116844 Actually at a past Made in France warehouse sale, a self-guided tasting tour of the many bulk chocolates, grades, and origins for sale was made available to tickle the palate at no cost. Thu Feb 26 14:51:17 -0800 2004 116842 0 Melanie Wong 3 116891 Yep, I took advantage of that one. I used to own part of an olive oil company that worked with Made in France as one of our distributors and they used to bring some very nice samples of their wares every now and then. All this talk of chocolate reminds me of a dessert that they used offer at Red Herring long ago called "Battle Chocolate" that pitted Valhrona against Sharffenberger and Callibaut in a varying trio of desserts on a single plate. Oh man, now I must get my cacao fix. Thankfully, I believe I have a Lindt 85% stashed in the desk drawer :) a sante, Curtis Thu Feb 26 19:13:17 -0800 2004 116844 0 Curtis 4 116893 Here's a link to the photos I took of Valrhona's factory store...lest folks feel I've lost my senses suggesting Godiva. (G) If that was when James Ormsby was cooking at Red Herring, I believe he told me that Scharffenberger was the superior baking chocolate. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/262516#1387195 Thu Feb 26 19:28:36 -0800 2004 116891 0 Melanie Wong 1 116848 A good marketing tool (or gimick?) by Godiva - perhaps thought up by their owners Campbell Soup Company? Certainly no reason not to go check it out. Because Michael & I request "not possessions, please, consumables only" as Christmas presents, we often get chocolate. One year we received both Godiva & Neuhaus. What a difference! I will never buy or recommend Godiva chocolates ever again. And this is someone who once played a "Best 51 out of 100" backgammon tournament in order to win a pound of Godiva chocolates. Thu Feb 26 15:06:11 -0800 2004 116833 0 Pssst 1 116857 or you can check out 'chocolateandcocoa.org' not as tasty, but more informative. happily, there seems to be wide awareness of and committment to the child slavery issue. Thu Feb 26 16:16:33 -0800 2004 116833 0 ed 1 116910 Although I do not like Godiva chocolates, I did stop by a store to see what the Chocolate School was about. A brief chat with the salesperson convinced me that most Chowhounds (and certainly you, Melanie) know more about chocolate than Godiva will be able to tell you at the event. In any case, the samples they will give out for tasting are all their own products--bleh! The most fun I've had reading about chocolate was Sandra Boynton's little cartoon book on the subject, "Chocolate: the Consuming Passion." Hilarious and informative. Better to curl up with Boynton and an assortment of your own favorite chocolates. Thu Feb 26 22:40:35 -0800 2004 116833 0 Pia