Choclatique/San Francisco Chocolate Salon

We can not wait to attend this event - Who does not love Chocolate -

We received this press release from Choclatique and thought you might enjoy learning more about the company and their products:

Choclatique, the award-winning, gourmet chocolatier of the year will be featured at the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon on March 21, 2009. The salon is designed to showcase a selection of the finest gourmet and premium and artisan chocolates in the country and this will mark Choclatique’s first year at the Northern California event.
Choclatique will be sampling and selling their all-new Elephant chocolate, a seriously strong chocolate, 76% high in cacao mass. The company will also be sampling and selling their Hot, Hot Cocoa; Chocolate, Chocolate Brownie and Root Beer Float chocolates. Guests of the show will be able to meet Ed Engoron and Joan Vieweger, co-founders of Choclatique, ask questions, and purchase an array of wonderful chocolate selections.
“The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon will give visitors the opportunity to sample some of our Authentically American chocolates,” says Ed Engoron, co-founder of Choclatique. “We are proud to be a part of the show and share our unforgettable creations with chocolate lovers.”
Besides experiencing and indulging in the Choclatique samples, visitors will be able to purchase their award-winning Decadent Desserts Assortment (All-American dessert favorites) and Spring Assortment (the flavors of spring all dressed up in 24 karat gold), as well as their amazing Crunchy Chocolate Double-Drizzled Almonds & Nibs.
Choclatique chocolates are available for purchase online and in upscale retail locations. For more information, please visit www.choclatique.com. For more information on the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon and to buy tickets please visit: www.sfchocolatesalon.com.

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About Choclatique:
Choclatique is a privately owned, super-premium chocolate company founded in 2003 by Ed Engoron and Joan Vieweger. Hand-crafted in their Southern California Chocolate Studios by professional artists and chocolatier, Choclatique provides over 150 *Authentically American premium chocolate confections, from traditional to whimsical, to secretly savor or share with those you love. Choclatique assortments are available high-end boutiques, 5-star hotels and clubs and online at www.choclatique.com.

*Authentically American means great American chocolate flavor thrills made by Americans in their Southern California Chocolate Studios; their premium cacao beans are roasted, processed and refined in Northern California; they use Hawaiian-grown cacao beans in selected items; their proprietary all-natural flavors are made in Southern, California; their packaging is made and printed in Texas; their specialty molds and equipment come from New York. They’re proud to be American and support the US economy.

Review: Sampled a Champagne Truffle - It was fantastic - after consuming the sample I googled the internet for information about how to eat dark chocolate. I found the following that gave very definite instructions:

Find a location free from background noise and smell , such as television, music, a crying baby, road traffic noise, talkative friends etc. Being able to concentrate as intently as possible will facilitate flavor detection.
Clear your palate. This means that your mouth should not contain residual flavors from a previous meal. Eat a wedge of apple or piece of bread if necessary. This is crucial in order to taste the subtleties of chocolate's complex flavor.
Make sure that the piece of chocolate is large enough to accommodate full evolution of the flavor profile. A piece too small may not allow you to detect every subtle nuance as the chocolate slowly melts. The important thing to remember is that flavor notes gradually evolve and unfold on the tongue rather than open up in one large package. So remember, don't think small here. 10g should be a minimum starting point.
Allow the chocolate to rest at room temperature before tasting. Cold temperatures will hinder your ability to detect the flavors. Some even advise that you rub the chocolate briefly between your fingers to coax the flavor. This procedure is optional.
Look at the chocolate. The surface should be free of blemishes such as white marks (called bloom). Observe the color and manufacturer's job at molding and tempering. Does the chocolate appear to have been crafted carefully or slovenly? The bar should have a radiant sheen. Chocolate comes in a multifarious brown rainbow with various tints, such as pinks, purples, reds, and oranges. What do you see?
Break the piece in half. It should resonate with a resounding "SNAP!" and exhibit a fine gradient along the broken edge. This is quality stuff!
Smell the chocolate, especially at the break point. The aroma is an important component of flavor. Inhaling will prime the tongue for the incoming chocolate. It also gives you a chance to pick up the various nuances of the aroma.
Place the chocolate on the tongue and allow it to arrive at body temperature. Let it melt. Chew it only to break it into small enough pieces that it begins to melt on its own. After all, we're tasting and not eating! This step is crucial, for it allows the cocoa butter to distribute evenly in the mouth, which mutes any astringencies or bitterness in the chocolate.
Observe the taste and texture. As the chocolate melts, concentrate on the flavors that are enveloping your tongue. Melting will release more volatile compounds for you to smell. Close your eyes, take notes, enjoy this moment of bliss, and bask in contentment. Texture can be the most obvious clue about the quality of a chocolate. Low quality chocolates will have a grainy almost cement-like texture.
Now the chocolate is nearing its finish. How has the flavor evolved? Is the chocolate bitter? Heavy? Light? Was the texture smooth or grainy? Do any changes in texture and flavor occur? Take note of how the chocolate leaves the palate. Is there a strong reminder lingering in your mouth, or does it quickly vanish? Note any metallic or unpleasant flavors in the finish. This is a sign of stale or lower quality chocolate.
Repeat the process with a different chocolate. The comparison will highlight the subtle flavor notes in each chocolate. Be sure to cleanse your palate thoroughly before tasting each different chocolate.
In a nutshell, find your "happy place," listen to it break, stare at it, smell it, and then eat the chocolate very slowly instead of eating the bar quickly.

Recommend that you visit www.choclatique.com ( copy and paste into your browser) www.choclatique.com