A Chocolate Conference in Addison! Kids Activities Blog

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Photo by Dr. Sue’s Chocolate Truffle

My dreams have finally come true! There will be a whole conference on my favorite food – Chocolate! And it’s right here in Dallas. DallasChocolate.org is an educational organization with a mission to educate Dallas about chocolate one bar at a time. And they have an incredible conference planned with real chocolatiers on site to teach you all that you ever wanted to know about chocolate. And they will have samples. Lot of samples.

She Is Dallas Info: The DallasChocolate.org Conference will take place on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at the Addison Conference Centre located at 15650 Addison Road in Addison. Classes will be held from 10:00 – 5:00. Showcase from 11:00 – 5:00. Tickets for adults are $15.00 in advance or $20 at the door. Children tickets are $5.00. Tickets may be purchased in advance at DallasChocolate.org. You can also follow DallasChocolate.org on Facebook and DallasChocolate.org on Twitter.

Check out this schedule for Chocolate Academy! 10:00 am Chocolatiers Roundtable — All Participating Chocolatiers A free-flowing discussion with all the exhibiting chocolatiers and special guests. Learn about the chocolatier's inspirations and what makes their chocolates so special. Bring your questions! 11:00 am Chocolate Makers’ Panel Art Pollard (Founder & Owner, Amano Artisan Chocolate) & Shawn Askinosie (Founder & Owner Askinosie Chocolate) will discuss the finer aspects of creating fine chocolate. Moderated by Clay Gordon (The Chocolate Life) 12:00 noon Baked Chocolate Desserts — Joe Garza (Executive Pastry Chef of the Adolphus and the French Room) Learn how one of the best pastry chefs in the city at one of the best restaurants in the city creates a unique, chocolaty dessert. (And we're not adding in all those bests just because the Adolphus is a sponsor.) 1:00 pm Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Chocolate with Clay Gordon Bring your questions, no matter how complex or silly. Clay Gordon, who literally wrote the book on chocolate (Discover Chocolate, 2007), will certainly have an answer. 2:00 pm Chocolate Making 101 — Shawn Askinosie (founder of Askinosie Chocolate)

Learn how fine chocolate goes from bean to bar from Shawn Askinosie. From a career as a defense lawyer to an American chocolate innovator to founder of the Chocolate University, Askinosie has lead a life of unique challenges and opportunity. Learn about his newest passions and his unique chocolate creations.

3:00 pm A Tour of the Chocolate Shop — Kevin Wenzel (Owner, Wiseman House Chocolates) What's the difference between a moulded chocolate and an enrobed one? How does a chocolatier get the filling inside a bon bon? Kevin Wenzel will answer these questions as he does a show and tell of the tools of a chocolatier. 4:00 pm The Mystique of Chocolate Plastique — Michele Brown (Pastry Professor, Collin College & Owner, Michele Brown Baking) Demo will include making the chocolate plastique (modeling chocolate) and using it as a topping for a cake and cupcake. (We're also betting on some tasty samples!) Chef Brown was the 2010 Texas Chef's Association's Pastry Chef of the Year. I’ve gained 2 pounds just thinking about all of this chocolate! I can’t wait for this conference and I hope to see you there.

I also found this great list of local Chocolatiers and shops on the DallasChocolate.org website that I just had to share with my chocolate-loving friends: Chocolate Secrets (Dallas, TX) Dude, Sweet Chocolates (Dallas, TX) Coco AndrÃ© (Dallas, TX) Sublime Chocolate (Allen, TX) Wiseman House Chocolate (Hico, TX) Nib Chocolates (Dallas, TX) Paper and Chocolate (Dallas, TX) Pure Chocolate Desserts by Zach (Dallas, TX) Hans Chocolatier (Dallas, TX) Dr. Sue's Chocolate (Dallas, TX) Toffee Treats (Plano, TX) The Dark Chocolate Bakery (Dallas, TX) Elegantly Chocolate (Carrollton, TX)