As we established at the Willow Benefit, I gauge the quality of the events I attend not for their celebrities, or their amusements, or the righteousness of the causes they support, but solely upon whether or not they ply me with chocolate. The Preview of the Chocolate Show last Thursday at Pier 94? That was a good event. Though, to be fair, it also did support a good cause as proceeds were directed toward the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.
The event boasted a vast variety of chocolate products, all of them more beautiful than Heaven. How could anyone not love the ginger truffles on offer from Jacques Torres? Or the Guittard Berkshire Bark? Oh, Charles Chocolate, I would happily fly away on the wings of your bittersweet peanut butterfly, with its crunchy peanut praline and milk chocolate center.
I must also remark upon my new favorite treat, the Firecracker Truffle from Chuao Chocolatier. “Pshaw,” I thought to myself when I first saw this alleged “firecracker”. “I am a connoisseur of chocolate, and this ‘Firecracker’ name seems vaguely presumptuous. A little spice does not make a firecracker.” What a brilliant surprise! The Firecracker Truffle is filled with popping candy (like Pop Rocks), caramel, fudge, chipotle and salt. Tragically, Chuao is based in California, not our home town, but the owner informed me that the company ships everywhere in the United States.
However, desirable though it might seem, people can not live on chocolate candy alone.
Brownies were also offered in abundance, with a particularly fantastic assortment coming from Cer te restaurant over on 20 West 55th Street. I know the address so well because the helpful staff gave me a fistful of free brownie cards and I am now going over there every day.
The cupcakes were also phenomenal. My personal favorites were from the Kumquat Cupcakery, especially their P.B. Banana and Honey cupcakes. Look below. See beauty in its purest form:
Still not beautiful enough for you? Take a gander at the giant hugging monkey from Peanut Butter and Co., which was also offering samples that night. I think I like the White Chocolate Wonderful Peanut Butter the best, though there was some debate, and I can see the wisdom in using their Bee’s Knees Peanut Butter as well. And everyone always likes being hugged by a person in a monkey suit:
Not that he or she was the only person in costume that night. The preview also boasted an amazing fashion show, in which the models were dressed as superheroes. Each costume incorporated chocolate, often in panels over the fabric. Here’s a sampling:
See those panels? They were all made out of chocolate! Unfortunately, an air conditioning malfunction did lead to a few problems, and one costume melted off halfway down the runway. The model kept charging boldly onward though. The event also gave me a chance to catch up with the lovely designer (and fellow Gossip Girl extra!) Ester Nash, who fashioned the beautiful Medusa costume. In the bold headdress, even without chocolate, she looked wonderful herself.
Chocolate, food and fashion - altogether, it made for a very sweet evening indeed.
