Thousands of divine morsels tempted those who attended the Northwest Chocolate Festival last weekend at the Seattle Center.
The festival, which was held both Saturday and Sunday, brought makers of chocolate, chocolatiers and chefs from all over to display the fine art of chocolate.
Sumptuous, bite size pieces of heaven were tasted, paired and prepared for an educational look into the complex world that makes up chocolate.
Festival goers were enlightened about the different origins of the cacao bean, the process by which it is roasted, the different ingredients that make each piece unique and the final product.
"This is not just about the finished product," said Stacy Holdel of Theo Chocolate. "We actually meet the farmers who grow the cacao beans and purchase directly from them so there is no middle man. That is the difference between other chocolate makers and the ones that actually take part in the free trade market."
Two of the more unique flavors Theo has to offer are the coconut curry milk chocolate bar and the vegan fig, fennel and almond bar.
"The fig, fennel and almond bar makes a great after dinner chocolate," said Holdel. "The coconut curry bar is great shaved into hot chocolate."
Aphrodite's Attic displayed their gluten-free and vegan confections using organic, fair trade chocolate, organic coconut milk, various herbs, spices and fruit to create the Ambrosia de Cacao.
Among the different types of chocolate, one of the more unconventional and very spicy versions was a chocolate bar made with ghost chilies by Jeff Shepherd of Lillie Belle Farms.
The festival moved onto pairings made with wines from Woodinville Warehouse Wineries, which features over 35 artisan wineries within a one minute radius.
Saturday evening, the festival geared up for a masquerade ball with entertainment, dancing and a chocolate fountain for dipping.
A lot of time and effort goes into finding the right cacao bean, roasting it to perfection and creating an infusion of art for the palette, but many at the festival agree, the end result is definitely worth it.
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