Chocolate by the Bay: A Review of the 2010 San Francisco Chocolate Salon - Page 5

As a side note, the other raw-chocolate company, Divine Chocolates, had a less flamboyant feel, but won my heart for the best trail mix ever. One bite of the cashews used in the mix, and I realized that I had never tasted a cashew before; this was the real thing, and all others are sad imitations. Also, the inclusion of dried mulberries into the mix is pure inspiration.

Divine Chocolates' mix

Proving once again that all brilliant culinary concepts come from Midwestern State Fairs, Southern California chocolatier Christopher Michael offered samples of what may be the most inspired confection ever — bacon covered in caramel, sea salt, and chocolate. Don’t mock it on the ingredient list alone; this is pure, addictive yumminess. Think about it: smoky, chewy bacon, the sweet pull of caramel, the spark of salt, the aroma of chocolate. I’m pretty sure that scream was my metabolism crying out in horror, but I don’t care. This product, which Michael plans to call Mr. Pig (Miss Pig, a chili-spiked version, is forthcoming), begs to be snacked upon. Trained as a savory chef, Michael "stumbled into chocolate" five years ago on a trip to New York.

While Christopher Michael may have my vote for the most unique product, the stage set by Edible Love Chocolates stood out as the most unique experience. Edible Love Chocolates is what happens when a street performer becomes a chocolatier. Only in San Francisco, you say? Possibly, and San Francisco is all the better for this sort of quirk. Beneath a tangerine and magenta sari draped tent, a sort of side-show, magic act, snake-oil sale (I mean this in a good way) was taking place. The line from the Edible Love Chocolates booth snaked into the main aisle throughout the day. One could imagine stepping back a century to see the crowd gathering at the edge of town before the top-hatted, velvet-coat-clad merchant and his lovely, bespangled assistant. The man beneath the top hat, Philippe Lewis, used to perform as a stilt walker with the Mystic Family Circus. When he began to create chocolates, he naturally segued into a "chocolate ringmaster" persona, having people perform small tasks in exchange for chocolate. Today, Edible Love Chocolates creates, in addition to some fabulous truffles, chocolate experiences: chocolate making classes, truffle parties, pairings, and wedding favors. Lewis is all about the experience.

Article Author: Christy Corp-Minamiji

Christy Corp-Minamiji is a livestock veterinarian, writer, and mother living in Northern California. She writes fiction and blogs on the eclectic range of topics that interest her.

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