Author Topic: Photos from FTG Chocaolate Fest Jan22  (Read 3004 times)

FloridaGreenMan

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Photos from FTG Chocaolate Fest Jan22
« on: January 22, 2012, 08:30:58 PM »
This is the 6th year of the Fairchild Gardens Chocolate Festival. The were plenty of artisanal Chocolate vendors selling everything from premium chocolate bars to brownies to choco beer. It was a chocolate lovers super bowl. In addition, there were good lectures by Dr. Richard Campbell, Maricel Presilla and many others. In addition, they had a fruit market were you could by fresh Cacao pods ($5 each), Black Sapote, Canistel, Carambola and Sapodilla. Enjoy the photos!         










FloridaGreenMan

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Re: Photos from FTG Chocaolate Fest Jan22
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2012, 10:20:06 AM »
Looks like you had fun. I wanted to go to that and get some cacao pods. What is that in the last photo?
Growing edible and ornamental tropicals and subtropicals and many night bloomers on 4 acres in zone 9a. Learning to live a more self sustainable lifestyle with chickens and other livestock.

GwenninPR

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Re: Photos from FTG Chocaolate Fest Jan22
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2012, 11:48:34 AM »
It looks like it was a great day.  I would have loved to have been there for that.

They are trying to get cocao back as a crop here.....who knows, maybe someday.

zands

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Re: Photos from FTG Chocaolate Fest Jan22
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2012, 02:43:16 PM »
I don't like chocolate bars they are too sugary sweet
Semi-sweet dark chocolate at home, is so easy to make with the basic ingredients being chocolate, honey and salt. Besides honey, thick black strap molasses and maple syrup are good sweeteners.

Take some cocoa powder and stir some apple juice into it until you get a thick result. Stir in some honey or maple syrup to make it more sweet. Add a pinch of salt. Let sit for 30 minutes so ingredients can meld into each other
You could also add raisins, figs, almonds, peanuts what have you. You can add some plain yogurt. I suppose you can work milk into this recipe for "milk chocolate" but I have never done it

If you buy squares of Baker's unsweetened chocolate you can shave off pieces, drizzle some honey or black strap molasses over them and eat. But the real way is to heat the chocolate and honey in a double boiler until it is liquid then pour that into a mold. I have done this a few times. A better way is to put the chocolate and honey in a Pyrex bowl, cover with foil, then put in a pot where it steams. Let it cool solid in that same Pyrex bowl
« Last Edit: January 25, 2012, 08:44:56 PM by zands »

FloridaGreenMan

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Re: Photos from FTG Chocaolate Fest Jan22
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2012, 08:15:46 PM »
The last photo is a bottle of Chocolate Stout beer from Brooklyn NY. They offered free samples at the fair and it was very good. Only a slight Choco flavor.   
FloridaGreenMan