PHOTOS 1/25 Fairchild's 9th Chocolate Fest

[FloridaGreenMan]

Fairchild's 9th Annual International Chocolate Festival

http://www.fairchildgarden.org/Events-Community-Outreach/Chocolate-Festival

When: Friday, January 23, 2015 9:30 AM to Sunday, January 25, 2015 4:30 PM

Indulge in chocolate delicacies during the season's most delicious event! Enjoy fine chocolate samples from artisan chocolatiers, lectures on chocolate making and demonstrations from Miami's master chefs and chocolatiers! Take our Chocowalk to learn about the life cycle of a cacao plant, with stops in our Rainforest and more. Find out everything you ever needed to know about chocolate from the experts.

View the International Chocolate Festival program!
View video and photos of past International Chocolate Festivals to see what makes this event so special.

The Chocolate Festival at Fairchild admission is included with Garden admission. $25 for non members and free for Fairchild Members. Tickets for non members can be purchased the day of the festival or pre-purchased below. 

Friday, January 23

1:00 p.m. Lecture by Ricardo Trillos, Master Chocolatier-Cao Chocolates
Rainforest Plaza
Discovering the Magic of Chocolate from the Bean
Saturday, January 24

11:00 a.m. Lecture by Noris Ledesma, Fairchild
Science Village Classroom
Ecuador: A Living History of Cacao

12:00 p.m. Chocolate Lecture by Maricel Presilla, Ph.D.
Science Village Classroom
Learning to Taste Fine Chocolate Like a Professional: Understanding Flavor and Quality

1:00 p.m. Cooking Demonstration by Jacqueline Gadala, SuperFuzion
Cycad Vista Demonstration Tent
Chocolatey Superfuzion Oats and Coconut Bites

2:00 p.m. Cooking Demonstration by Allen Susser
Cycad Vista Demonstration Tent
Discover Tropical Dark Chocolate and Cocoa: Rocky Mango Brownies

3:00 p.m. Cooking Demonstration by Darren Laszlo, jugofresh
Cycad Vista Demonstration Tent
raw brownie, cacao cashew crema, raw chocolate-churro crumble, orange tuile
Sunday, January 25

11:00 a.m. Lecture by Richard Campbell, Ph.D., Fairchild
Science Village Classroom
Cacao's Struggle to Survive: Why We Should Care

12:00 p.m. Lecture by Osman Ariel Gutierrez, Ph.D., USDA-ARS
Science Village Classroom
The Genetic Background and Morphological Characterization of Cacao Genotypes from Plantations in Tabasco, Mexico

1:00 p.m. Cooking Demonstration by Danny Diaz, Sweetness Bakeshop & Cafe
Cycad Vista Demonstration Tent
Chocolate Pot de Creme

2:00 p.m. Cooking Demonstration by Chris Bulgarin, Delicious Catering Services
Cycad Vista Demonstration Tent
Five Spice Chocolate Glazed Grilled Colossal Shrimp served on Black garlic Sesame Noodle Salad

3:00 p.m. Cooking Demonstration by Monica Duenas, Ortanique on the Mile
Cycad Vista Demonstration Tent
Chocolate Caramel Brownie

[gunnar429]

 am planning on attending on Sunday.  PM me if you're going to attend Sunday as well, so I can say hi.

[zands]

Aldis here (USA) has an imported 85% dark chocolate bar.  ----- $1.99 and was 4oz   Barely tastes sweet

[fisherking73]

How was it? We almost went but got caught up in the yard.

[FloridaGreenMan]

Photos from this event.....


Gourmet chocolates


Cannonball fruits


Potted Cacao tree with fruits


Black Sapote and other fruits for sale


Noris Ledesma demonstrating Cacao processing techniques.


Cacao pods for sale $5

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Great pics FGM

Thanks for sharing!

Do you know what variety the small fruiting cacao is?

All the varieties I've grown refuse to set fruit at such a small size...I remember you had a seedling tree that fruited small...let me know if you can get seeds of this type!  I'd like to try growing one.

[Finca La Isla]

There are selections of cacao here that can fruit in less than 1 ˝ years, so that photo doesn't surprise me.
If you could sell cacao pods for $5 there wouldn't be much point in making chocolate commercially!

On the display of the pods for sale, the pod furthest to the right interests me.  The exterior is not typical, I'm wondering what type it might be.
It would have been nice to be there.
Peter

[fisherking73]

Cool thanks for sharing since could not make it out.

[PurpleAlligator]

I drove a shuttle there on Saturday afternoon and due to the clouds and cool temps, that was the day to go for lighter crowds.  Sunday was picture perfect weather and it was too crowded for me to enjoy the exhibits as there was a wait at every one it seemed.  I did enjoy the chocolate brunch where I met Gunnar429 and family.  I spendt a long time exploring the grounds and the Chihuly exhibits.

It really is a special place to visit.

The second image was from the brunch and the family under the Chihuly piece donated it to Fairchild for the Glasshouse Café.
 

[FloridaGreenMan]

Great pics FGM

Thanks for sharing!

Do you know what variety the small fruiting cacao is?

All the varieties I've grown refuse to set fruit at such a small size...I remember you had a seedling tree that fruited small...let me know if you can get seeds of this type!  I'd like to try growing one.

Adam
Not sure what type of Cacao was fruiting in that pot at FTG. There were several more fruiting ones in large pots plus their large trees planted in the ground outdoors had loads of fruit too. My red cacao does fruit at a small size in a pot as you have seen. I'll contact u later on.