The Chocolate Bar, organizer of the Bucks County Chocolate Show, is sponsoring its third annual art contest for “The Journey of the Pod,” an artistic representation of chocolate’s journey in images from the past to the present. The contest asks artists to connect communities with this rich story through multimedia.

The Chocolate Bar was founded in 2004 by Gretchen Tartakoff to organize and promote “The Journey of The Pod” Art Contest and the The World of Chocolate, Bucks County Chocolate Show. Both components connect communities on many levels, supporting commerce and appreciation for sustainable best practices in the world of chocolate. The show brings together trendsetters in the chocolate industry with a multimedia educational exhibit about the issues impacting the people who provide us with chocolate.

For more details and entry form visit www.buckscountychocolateshow.com. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Utrecht Art Supply. The art will be part of the education exhibit “The Journey of The Pod” to be shown on May 23, 2010 in New Hope, PA at the Bucks County Chocolate Show.

There seems to be a bit of snobbery afoot when it comes to local wines. Granted, some of them lean towards the sweet side. But there are also a number of local wineries that are  shooting for a bit more than a good fruit wine, and harvesting grapes we all know and love – Merlot, Cabernet Savignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier (that’s one of my favorite whites, sort of like a Savignon Blanc, grown in California, New Zealand and other places).

Folks who will gladly drink a mediocre wine from California or South America (“It’s a Malbec…and it was only $8.99!”), won’t touch a local wine with a ten-foot pole. But the reality is that some local wineries are working hard to make good wine. With every vintage year, they are learning more about our terroir - that is, what grows well here in the rich Bucks County soil. And some are producing some damn good wine.

We wrote about Crossing Vineyards when we first stopped there for a tasting last Spring. A lot has been going on at Crossing this fall. They celebrated their 6th anniversary of making wine (11 years since planting their first vines). They also brought back several impressive medals from the Sommelier Challenge International Wine Competition in San Diego. On September 26-27, 11 sommeliers from the world’s top restaurants evaluated wines. Of the wines entered, 49 made it to the final round of voting for best of show in five broad categories. Crossing Vineyards’ Merlot 2006 earned a platinum medal in this competition. The Cabernet Franc 2006 scored a gold and the Viognier 2007 earned silver. I will tell you right now from personal experience, all three of these wines deserved it. Drive quickly (but safely) to Crossing Vineyards as soon as possible and buy some.

Another exciting development on the Bucks County food scene is the recent opening of Sand Castle Winery’s store in Warrington. Taste is a gourmand’s idea of a delightful afternoon. Mark and I stopped by recently, and we will write more about it in a future post. But, oh my. Sixteen varieties of olive oil from around the world available for sampling. Twelve kinds of balsamic vinegar. Cheeses, chocolates, and other Pennsylvania-made products. And, of course, Sand Castle Winery’s wines, available for tasting and experiencing. The store is right next to PF Chang’s in the Valley Square Shopping Center (also near Wegmans). Stop by to pick up wine for Thanksgiving and gifts for the foodies on your holiday list.

Who says you can’t buy groceries and wine at the same time in Pennsylvania? Stop by None Such Farm Market in Buckingham and pick up some wine from Buckingham Valley Vineyards while you are shopping for dinner. They’ve added a special kiosk just for Buckingham Valley wines. Now this is progress!

Carlow Cookery is offering a class, “Great Wines for Holiday Fare” this Monday, November 23rd, from 7 – 9 pm. Bill Mickel will explain how to match seasonal food with wines that truly complement their flavors. The class includes some great food and wine, so don’t miss it. Carlow Cookery is in the Doylestown Shopping Center on 432 North Main St.

I’ll be doing another post later this week on some good local wine pairings for Thanksgiving, so please check back.

Related posts:

1. Stop wining
2. The holidays come to Bucks County
3. Tasting and touring Bucks County

We all tend to get very comfortable living within a pretty narrow geographical area. Grocery store, school, work, family, friends, a few local restaurants we go to over and over again. Mark and I are not much of an exception. We live in Central Bucks, and when we’re tired after a long day, we tend to stay close to home – sometimes no further than our backyard.

But we’ve learned in our exploring that there is A LOT going on in other parts of Bucks County. And now is the best time of year to get off your you-know-what and get out there. Go to Lower Bucks, go to Upper Bucks, or even just go into Doylestown, for heaven’s sake.

This weekend is a perfect example. A brand new farmers’ market, the Linden Hill Farmer’s Market, is opening up in Ottsville on Route 611 this Friday. And wait till you see the line-up of vendors (see our post below). That’s not all. Do you know that a totally organic, small batch, locally-sourced ice creamery called Owow Cow Creamery has just opened, also up in Ottsville, right at Routes 412 & 563 (near Nockamixon State Park)? And Perkasie Olde Towne is hosting its Hot Ribs, Cool Music Festival on Saturday. Weather forecast: Sunny and in the upper 70′s. Perfect rib-eating, ice cream-licking weather.

Here’s the run-down – or should I say, “fun-down” (ouch) for the weekend. Check out our online calendar, Food Events in Bucks County for more details.

Friday, May 29th:
• Linden Hill Farmers’ Market, 3:30 – 7:30 pm, Ottsville.
• Wine Concert Series at Shady Brook Farm,  6 – 9 pm, Yardley. Weather permitting. Free admission. Little Big Thing will be the musical entertainment.
• Wines of Australia and New Zealand: From affordable to collectible, 7 – 8:30 pm, Carlow Cookery, Doylestown.

Saturday, May 30th:
• Doylestown Farmers’ Market, 7 am – Noon, Doylestown 
• Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, 9 am – 1 pm, Wrightstown.  
• Quaker Heritage Day – Quakers, Pies & Bicycles, 10 am – 2 pm, Solebury Meetinghouse, New Hope.
• Hot Ribs, Cool Music in Perkasie Olde Towne, 10 am – 5 pm, Perkasie. Rib Cooking starts at 7 am, competition and sampling starts around 12!
• Beef & Beer at Stockton Fire Company, 4 – 7 pm, Stockton.

Sunday, May 31th:
• Breakfast at Haycock Fire Company, 8 am – 12 pm, Haycock.
• Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, 9 am – 1 pm, Hellertown.
• Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market, 9 am – 1 pm, Flemington.
• 2nd Annual Bucks County Chocolate Show, 10 am – 4 pm, New Hope (see post below).
• Sunday Funday: Strawberry Festival, Shady Brook Farm, Noon – 4 pm, Yardley
• 2009 Bucks County Wine Tour, 12 – 5 pm, Bucks County.
• Charity Barbecue at Kids Castle Park, 1 – 3 pm, Doylestown.
• Wine Tasting, Cheese & Chocolate Fundraiser for Kehilat HaNahar, 6 – 8:30 pm, Chaddsford Winery Tasting Room, Peddler’s Village, Lahaska.
• CB Cares 2nd Annual Celebrity Chef & Waiter Gala 2009, 6 – 10 pm, Doylestown Country Club, Doylestown.

Don’t forget to check our online calendar, Food Events in Bucks County regularly for great stuff happening. Have a wonderful weekend!

Related posts:

1. A sunny weekend in Bucks County – finally!
2. Cool Jazz, Strawberries and Even a Pig Roast

Oh, I know what you’re thinking. We all love chocolate (or most of us – I simply don’t understand people who don’t). But Gretchen decided to do something other than just eat it. She has organized a chocolate extravaganza of chocolatiers, chefs, pastry artists, chocolate experts, growers and industry vendors – a full day of tasting, learning and experiencing chocolate.

The Second Annual Chocolate Show takes place this Sunday, May 31st  from 10 am to 4 pm at the New Hope Eagle Fire House Ballroom. And you should NOT miss it.

Gretchen shares why she started her venture, The Chocolate Bar:

The mission and vision of The Chocolate Bar is founded on combining education, community and good business practices while enjoying amazing chocolate from around the world. With the love of chocolate in common – talking about our favorites, our travels and our recipes – The Chocolate Bar’s projects will provide the vehicle to open conversations about origins of chocolate, about world issues that impact the origin of chocolate, and the history of the recipes. When we start talking about those things, together, then we can begin to talk about the environment the cocoa needs to grow and be sustained with global standards that make sense. It’s complex.

Over the last six years I’ve learned that we can make a big difference in our future by being aware and open to learn from each other. With a passion to protect nature and all that it encompasses, the Rainforest region stands out as a natural phenomenon that is in need of us paying much more close attention to its needs.

There’s a pull, like a magnet, for me to continue to learn more and support those who are experts in the industry. The Bucks County Chocolate Show and the exhibit “The Journey of The Pod” is giving me an opportunity to share some of what I’ve been learning and the truly gifted people that I’ve been meeting.

Check out the The Chocolate Bar website to learn more about the seminars, exhibits and wonderful chocolate that will be available for tasting. Admission is only $10 for adults, $7 for seniors/students and free for children 9 years old and younger. A portion of the admission fees go to the National Wildlife Federation.

The 2nd Annual Chocolate Show, 10 am – 4 pm, New Hope Eagle Fire Hall, 46 N. Sugan Road, New Hope, PA

Judy Logback of the Kallari Association taught us that yesterday during her talk at the Northampton Library, sponsored by Slow Foods Bucks County. The Kallari Association is an 850-family agricultural cooperative in Ecuador that specializes in organically grown, high-end chocolate. Between describing the world of chocolate farming and artisan production, she led us through a blind tasting of nine chocolates that ranged from several of Kallari’s offerings to tidbits of Lindt and Ghirardelli. Going into her talk, I’d have waxed on about Lindt and Ghirardelli, and though I still wouldn’t turn them away I’ve come to appreciate the difference between a good chocolate and an exceptional chocolate.

Here’s another thing I learned about chocolate. The politics surrounding it are as complex as its taste. It won’t come as a surprise that large companies sell most of the chocolate in the world, and their recipes, production and storage methods often have more to do with economies of scale than outstanding quality or subtle quality. What Judy has done is point the Ecuadorian farmers toward carving out their niche as producers of exceptional chocolate. Though the event was billed as a tasting, it was quickly obvious she’s as business-smart as any executive from Hershey’s (and I’ve met some of them – they’re pretty smart), and is more interested in developing something that’s good for the environment, good for her colleagues in Ecuador, and good for people who love chocolate. Kallari’s growth argues against the notion you have to sacrifice quality in order to succeed.

Kallari’s chocolates are available at Lilies of the Field in Doylestown, the Chocolate Box in Lambertville and Whole Foods.

As Kimberly Kaufmann, Leader of Slow Food Bucks County, explains:

Ordinarily, ‘Fair Trade’ chocolate is made by large North American and European owned companies that pay a fee to a third party to be certified. Cacao beans used by conventional chocolate companies are warehoused or stored for years before they become chocolate. During this time, the beans are exposed to insects, worms, mold, and fungus all of which reduce the potency of the antioxidants and polyphenol compounds.

By purchasing Kallari Chocolate, Kaufmann says, consumers are taking a giant leap ahead of standard Fair Trade practices. Buying directly from the producer achieves higher income for all the local farmers involved.

Kallari Chocolate (pronounced kai-YAH-ri) produces chocolate from cacao beans harvested by a cooperative of Quichua farmers. A profile in the New York Times gives more background about this unique enterprise:

The cooperative uses an unusual blend of cacaos that grow on the Quichua land — fruity Cacao Amazónico, nutty Criollo, Forastero Amazónico, Tipo Trinitario and, most important, a rare variety that flourishes around their homes, Cacao Nacional.

“They have a certain smell and taste that is herbal, flowery but also savory, like black pepper,” Tomas Keme, a Swiss chocolate expert who consults for Kallari, said of the Cacao Nacional beans. “It’s the same taste I find in a Californian cabernet.”

So join us and other Bucks County chocoholics on Saturday, February 14th. There will be a member of the Quichua present to explain the Kallari operation and plenty of chocolate to taste. Slow Food Bucks County is asking for donations of $10 per person to pay for the Quichua family member’s travel expenses to the US.

RSVPs would be greatly appreciated at bucksslowfood@comcast.net.

Think of it as doing good AND eating chocolate. Kaufmann puts it best when she says,

By paying a bit more for a little taste of heaven, end-consumers of Kallari chocolate play a small role in increasing the standard of living in a developing nation, and are in return rewarded with a higher quality product.