It’s an Indian summer in Northern California. The time of year when we have to pack both a heavy sweater and sunscreen for the unpredictable weather Mother Nature bestows upon us. Will it rain? Will it be sunny? Will pea soup fog topple over the Marin County hills and spill into the Bay or will the San Franciscans run into the nearest café in search of cooler air-conditioned temperatures amid an unseasonably warm 85 degree day? Students are slowly getting used to the sound of school bells ringing, grapes in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys are being picked by the ton and our boys in orange and black are scrambling to pick up as many runs and wins as possible in a last ditch effort to make a break for the playoffs. It is also the time of year when amidst the aroma of salt water and fresh seafood a familiar smell fills the streets of San Francisco… the smell of chocolate.
Just off of Van Ness, in the heart of one of San Francisco’s busiest neighborhoods is Ghirardelli Square, the location of the famed Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival is a celebration of everything and all things we love about chocolate. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company along with over 60 regional food and wine vendors come out to share with the community the best there is to offer and pair with chocolate. From tea and coffee, to ice cream and olive oil, no cocoa bean is left uncrushed.
Some of the best in the cocoa covered business were out in full force to demonstrate their craft. Chocolatiers such as Ghirardelli’s owner Jenna Fu demonstrated the artistry, delicacy and versatility of chocolate.
Through her work and chocolaty knowledge she provided viewers with various tips and tricks about working with chocolate, such as combining it with fruit in order to pull out the chocolates sweet and bitter notes.
For me, one of the biggest highlights of the entire festival was getting to meet the individual chocolate and candy makers who were there to share their love for all things chocolate. Entrepreneurs such as Monica Elzalaki, founder of West Coast Toffee were proud to share their confections with anyone who came with an appetite for something a little different.
Located out of Santa Cruz, California, Monica explained that her toffee recipes are a product of years of testing and tasting, in order to come up with something that “are a little more chewy” but “even more delicious” then your average taffy. After trying several flavors including the traditional semi-sweet chocolate almond and a little more exotic pumpkin spice with roasted pumpkin seeds it quickly became obvious why her booth had what seemed like an endless line of eager toffee tasters.
A second purveyor, which was impossible to resist, was Fab Delight Chocolate Truffles. Specializing in special occasion presentations, there eye-catching creations were hard to pass up. They offered samples of various truffle flavors such as Oreo, cookies and cream, caramel apple and my personal favorite, Tiramisu.
Made every day by hand combined with their use of the best ingredients created a clean yet complex taste that left me in my own little truffle happy place.
As I strolled down what was affectionately referred to as “Chocolate Road” I went from tent to tent trying as much as my belly could contain. Macaroons, petit fours, chocolate tea and of course the best Ghirardelli hot chocolate, it was impossible not to be in a blissful sugar coma at the end of that chocolate road.
The best part of the entire day, however, had nothing to do with the chocolate itself. The cherry on top of my chocolate Saturday was the reason we were all there to taste. What was almost better than the abundance of chocolaty goodness available to try was all of the benefits from the festival went to an amazing local organization called Project Open Hand. Project Open Hand is a nonprofit organization that provides home cooked meals and groceries to seniors and seriously ill patients living in San Francisco and Alameda counties. For myself personally, as someone with a serious medical illness, this organization is particularly close to my heart. I understand how important receiving good nutrition during a time of healing can be. It was so exciting to see so many people gathered in Ghirardelli Square to not only satisfy their sweet tooth, but also support such an invaluable organization.
Overall the day could be summed up in one word… SWEET! Both a perfect ending to a semi-sweet Bay Area summer or the delicious beginning to a bittersweet Bay Area fall. Either way you choose to sample it, it’s been a delicious journey thus far.
