World Of Chocolate

Location: Hilton Chicago

Date: Thursday, November 29, 2012; 6-9 pm

It was a blazing party

My love affair with chocolate did not begin at childhood.  I never craved chocolate as much as kids my age did back in school.  It was only a few years ago that it was as if a switch had been flipped and I discovered the wonderful delights of chocolate and all that it enables.  Since then I have considered chocolate as an essential food group and seek it out everywhere, and in all forms.  A few months ago I was fortunate to go to an all you can eat chocolate buffet with a friend.  This included all sorts of chocolate desserts and we ate as much chocolate as we could without being sick.  Having done that once, when I saw another all you can eat event called ‘World Of Chocolate’, I was intrigued, but would have passed.  But this was not just a chocolate feast; it was a fund raiser to raise money for the Aids Foundation Of Chicago.  This made it a win-win situation for me since now I could not only indulge in my favorite delicacy, but also show my support for the cause.

I ate most of these

And these

The event was being held in Hilton Chicago and included 40 of the top chocolatiers in Chicago showing off their skills.  Thus the price was a bit steep and I decided to show up wearing a dinner jacket.  I entered the ballroom which was already buzzing with activity.  I asked one of the organizers where I should start and she said wherever I pleased.  I visited the first table which was ‘Le Cordon Bleu College Of Culinary Arts’ for some ‘Dark Chocolate Carmel Squares’ and ‘Chocolate Infused Wild Boar Sliders’. Then I moved to other booths for trying exotic things like ‘Chocolate Shrimp & Grits’, ‘Bacon Wrapped Belgian Chocolate’, ‘Dark Chocolate Ginger Bao' and ‘Chocolate Mashed Potatoes’.  This was interspersed with more traditional things like ‘Chocolate Mousse’, 'Chocolate Espresso Cookie’ and ‘White Chocolate Panna Cotta’.  As can be imagined, I was thoroughly exhausted at this point and it was just 6:30!

A Day With HIV

I then decided to take a bit easy and look around.  Everywhere we were being reminded about the significance of this evening.  Volunteers were walking among the crowd selling raffle tickets and  others were handling a punch board for prizes.  But the most noticeable thing was a giant screen which on a loop was showing a presentation called ‘A Day With HIV’.  This had people’s stories on how they were living normal lives, despite being afflicted with HIV.  This was the main message, that people with HIV could still live a fulfilling life as long as they take the right precautions and the rest of us should respect the fact that they are as much a part of the society as anyone else.  Around me there were many people whose lives may have been affected by HIV, either directly or indirectly.  There were several people dressed flamboyantly and many gay couples (and some straight) walking hand-in-hand.  In fact, chocolate was living up to its reputation of being the signature food of love.  It was a brilliant sight.

I hope I did

I had got my second wind and decided to go back in.  I went on a blitz trying ‘Dark Chocolate Red Wine Soup’, ‘Chocolate Bacon Garnished Chocolate Martini’, ‘Peppermint Chocolate Pot De Crème’ and ‘Chocolate Bacon Banana Cheesecake Smoothie’.  I had reached a point where I just could not eat another bite, though I did stay back for the awards.  I went down to collect my coat and noticed that many people were carrying a jar of something looking like mousse.  I remembered this from a booth which said ‘ Walgreen's’ and I had even joked with the women there asking if this is where I came for my insulin shot!  They had teased me when I said I was unable to eat anymore.  So I went back upstairs and took a jar with me to go.  I came back home not only having consumed enough chocolate to last me the rest of the year, but also having spent another great evening with people fighting for a cause.  Throughout the evening we had all been wearing a sticker saying ‘I Helped Change The Story’.  As I put my jar of mousse inside the refrigerator, it was only fitting that I stuck the sticker on the front as a reminder.