Festival of Chocolate

On Friday, July 9th, the Chocolate Festival visited the Vancouver Playhouse to host a VIP reception for MOVE: the company’s opening performance of “Sold Doubt”

“Sold Doubt” is described by MOVE: the company’s artistic director and choreographer Josh Beamish as a “contemporary rock dance concert” performed to instrumental renditions of No Doubt’s Greatest Hits. The Festival was thrilled to host a VIP reception for the “Sold Doubt” performance as it fits our mission to “empower youth by creating mentored work experiences and presentation opportunities for emerging artists and performers.”

The event featured chocolate from CocoaNymph, coffee, tea, a bar with local wines from Tinhorn Creek Vineyards and Saturna Island Family Estate Winery and craft beer from Dead Frog Brewery. Guests were raving about the CocoaNymph chocolate. The Sea Nymph bar, a dark chocolate with sea salt and English toffee is always a crowd pleaser. The Pepper Lime Lager from Dead Frog Brewery was the popular drink for the evening and the wines received many accolades from guests as well.


All proceeds from our bar sales supported the Chocolate Festival and MOVE: the company. The Chocolate Festival also hosted a raffle and an online auction for the event. The online auction is open until 9pm on July 12th (tonight) and there are still many opportunities to win some of the great items we have such as BC Wines Gift Basket valued at $200, Cooking Classes, PNE Passes, Restaurant Gift Certificates and more. Start bidding at: http://www.theleadersevents.com

The winners of the raffle have been drawn. Tickets were sold on July 9th and 10th at the performances. Winners are:

1st Place Prize – BC Wines Gift Basket (8 Wines). Winning number: # 728977
2nd Place Prize – Best of Fraser Valley Gift Basket. Winning number: #911236
3rd Place Prize – Gourmet box of chocolate from Chef Marco Ropke of the Pastry Training School of Vancouver. Winning number: #935037

EMAIL DAWN@CHOCOLATEFESTIVAL.CA TO COLLECT YOUR PRIZES

Thank you to everyone who attended. We’ll see you again at our Chocolate Festival events in October and November! For more info about events, check out the Chocolate Festival website.

We are delighted to support Josh Beamish and MOVE: the company, in their performances of “Sold Doubt” July 9th and 10th at the Vancouver Playhouse. We will be hosting an online auction and a VIP opening reception for the show on July 9th.

Today we invite you and your business to donate an item to the online auction. Aside from supporting the Chocolate Festival, the benefits of donating an item include:

• Online auction with a link to your website and your contact information
• Create new marketing and sales opportunities for your business
• Tax receipt for your donation should you wish one (From registered Canadian Charity – BN 82530 3877 RR0001)
• An email introduction between your business and the winning bidder allows you to make direct contact with your potential new client after the auction to send your donation to the bidder
• Option to have the Festival accept your donation and send it to the bidder on your behalf

How to the auction works:

• Click here to donate and include the description of the donation, the value, your logo or a photo, and any restrictions on the donation
• We post your donation online at www.theleadersevents.com
• Viewing of auction items open now (plus info on the event and a donor form)
• Everyone welcome to donate and/or to bid on the auction items
• Auction opens July 8, 9 am
• Auction closes July 12, 9 pm
• Winners will be introduced to donors after payment is complete
• Donors will send auction items to winners by July 30, 2010 (or as soon after introduction as possible)
• Tax receipts sent to donors by year end

For more information about the auction email Julie@chocolatefestival.ca

The West Coast Chocolate Festival cordially invites you to the VIP opening reception on July 9th. Tickets are $75 which includes entry to the show & the VIP Reception plus a charitable tax receipt. Mix and mingle with the artists of MOVE: the company; enjoy chocolate treats provided by the West Coast Chocolate Festival, CocoaNymph Chocolates, and Pastry Chef Marco Ropke and coffee/tea and wine, all included in the $75 ticket price. A chocolate sculpture created by Chef Marco Ropke will be raffled at the performance. All proceeds from the raffle and online auction support the West Coast Chocolate Festival

Call to buy tickets for the VIP Reception: 1 888 222 6608
Tickets for the show only are available for $35 at www.movethecompany.ca

The West Coast Chocolate Festival is a non-profit organization that delivers mentored work experiences for youth, and active participation and presentation opportunities for emerging youth artists and performers, through the production of chocolate themed events. Our involvement with MOVE, a company committed to creating original works by both emerging and established artists, is an example of the mandate of the festival.

Thanks to our ever present Mentor and Festival Director, Dawn Donahue. What an amazing leader you are. Thanks for all your time.

We hope to see you at the Vancouver Playhouse on July 9th!

Today the Chocolate Festival summer interns made a trip to visit Rachel Sawatsky from CocoaNymph and get a lesson in chocolate.

Rachel began making chocolate as a hobby seven years ago, but her hobby soon grew into a business. CocoaNymph opened its doors in 2007 to provide handcrafted chocolate made with no preservatives. All the chocolates are Rachel’s recipes and are made in-house by her and her production assistant. Making chocolate keeps Rachel busy; she can make approximately 250 chocolates per hour!

At CocoaNymph customers meet with Rachel, not a salesperson, to ensure not only unique, delicious chocolate, but also an unforgettable experience. Aside from making the chocolates and running the store, Rachel participates in various chocolate art projects. In April, she made a dress entirely from chocolate for the Ice Water Fashion Show and she’s currently working on a chocolate sculpture to be unveiled on June 11th at the Ayden Art Gallery.

The three chocolates that we had the pleasure of tasting were CocoaNymph’s flavoured chocolate bars, the samples pictured above. Rachel makes the bars in molds, 30 bars at a time.

Following proper chocolate tasting conventions (lightest to darkest) we started with the Garden Nymph bar, a white chocolate with sour cherries. Though white chocolate is typically known for its sweetness, this bar is more mellow with a subtle vanilla flavour.

The milk chocolate Urban Nymph bar was the second bar we tasted. Most milk chocolate contains between 25 – 30 percent cacoa but the Urban Nymph bar contains 45 percent. The first bite reveals a bit of crunch from the cocoa nibs inside the bar. With its coffee flavours, this bar creates a unique milk chocolate experience.

The Sea Nymph bar, our final tasting, is Rachel’s most popular bar. She describes it as dark chocolate for everyone. For those who don’t normally like dark chocolate, the sea salt cuts through the stronger taste. Dark chocolate lovers, on the other hand, find that the sea salt and english toffee enhance the flavour.

After sampling the three chocolate bars and perusing the vast selection of chocolates and other treats CocoaNymph has to offer, we couldn’t help but leave with a special chocolate treat in each of our bags.

Thank you to Rachel for allowing the Chocolate Festival team to visit. You can find more information about her chocolates on her website Cocoanymph.com or follow her on Twitter.  Go say hi to Rachel and try her delicious chocolates for yourself at her store at 3739 W 10th Avenue, Vancouver BC.

Welcome to the Chocolate Festival blog!  Stay tuned to this space for an insider’s look on festival events, interviews and fun facts on chocolate.  Our festival volunteers are already working hard to bring you an experience that will satisfy the senses and the soul. Thank you to Dawn Donahue for her mentorship, leadership and investment in our interns, volunteers, and the festival.

For the most up-to-date information on festival events and tickets, please visit our website at www.festivalofchocolate.ca