Intrigue Blog & Chocolate Shop!

Intrigue Chocolates Co. Blog – coverage of news, events and chocolate histories.

Posts Tagged Events

Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon, 2010

Jul 17

Posted by Kate in , Events | No Comments

This was our third time (3rd annual, too) at the Seattle Chocolate Salon and we enjoy it more every year! In some ways we were better prepared, therefore better able to lead participants through an enjoyable experience of the chocolate-hazed day. (See Karl’s awesome “how-to” survival tips for the event). Then again, the salon threw us for a new loop, and that was a fun challenge, too.

At the last minute we were approached with the opportunity to make a presentation (the sudden opening was NOT due to “death by chocolate”, that is a different event!). We accepted the challenge and teamed up with Quady Wineries to make an Intrigue truffle – wine pairings presentation that went wonderfully.
(Thanks to Brian from Quady and Diane, our guest presenter. She did a great job introducing the winery and describing the wines for our audience.)

Aaron walked everyone through what he thought were the best matches for the day. (How do you decide what pairings to make?, he was asked the other day. “The hard part is, ya’ gotta’ drink the wine.”, was his sage reply….) Here’s what he came up with;
Mojito and White Electra (slightly effervescent, made from an orange muscat grape)
Balsamic Strawberry-Red Electra (black muscat grape, a red wine)
Lavender Lemonade-White Essensia (White Electra that is fortified and non-fizzy)
St. Basil-Elysium (Red Electra that is fortified and non-fizzy)
Jamaican HOT Chocolate-Starboard (can’t call it Port, ‘cuz it’s not from Portugal! Does that qualify as a punny?)

Much more about the event soon…and keep fingers crossed for the awards announcement!

Tags: , , ,

Intrigue Supports Art and Healing for TBI Survivors

Jul 10

Posted by Kate in Events | No Comments

 

Painting from 2nd annual TBI Art Show

Composition #3 by Hillary Bassett-Ross

 

There is only one more day left of an art show at the Burke Museum (July 7 through July 11th), and we hope you get a chance to get down and see it. Short notice, we know. But if this is the first you’ve heard of “Recreating Me: Exploring and Healing Through Creative Expression”, then prepare to follow up next year. 2010 marks this 2nd annual benefit for survivors of traumatic brain injury, and Intrigue wants to spread the word about its importance.

Brain injury can alter not only the basic functioning of a person’s life, but their relationships and the way they express themselves. Frustration and grieving can be massive obstacles to the rebuilding process, and art seems to facilitate moving beyond these barriers for many survivors.

This show is a multi-media event put on by the University of Washington’s TBI Model System’s and the Brain Injury Association of Washington; showcasing the stories, sculpture, poetry, photography, painting, music and drawings by brain injured artists. Admission to the show will go to improve the lives of those living with TBI, but it just may improve your experience of life through a deeper understanding of these amazing survivors.

Tags: , ,

Night at the Aquarium

Jul 4

Posted by Kate in Events | No Comments

Sea Otter

Sea otters are some cool critters, and we got to hang out with them at the Seattle Aquarium’s “Debuts and Discoveries”, June 24th, 2010. Additionally cool was that money raised from the event will be used for marine conservation projects.

This was a special event for wineries that are “new and emerging” (that is; less than three years old). There have been so many new and wonderful creators of wine in the Seattle area, that this event was a chance to see many of the up and coming sommeliers together (so as to make proper comparisons).

We lucked out and were seated next to our friends from Davenport Cellars and got to get creative with our wine-chocolate pairings. Our experiments were met with enthusiasm by people who visited our tables. It’s so cool to see our “audience” get excited about the same stuff we do (that’s us taking a bow! thank you, dear fans! we’d be nothing without you….really, we mean that.)

Tags: ,

Slow it down for Father’s Day…

Jul 3

Posted by Kate in Events | No Comments

Did you know?….. Father’s Day fought a valiant battle to become official, and it had its humble beginnings in Spokane, Washington! A one Sonora Smart Dodd hatched the idea in 1910 out of love for her father on the heels of the newly inaugurated Mother’s Day (she wanted to balance the scales of parenting appreciation).

Father’s Day didn’t really hit it big until much later. Thank Nixon in 1972 for signing fathers over their own permanent national holiday. Spokane is still claiming 2010 as the Father’s Day Centennial.

It was a break from the weekday hustle and hurry out at Woodhouse Family Cellars, www.woodhousefamilycellars.com (in Woodinville) for us during Father’s Day weekend.  We at Intrigue did (of course!) remember to call our dear ol’ dads, and we did not buy them tacky ties. So we think we did alright.

We enjoyed seeing some of you with your fathers out at the Wine & Chocolate Tasting on June 19th & 20th (2010). As usual, our darkly delicious truffles paired fantastically with Woodhouse’s  great wines.

Tags: ,

Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon 2010 – Survival Guide

Jun 30

Posted by Karl in Events | 2 Comments

At Intrigue Chocolates Co. we believe in getting the most out of every experience.  This will be our 3rd year at the Chocolate Luxury Salon.  We wanted to pass along our tried and true tips to making the Salon a fantastically delicious experience!

Before you get there:

  • Eat a healthy, light meal.  You’ll thank me later!
  • As with all tastings, please avoid wearing cologne/perfume; they interfere with the tasting experience.  (“Why does this one taste like Old Spice?”  “It reminds me of Chanel No. 5.”)
  • Wear comfy shoes and dress in layers.
  • Plan your day.  We suggest getting there early, plan a lunch break, get some air, stretch your legs, and then return to taste the rest of the chocolates.

What to Bring:

  • A water bottle.  Perhaps some milk for the little ones.  Skip the soda and other sweet drinks.  Again, you’ll thank me later!
  • Crackers or a protein bar.  This helps to balance your energy and clear your palate.
  • A comfortable bag.  This is great for toting goodies and information home.
  • Camera, notebook, pen, and lots of questions.
  • Cash, checks, or credit cards!  Your ticket fees don’t go to the chocolatiers.  In fact, we have to pay to be there, too.  Reward the companies you like the most by proving how much you like their work.  It may be hard to imagine eating more chocolate after working your way around the room, but—trust me—tomorrow is a new day.  [grin]

When you arrive:

  • Get a voting card to keep track of the chocolates you like best.
  • Take a walk around the room to survey the tables first.
  • Tasting wine?  Scope out which chocolatiers can pair their chocolates with your glass.
  • Try to taste everything.  Ask for smaller samples or bring a friend to share, so you can be sure enjoy the large variety.  The chocolatiers want you to sample every flavor!  How else will you know which one is your favorite?  And it may not be the one you expect.
  • Patience and moderation.  We want to take time to talk to each of you, and we need to make sure there are enough samples to go around.  You won’t get to hear (or taste) what’s special and unique about each confection if you just take a piece and run!

Before leaving:

  • Cast your vote for your favorites at the Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon.
  • Share your feedback with the organizers.  What did you love?  What would you change?
  • TWEET!  TWEET!
  • Facebook
  • Yelp!

HOT TIP: Bring a small plastic container.  Some chocolatiers have samples left at the end of the show.  If you ask nicely, they might let you take some home to share with your friends.

Tags: ,