Comments on: Chocolate Show Gripes

By: Twinkle

Twinkle — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:14:58 +0000

I was looking for a place to express my disappointment. Thanks for the straight forward comments. I fully agree with your assessment. I’d like to add that the pavilion was too small for the crowd… Paying on line for efficiency then waiting on line for hours. ell no! Not enough vendors. What r vendors saying?? We thought the the vendors didn’t come because it was a rip off on their end and jeff confirmed that. Where were the chocolate adult party favors? Ooops to cheesy for the high brow crowd. What about chocolate for the diabetic crowd. Not fun! Too cost for vendors and attendees. Yet another old time 42nd St ripoff. Getting worse not butter.

By: Dessert buzz » Blog Archive » Weekend sugar rush: NY Chocolate show, Tastings New York

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:38:09 +0000

[...] One year Bouchon Bakery made S’Mores and then handed out about 200 of them.Â Though some are annoyed with the increases in price over the years, the demos make the show well-worth it if you leave [...]

By: Lorrie

Lorrie — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:16:28 +0000

Cocoa can have dairy product in it. You have to check the labels. Robin filled you in on the sugar issue. I don’t have a clue about the flour but would be interested in that! Do I win the lifetime supply of cocoa??? I love my chocolate!

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:10:07 +0000

Ooh, still sounds amazing with all that chocolate in one place!

“Hydrogrenated vegetable oil” = not trans fat, unless it was “partially.” Fully hydrogenated oil = saturated fat.

By: Jessica "Su Good Sweets"

Jessica "Su Good Sweets" — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:44:03 +0000

Robin,
Unless otherwise specified, cane sugar is white because it’s “purified” with bone char. For this reason, some vegans insist on beet sugar (which may bake funny) or vegan cane sugar. In this case, vegan sugar isn’t redundant!

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:04:07 +0000

This is off the main topic of the post, but I’ve been seeing “vegan” in puzzling places, too. I just noticed that Whole Foods sells “organic cane sugar” right next to “organic VEGAN cane sugar.” Is there something going on with our sugar (and possibly our chocolate) that we haven’t even thought to worry about yet? Yikes!

By: Jessica "Su Good Sweets"

Jessica "Su Good Sweets" — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:08:29 +0000

Jeff, it sounds like a tough situation for the customers and exhibitors. I had no idea that you shipped all that chocolate. Thanks for offering credit card payment. It’s a nice touch, but $4400 to hook it up is insane! It makes you wonder where all that money goes.

I tried one of your fruit truffles last year, and it tasted fresh. Was looking forward to trying more this year (especially the blue cheese), but when I went there were just plain bars. Until next year, I guess.

By: Kieran

Kieran — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:59:38 +0000

Great post. I’m still jealous, though!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 19:07:51 +0000

We were in NY at the time of the show but decided not to go. I would love to go some time. Hopefully, it will be worth it by the time I get around to going.

BTW, I just found your blog and am enjoying reading the archives!

By: jeff

jeff — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 02:36:45 +0000

Nice review of the show.

A couple of caveats though. Some of us who exhibit there spend a considerable amount of money and time to attend. I sent ahaead and gave away over 400 lbs of samples. As my chocolates regularly cost $48 per pound retail you can understand the significant layout attending this show costs. the booth costs $3800, airfare and hotel in november regularly run over another $3000, shipping our product from the west coast runs about 41200 and did you know they charge us 4400 for an internet hookup to run crdit cards?, add to that the expense of staying in manhatten for a week-(cab fare, meals, subway) – and we are laying out significant amount of money just to show off our wares. Forgive me if my samples werent enough.

I do agree with you though that the schwag vendors are becoming more and more prevalent. Those guys at the entrance with their saturated fat laden “french” truffles are a blight on the industry and should be hung in the town square. It dumbs down the chocolate show and the scam artists who perpetuate that garbage hate me for telling everyone i see oggling their product to “read the label”…..

some of us are artisans and the show is the one place annually where we can attract the proper media attention to get our names out to a national audience. its the only reason i do it. I lost $4000 this year and sold out of product. BUT- our product was presented on CBS Early show, Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, and a handful of print publications. Pretty cheap media exposure in my book; nut I am true artisan chocolatier. I feel you pain.