June 25, 2007

US & Canada | US | San Francisco

Sugar Rush

By Tiffany Hawk

And you thought chocolate was only for eating.

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The average American eats 12 pounds of chocolate per year, nearly half of what the average Brit consumes. Help bridge that gap at the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon, July 14-15 at Fort Mason, where epicures won’t stop at eating the chocolate — they’ll be drinking it, painting with it, and even wearing it. Yosh Han, known for her wardrobe of perfumes at Barney’s, will showcase a collection of chocolate fragrances. You can also expect chocolate tastings and wine pairings, as well as a “chocolate spa.” (The latter won’t in fact be offering any chocolate treatments, as touted, but rather a menu of “chocolate-inspired” makeovers — if you can call brown eye shadow “inspired.”)

Still, for ten days leading up to the salon, the entire city will get in on the act — Bloomingdale’s will host daily chocolate cooking demonstrations by chefs from Absinthe Brasserie and Myth Cafe, and a clutch of restaurants will concoct chocolate dishes and drinks sponsored by Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur. Festivities also include lectures on chocolate history, plus how-to classes on drinks, molds, fondants, truffles, and gelato. Life, at least for those visiting San Francisco this July, really can be like a box of chocolates.