"Chocolate Wasted"

Just to preface this story:

Ariana and I thought it was a great idea not to eat anything before going to the chocolate festival so we could utilize all the space in our stomachs. 

Saturday, 12:30

I am out on a run, preparing for one of the most exciting events in my young life: Salon du Chocolat. I had to get my metabolism running, my stomach grumbling and my mind sharp in order to fully appreciate the 13 euro ticket to this chocolate festival.

We had heard rumors: 

"I ate so much chocolate I thought I was going to puke."

"I never want to look at chocolate again."

"I went last year and there was a hill made of chocolate mousse."

Ammetuers, we scoffed. 

After a long commute on the metro we arrived at the convention center and got in line to enter. I soon realized, of course, that I had forgotten my ticket. After a brief interlude of stress, I realized that I had a french blackberry and could access my ticket online.  The ticket checker didn't think my brilliant idea was so brilliant. So, after some near-tearful explanations, American charm and big smiles, I convinced him to let me in.

I had never seen anything like it in my whole life. Chocolate booth after chocolate booth after chocolate booth of displays, tastings, specialties, etc. We immediately got started. 

We ping-ponged from booth to booth, cramming samples int our mouths and marveling at the rich milks, intense darks, and creamy nougats. A few times I forgot to ask what it was I was tasting, ended up hating it, and spit it out in the nearest trashcan...trials and tribulations of a chocolate taster. 

GU, this amazing dessert company sold in the supermarkets here, had a booth that was overflowing with attendees trying to get entire actual chocolate souflees. We pushed, elbowed and squeezed our way to the front just to find out that there were no more. Crestfallen, we waited, while people shoved behind us, for some type of sample. Luckily, we got spoonfuls of chocolate lava cake, which I carried high above my head like a football as I pushed through the crowd to fresh air--victorious. The sample was amazing. After an hour we thought we had hit them all, and were starting to feel pretty sick. We took a breather next to the chocolate couture:

It wasn't until Ari peaked around the display that we realized the festival stretched onwards; there was an entire half of the center left to be explored. 

We hit one station where one of the employees gave us sample, after sample, after sample. We asked questions, feigned intense interest, each bought something. He even gave us two entire pieces and cut up a truffle for me. Lucky strike #2. 

After about another 30 minutes Ari said, " I need substance. I need meat or something, I can't eat anymore chocolate."

We headed to a cafe at one end of the center. All I wanted was something plain, I asked to buy a mini piece of bread. The man behind the counter looked at me, incredulously, "those aren't for sale, those are for les salades." "WTF," I thought. He looked at me for a few seconds longer and handed me a piece. "For free?" I asked. 

Lucky strike #3. 

I divided my bread in three and we preserved. 

We were dazed, had headaches, fatigued, felt like we were going to throw up. But there was still so many more booths left to taste. Ari said she didn't know if she could go on, but Stella and I did not let her  give up. We tasted chocolates even though we didn't want to--in situations like these, you have to stay tough and play like a champion. 

After I thought I might actually throw up, I saw it. "Look away Bri," Ari said. Too late. Chocolate Chip Cookies. Any of you who know me well know that my favorite dessert of all time is a fabulous, gooey, chocolate chip cookie. Check these out:

I had to have one. Ari said she would go halfsies with me. We bought it. It's still in the fridge. I cannot even look at it. But, we did try samples and they were to. die.for. So, when I regain my capacity to eat chocolate, that's the first thing I am going for. 

I have never been so overwhelmed in my life. My body actually overcame my mind in terms of eating chocolate. I would reach for a sample, eat it, and then think "whyyyy." Over and over. But it was impossible to say no. Everything was exquisite. There were chocolate concoctions I had never even heard of. 

2.5 hrs later we decided to call it quits. At this point, Ari was refusing samples. It was 4:30 and all we had eaten that day was chocolate. We had had:

dark chocolate(x100)

milk chocolate(x100)

chocolate cake

chocolate carmel

chocolate compote

chocolate jam

GU molten chocolate cake

Baileys

chocolate liquor (all Stella)

cookies

chocolate covered nuts

chocolate ice cream

chocolate shavings

chocolate with absinthe 

blue chocolate

dried fruit

wine to have while eating chocolate

hot chocolate

white chocolate

chocolate fondant

truffles

the list goes on...

"I am considering making myself throw up," Ari said. I had already been thinking that. We were chocolate wasted. I could barely eat anything the rest of the day. We had to go home and lie down, drink a lot of water, and put all of the chocolate we bought out of eye site. 

Needless to say, it was an amazing experience. I tried chocolates from all over the world, some amazing, some pretty strange. It was an entire event to honor chocolate, though I won't be honoring chocolate for a long, long time.

Check out the rest of my pics:The day I died in chocolat