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Salado Hits a Sweet Spot with its First Annual Expressions of Good Taste Chocolate & Art Festival October 10-12th, 2008
By Deborah | August 19, 2008
Salado, TX – The Village of Salado hits a sweet spot with weekend getaway fans. For those who believe the four basic food groups consist of white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate and truffles…the ‘Expressions of Good Taste’ Chocolate & Art Festival is one event not to be missed. This year’s event takes place throughout the downtown shopping district and coincides with the annual Christmas in October shopping spree and Gallery Night in October. October 10-12th offers visitors three great Salado events in a single weekend…Expressions of Good Taste Chocolate & Art Festival, Gallery Night in October and Christmas in October.
The three-day chocolate celebration promises to satisfy all the senses with chocolate, wine tastings, music, demonstrations, chocolate sculpting, a gourmet chocolate & champagne brunch, and gallery tours. The festival kickoff begins on Friday evening with an Evening of Chocolate & Wine from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Salado Wine Seller. Guests will be invited to savor the taste of premier Texas wines paired with decadent chocolates. The Evening of Chocolate & Wine will feature the finest in artisan chocolates, and wine tasting from Texas vineyards. Carriage rides and Belgian horses will provide transportation from both the Stagecoach Inn and Holiday Inn Express to the event location.
A Day of Chocolate & Art is scheduled for Saturday, October 11th. The first event takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Stagecoach Inn. This event will feature chocolate cooking demonstrations from Chef Denice, an instructor at the Texas Culinary Academy, along with Jackie Parchman and Jennifer McClintock. There will also be a fun/educational class on wine and chocolate pairings from Jane Nickles entitled “Like Wine for Chocolate” along with live music and children’s chocolate activities.
Participants will have an opportunity to sample some delicious desserts made by Pastry Chef Denice Woods, each paired with a wine hand selected by Sommelier Jane Nickles. “We’ll see how the wine and chocolate interact, and keep tasting until we find the perfect wine and chocolate match,” stated Jane Nickles. Carriage rides and the Belgian horses will be available to transport guests to and from the event.
Gallery Night in October will open Saturday evening activities with all nine Salado galleries hosting featured artists and art enthusiasts with a wine and cheese reception between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Chocolate sculpting demonstrations will also take place at several galleries. Specific times and locations will be announced at a later date.
A special highlight of Gallery Night in October is the appearance of Susan Eminger at Prellop Fine Art Gallery. Eminger received national acclaim with her Eminger Berry recipe in The Food Network’s “Road Tasted” with Jamie and Bobby Deen. Eminger will be showcasing her famous dessert stuffed strawberries at the gallery between the hours of 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Guests will be able to sample her famous strawberries stuffed with New York Cheesecake. The berries are dipped in dark and white chocolate. Eminger will be providing booklets full of recipes and stories from her experience. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the original Eminger Berry. The business has closed. This is simply Eminger’s way of reaching out to Salado visitors. “I have found a new joy in this community,” stated Susan Eminger. “What better way to share the magic than through the chocolate festival?” concluded Eminger.
The three-day event will conclude on Sunday, October 12th with a spectacular Chocolate and Champagne Brunch between the hours of 11: 00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Participating restaurants and inns will dazzle guests with their finest chocolate and gourmet recipes. Menu selections incorporate the finest chocolate and gourmet selections, including Adelea’s cocoa rubbed beef tenderloin thinly sliced and placed on a bed of field greens with a raspberry vinaigrette and dark chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries. A complete list of Chocolate and Champagne Brunch locations and menus can be found at www.saladochocolatefestival.com.
For festival details and ticket information, visit us online at www.saladochocolatefestival.com or contact the Village of Salado Tourism office at 254-947-8634.
About The Village of Salado:
The Village of Salado is located in Central Texas approximately fifty miles north of Austin. The Village is a popular tourist destination due to its rich history, historic shopping district, idyllic setting on the Salado Creek, and its growing arts and cultural community. Salado has been home to many esteemed Texas notables including authors, Liz Carpenter and A.C. Green, Governor James E. Ferguson, Governor Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, and numerous historical figures have visited, such as Sam Houston and General George Custer. For more information visit the Village of Salado Web site at www.salado.com, or contact Debbie Charbonneau at 254-947-8634 – email saladotourism@vvm.com.
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