If you love chocolate…this foodie tour is for you! Melissa Dobbins and I hosted a Hot Chocolate Networking Tour in Chicago. Foodies, dietitians, bloggers, etc. joined in on the fun and tasted some of Chicago’s BEST hot chocolate.
Our First Stop: XOCO
It is Rick and Deann Bayless’s restaurant offering contemporary Mexican cuisine. Shaw Lash, the executive chef at XOCO, gave us a presentation on how they make their hot chocolate in house. She said that they start with cacao beans that they specially ship in from Mexico’s Tabasco state.
They start with cacao beans (shown at top of picture) and then crack them open. Inside the cacao beans are little cacao nibs (shown on the bottom left). These are ground down until they become a creamy chocolate mix (shown in picture below). Mexican cinnamon and organic evaporated cane juice are later added to the chocolate mixture to make their deliscious hot chocolate.
We also tasted hot-from-the-fryer churros that went perfectly with the homemade hot chocolate.
Our Second Stop: Vosges Haut-Chocolate
Raquel Scianna, Chicago Event Coordinator at Vosges Haut-Chocolat, gave the tour group a presentation on the hot chocolate we were tasting and the history of the store.
We tasted their Spicy Maya Hot Chocolate, which combines spicy chilies and dark chocolate.
Then, we had time to network and sample various chocolates in the store.
Melissa and I
Everyone received goodie bags filled with specialty chocolates.
Our Thrid Stop: Angel Food Bakery
We had a rich milk chocolate hot chocolate at this stop topped with homemade whipped cream. Not only did they have great creamy hot chocolate, but Angel Food Bakery also has mouth watering treats like those shown below.
One of the charming features about Angel Food Bakery is their collection of antique Easy-Bake ovens along the ceiling of their store.
We had samples of their delicious lemon bars and chocolate raspberry truffles to go with the hot chocolate at this stop.
We finished our treats and enjoyed more sweet networking before getting back on the tour bus.
Thanks to all those that joined us on our first foodie tour! If you are interested in future events contact us!
What is your favorite hot chocolate destination?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
genius idea. My fave? Easy- Jacque Torres in NY Wicked Hot Chocolate: heavenly and deadly.
wow great post! did you organize all of this on your own? that sounds so fun sometimes I wish that I was living in chicago with you!!! will you take in Jeff and me as roommates? =P
I thought up the idea, but had an amazing co-pilot to help put on the event named Melissa Dobbins! You should move to the city We are planning more tours this coming Spring and Summer.