Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Salon Du Chocolat 2014


My haul from last night's opening soirée at the SALON DU CHOCOLAT. I was focused on small chocolate souvenir cards to stuff the Paris Sketch Letters with more than edibles. Impulse did finally get the better of me but my neighbors will be happy when they open their front doors this morning. Some people are not safe around caramel chocolate wafers. Guess who?

The chocolate salon is celebrating it's 20th birthday. It's reach is now world wide with chocolate celebrations across the globe. This global chocolate dress says it all. I'm going back today to sketch the chocolate creations.

Cémoi of the wonderful marshmallow chocolate bears had this old but quite elegant poster on display.

Once the chocolate fashion show gets going everyone crowds round hoping for a look. The perfect time for me to go off shooting the stands.

There is a big homage of photos to M. Chocolat, ROBERT LINXE who made Paris the chocolate center of the world with his MAISON DU CHOCOLAT years ago. I remember when he came to the James Beard House and gave us a tasting and demo eons ago. Linxe remains the mentor and role model to France's chocolatiers without doubt. La creme du la creme.

His Maison has always had wonderfully elegant design. The show this year seemed filled with elegant design. Perfect so close to Paris Fashion Week.

Of course I'm a big fan of the design and chocolates of Frederick Cassel Fontainebleau.

This year like last, he used my drawings as a backdrop for his chocolates.

His limited edition feve honoring Bonaparte are ready if you plan ahead for your January galette du roi.

On to the chocolate, stacks and stacks of it in every imaginable flavor.

Molten chocolate never ceases to fascinate. Ah...the smell of it.

There will always be chocolate fountains and the temptation to pass a finger under...don't you dare.

Here's huge pear that did pass under the chocolate wave. I must go back and search for this.

Football fields of exquisite chocolates. These are from Dalloyau and I can attest they are excellent after 4 samples. The passion fruit in milk chocolate especially.

Of course it's purely an interest in abstract shapes that attracts me. Cube, sphere, Cezanne would have been happy.

Praliné spheres encircling a dark chocolate tree from Michel Cluizel with LED lights. Eat your tree. No waste. No mess.

On to the buche du Noel. Here the chocolate log is taken to ultimate simplicity with wit and elegance by master chocolatier Jean-Paul Hévin.

A more playful version from Hévin.

I felt like this guy when I left at 10:30 pm. The clocks moved back last weekend and I still haven't adjusted.

Should you go to the Salon du Chocolat  if you're in Paris? 
I say YES!
There are many more things besides chocolate if you don't love the bean. The elegant, inspiring presentation alone is a good reason to go. Chocolate chefs are artists so expect eye candy of the highest order. If you need more proof check out my other pictures on Flickr.

21 comments:

  1. sHow more of the poster you did for them please. You are so good. I always enjoyed your drawings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Anne! They used it first last year.I can't tell if it's the same or redone.
      Frederick is a wonderful guy and everything he makes reflects it.
      Top drawer
      http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.fr/2013/10/what-i-ate-at-salon-du-chocolat-opening.html

      Delete
  2. Too humble..I wannaseeitcloser!
    Fantastic..what a smart man that FC.
    Looks lovely..That's my fave part and that little girl's skirt and beret!
    AND les fèves of course! GORGEOUS.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What great pictures. The pot of chocolate - I wanted to have by spoonfuls. I recognized your artwork when I saw the pictures on facebook earlier this morning. Have fun, I cannot wait to see more.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anabelle3:10 PM

    Love the kiddie wearing the red beret. so cute

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love all of the shots :) But when you get down to Dalloyau, I'm just drooling! God, that looks good!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh I can't wait to go tomorrow! Your post and flickr photos just helped stir the pot!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous6:44 PM

    Even though I have not been reading your blog for long when I saw that photo of Fontainbleau, etc,
    something in the back of my mind said, "Those watercolors look familiar, hmm... Paris Breakfast's?
    Guess your sketching style is becoming very familiar to my eyes! I like it a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Heaven, I'm in Heaven! Carol, I do love chocolate, and with some difficulty manage to limit my intake of chocolate. And so...your visual feast is very satisfying, without adding to my calories. Merci!

    Some dear friends gave me a luxurious box of chocs from NYC's Maison du Chocolat for my September birthday. They do know me well.

    I expect that you have now got lots and lots of painting inspiration and also the joy of samplings the actual taste of Paris' best chocolat.

    How sweet it is. xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Charlotte B.10:09 PM

    I want the chocolate pear on a stick. Some lolly pop!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, my!! So much chocolate. I'm drooling!! Lovely to see your drawings in the display, too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I swear I can smell the chocolate from this post. OK, it's official, I'll plan on going on Sunday. Fashion first on Saturday, and chocolate on Sunday. I'm in awe of the models wearing chocolate dresses---guess at their age, they don't have hot flashes. Could give a new meaning to "hot mess."

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous11:29 AM

    Gawd! Why don't the French weigh 500 lbs.?

    ReplyDelete
  13. These look divine but I swear that the displays are even prettier than the chocolate delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I can't believe I missed Cassel's stand! How did that happen? Amazing to see your drawings up there. I need to return or visit his shop in Fontainbleau. Congrats! I admire how you get to these places - no wonder you feel tired now and again! I'm pooped only after a few hours there yesterday! But it was great fun...

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am in awe of your job. I know it is a lot of work, but does it feel like work? :)

    Madonna

    ReplyDelete
  16. Chocolate heaven - I'm envious. I was sure that was your backdrop in the previous post & now, I think I need to make a side trip to Fontainbleu on my next trip.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you for all the delicious pictures and love the one with your artwork. I can see I must plan my next visit a little later in the year to hit the Vendages de Montmartre AND the Chocolate Salon!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Not sure that's true, Carol...at work (animation studio) we've got all these food drawings as props in our episodes and we get hungry for burgers, shrimps, steak, fries, giant towering cakes with icing and strawberries....

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ack, I meant to comment on the post above this one, about drawing the foods one was craving for. Obviously my mind is fixed on other things (like burgers and cake) >.<

    ReplyDelete
  20. Was Gilles Cresno at the salon? His chocolates are soooo good!

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you