Captured Event
February, 08 2010 - Third Way Says it With Chocolate in Lodo!
What: 5th Annual Pro/Am Chocolate Tasting Competition
Where: Tattered Cover, Lodo
When: Monday, February 8, 2010
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $20 suggested donation
Beneficiary: Third Way Center's Alternative High School, The Joan Farley Academy
Presenting Sponsor(s): Alarm Specialists, The Integer Group
Founders: Dr. Hildegard Messenbaugh
Executive Director: David Eisner
Libations: Coffee was provided by Tattered Cover Book Store; Milk was provided by Robinson's Dairy
Music: University of Colorado Music Department: Violin Studio - Tess Adams, Nicole Fainsan, Sam Goodman, Lauren Miller and Professor Ozzie Lehnert
Menu: Chocolate cakes, chocolate tortes, chocolate popcorn, chocolate cookies, chocolate brownies, chocolate truffles, ...
Attendance: 150
Special Thanks: Celebrity Judges: Tom Mustin, CBS4 and Joanne Davidson, Denver Post; Professional Judges: WIlliam Poole. Wen Chocolates; James Gall0. Brown Palace; Amanda Faison, 5280 Magazine
Information: www.thirdwaycenter.org,
Donors: Robin Chocolates, McCormick's Catering, Child's Pastry, The Chocolate Therapist, Epicurean, The Shoppe, Enstrom's, Too Haute Cowgirls, Wen Chocolates, Brown Palace
Event Coordinator: Tami Lack
Planning Committee: Students and Staff of Third Way's Joan Farley Academy
Board of Directors: President: WIlliam Matthews, Secretary: Marilyn Dana, Treasurer: Mark Messenbaugh, Robert French, Joel Farkas, Gary Gray, Sally Johnston, Hildegard Messenbaugh
Blacktie Photos by: Stacy Ohlsson
Brown Palace Chef James Gallo had a few words to say, thanking patrons and contributors.
View all photos
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Third Way Center held its fifth annual chocolate competition, “Say it With Chocolate,” on Monday, February 8, 2010 at the Tattered Cover in Lower Downtown.
The competition started five years ago as an idea for a fun February event to fund the annual community-service trips that Third Way’s Joan Farley Academy students make to New Mexico and Arizona, but over the years, the tasting has become a serious, competitive event, showcasing some of the finest chefs and bakeries in the Denver area.
The Tattered Cover provided the large gallery for amateur and professional chefs to share their masterpieces. Patrons filled their plates with chocolate delicacies and perused the dozens of silent auction items, many of which were hand made by Joan Farley students. (And ALL were procured by the students.)
The students were an integral part of planning and preparation of the event. “Say it With Chocolate is more than just a fundraiser,” said principal Lisa Baylon. “We use this event as part of our educational curriculum. Students learn about revenues and expenses, profits and losses, how to write a solicitation letter, how to plan food for a large crowd, and all the various details that are required in the planning of a special event.”
And this year, they added a couple of new twists.
Although it’s fun to eat chocolate for dinner, the tummy feels better when it has some sustenance beforehand. So the students prepared and served two versions (one vegetarian) of “Tiger Chili … It’s Fierce!” topped with fritos and cheese, and offered jars of it for sale. Of course, they sold out pretty quickly.
Another brilliant idea this year was the sale of “to-go-boxes” – little Chinese-style boxes that patrons were encouraged to fill to the brim with their favorite selections. Needless to say, there were lots of over-stuffed boxes leaving the room.
Students from the University of Colorado’s “violin studio,” along with their professor, Ozzie Lehnart, provided music for the evening. The CU students travel weekly from Boulder to Denver to teach violin to the youth at Third Way Center.
The Tattered Cover provided coffee from their Café, and long-time supporter Robinson Dairy donated cartons of milk for the perfect complement to chocolate!
Entries this year included wacky and beautiful creations by The Brown Palace, McCormick’s Catering, and Child’s Pastry. The Shoppe served dozens and dozens of mini-cupcakes, including one made with beets. One of the unique entries was provided by Too Haute Cowgirls – several “dressed up” versions of popcorn and caramel corn, complete with chocolate, spices, nuts and herbs. Robin Chocolates had lavender infused truffels, while the Brown Palace created a mango-jalapeno truffle.
The competition had three categories of judges: professional, celebrity and people’s choice. The professional judges included William Poole of Wen Chocolates, James Gallo of the Brown Palace and Amanda Faison of 5280 Magazine. Celebrity judges included Joanne Davidson of the Denver Post and Tom Mustin of CBS4 News, along with his daughter, Hailey, in her 3rd year of judging. They had a very difficult job, as the best of the best chocolatiers in Denver participated. (See the list of winners, below.)
“Say it With Chocolate” raised more than $8,000 this year, to fund educational trips to Taos, New Mexico and Chinle, Arizona. Each year, selected students travel to reservations near these sites to learn about the Native American culture, complete community service projects and build self-esteem. Last year several youth hiked all the way to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up. For most of them, it was their first time away from Denver, their first time in a sleeping bag, and their first time completing such a vigorous psychological and physical goal.
Nationally recognized, Third Way is one of Denver’s most successful treatment programs for at-risk, mentally ill and disadvantaged youth, providing a positive and therapeutic alternative to incarceration and homelessness.
Professional Awards:
Best Candies: Enstrom’s Toffee
Best Truffles: Robin Chocolates: Lavender Truffle
Best Cakes & Tortes: McCormick’s Catering: Chocolate Ecstasy Cake
Best Cookies & Brownies: Child’s Pastries: “Hip to be Square” Brownies
Best Miscellaneous Category: The Chocolate Therapist: Organic Peanut Butter & Sea Salt Meltaways
Showpiece Award: Child’s Pastries: “The Chocolate Factory”
Honorable Mention: Chef Jeff Erickson with McCormick’s Catering for going “above and beyond” with overall presentation/entry
Celebrity Awards:
Best Candies: The Brown Palace: Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Marshmallows (Chef LaNette Lovato)
Best Truffles: The Brown Palace: Chai Milk Chocolate Truffle (Chef James Gallo)
Best Cookies & Brownies: Students of Joan Farley Academy, Lowry Campus: Brownies
Best Miscellaneous Category: Too Haute Cowgirls: “The Good, The Bad & the Peanut Butter” – popcorn
Honorable Mention: Wen Chocolates: Pandora Bark and Tami Lack (amateur): Chocolate Raspberry Delights
People’s Choice Awards:
Best Candies: Enstrom’s Toffee
Best Cakes & Tortes: The Shoppe: Misc. Cupcakes
Best Truffles: The Brown Palace: Mango Jalapeno Truffle (Chef LaNette Lovato)
Best Cookies & Brownies: Greg Downs (amateur): “Ganutz Over You” Bars
Best Miscellaneous Category: Students of the Joan Farley Academy at the KW Brill Center: Chili
Honorable Mention: Too Haute Cowgirls – Chocolate Popcorn
Runners Up: McCormick’s Catering, Robin Chocolates, Child’s Pastry, The Chocolate Therapist & Tami Lack (amateur)
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