Cuckoo for Cacao

January 9th, 2013

From boxes of sweets on Valentine’s Day to bag of treats at Halloween, chocolate is invariably linked to big events. But as beloved as its rich flavor is, there ought to be a celebration of the great goodie itself. Thankfully, ChocolateFest (Jan. 18-20), the Northwest’s celebration of all things mouthwatering, dark and creamy, pours it on every year.

This cocoa celebration fills the Oregon Convention Center with three days of activities and tastings, featuring more than 50 chocolatiers sharing treats like artisan truffles from Moonstruck Chocolate Company, old fashioned candies made by Willamette Valley Confectionary, and gooey, baked delights from Cupcake Jones. To sip with the sweets, you can try local wines from Noble Estate Vineyard, Hip Chicks Do Wine and many more. The fest kicks off with an adults-only premiere party, and includes presentations and samples galore all weekend long.

Foodies who prefer a mix of flavors should check out FoodWorx (Jan. 15), a new culinary conference at the Gerding Theater. Emceed by OPB’s Allison Frost, who hosts the popular program “Think Out Loud,” the conference takes a look at the future of food, bringing in a dozen expert speakers from the arenas of gourmet cuisine, beverage, travel and hospitality. Where better than America’s leading food city to explore the delicious possibilities?