We just got back from experiencing the Oregon Chocolate Festival in nearby Ashland, Ore. In its 14th year, the festival for the past three years has called the Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites home, and this was our first time experiencing the event there. One of the reasons we did not attend the past few years was how congested and uncomfortable the former site (the historic Ashland Springs Hotel in downtown Ashland) had become. The larger rooms and more open layout of the stylishly appointed retro mid-century hotel offered plenty of space for the large crowd to circulate among the vendor booths and sample the wares.

Aside from the open-to-the-public weekend event ($20 per person for one day or $30 per person for both Saturday and Sunday, 10 percent of which goes to the Children’s Miracle Network and the local hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit), special events (all of which sell out) such as cocktail parties and wine dinners are scheduled, and chef demonstrations and hands-on workshops complement all the chocolate sampling. A 5K fun run is scheduled for Sunday morning, and all weekend long patrons can get 20 percent off tickets to Oregon Shakespeare Festival plays simply by mentioning “chocolate” at the box office or entering that code when ordering online.

We observed Chef Darrell Folck of the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute as he created some delectable chocolate tarts. He walked us through the creation of each of the elements, from the crust to the mousse to the free-form chocolate garnish on top, all while offering tips and advice on working with chocolate. The final product, sprinkled with edible gold foil,  unfortunately could not be enjoyed by all who watched the demo, as only a dozen or so were made, but he assured us it was a dessert each of us could attempt at home. Our one complaint would be that the demonstration spaces only accommodated about three dozen participants, while at least double that number wanted to take part.

We enjoyed sampling the wares the chocolatiers offered, everything from specialty chocolate bars made from source-specific cacao to beautifully crafted truffles and chocolate sauces and unusual confections. Most of the vendors are based in Oregon, but a few represented California, Washington and farther-flung locales. Some items didn’t actually contain chocolate but were offered as an accompaniment to it: wines, tea, beers and spirits; cheeses; and fruit sauces. One could even peruse some original art and bath and spa products. Vegans could choose from more than just a few dairy-free options, and those who must forego soy and gluten also would not leave disappointed.

We were present for the awards in four categories judged by food professionals, and we found their opinions of the best-of-the-best coincided quite often with our own. Best Bon-Bon went to Fera’wyn’s Artisan Chocolates (just recently relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina); we had already purchased a boxful of their lovely confections.   Runner up in that category had also caught our eyes, as Temper & Mo‘s gorgeous “Chocolate Healing Stones” couldn’t be ignored.   The marbled painting technique used to adorn these chocolates mimics the look of polished semi-precious stones — with names to match: amethyst berry, agate white chocolate, peridot lemon marzipan, bloodstone blood orange, tiger eye salted caramel. The flavors inside stood up to the promise of those lovely exteriors, too. 

We were pleased to have made our return to the Oregon Chocolate Festival and look forward to enjoying some of the treasures we brought home from there in the coming weeks.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor