GODIVA presents SWEET! Fifth Anniversary Party

Last weekend was full of food and fun at the 2012 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE. I kicked off the NYCWFF with the signature dessert party that helped launch the Festival - GODIVA presents SWEET! The fifth anniversary party was held on October 12th at 82 Mercer Street, sponsored by ZED Moscato Rose hosted by Sandra Lee with special guests. The celebration featured the most phenomenal artisanal ice creams I've ever tasted, along with luscious gourmet cakes and cupcakes. 

One unforgettable masterpiece was the enormous GODIVA birthday cake created by Chef Duff Goldman in celebration of the new GODIVA Cake Truffles Collection and 5th Anniversary of the NYCWFF. 

At the end of the night, the GODIVA SWEETest award was announced and awarded to Chef Elizabeth Karmel from Hill Country Barbecue Market and her PB&J Cupcakes with GODIVA Pearls.

Here's a look at the party and my favorite desserts of the night: 

PB&J Cupcakes - Chef Elizabeth Karmel, Hill Country Barbecue Market

Salted Crack Caramel: Salted butter caramel ice cream with pieces of Deb's famous crack cookies - Ample Hills Creamery

Georgetown Cupcake SoHo

Love this hot pink rhinestone-covered stand mixer at Georgetown Cupcake SoHo

Braised Pork Belly with Cranberry Sauce and sauteed Swiss Chard - Chalermkittichai - U.S. Cranberries presents Ember Room

Parfait of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Orange Ice Cream with Cranberry Compote - Jacques Torres

Black Forest Cake with Pomegranate Gelée - Stephane Motir, Tribeca Grill

Guiness Toffee Cake with Bailey's Frosting - Jaime Sudberg, The Stanton Social

Cake Shots - Tonnie Rozier, Tonnie's Minis

ZED Moscato Rose

GODIVA Truffle Bar

My favorite dessert of the night - Coffee Toffee Ice Cream Sundae: Coffee Ice Cream, Toffee Sauce, Roasted Bananas, Peanuts and Chocolate Sauce - Claudia Fleming, The North Fork Table & Inn

Handing out cookies to support Baking for Good at the LG Custom Kitchen  

Sticky Toffee Apple Cake with Green Apple Whipped Cream - Joe Murphy, Jean-Georges

Cafe illy

Sandra Lee

GODIVA 'SWEET 5', inspired by the birthday cake truffle from the new GODIVACake Truffles Collection: White Chocolate Vanilla Mousse, Chocolate Cake, Fresh Raspberry Glaze, Dark Chocolate Decoration, White Chocolate "Confetti" - David Funaro GODIVA Senior Chef Chocolatier

ABSOLUT VODKA: ABSOLUT MANDRIN Punch: ABSOLUT MANDRIN, Pineapple Juice, Cranberry Juice, Ginger Ale

Make My Cake

Sweet Potato Ice Cream: Homemade Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks drizzled with Caramel Sauce - Aliyyah Baylor, Make My Cake

Pepsi Refresh Lounge

Lifeway frozen kefir - Mango, Original, Strawberry and Pumpkin with toppings

Ice Cream Push Pops: Pumpkin Ice Cream with Spiced, Candied Pepitas - Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, Big Gay Ice Cream

Toasted Rice Ice Cream, Chocolate Shell, Puffed Rice & Pomegranate - Park Avenue Autumn

Pernod Absinthe: Pernod's Pajamas - Pernod Absinthe, Simple Syrup, Lillet Rose, Pink Grapefruit Juice / Pernod Absinthe Ice Cream - Coconut Based Pernod Absinthe Ice Cream with Burnt Sugar Shards / Pernod Absinthe Macaroons

Guest Bobby Flay

The party continued downstairs with delicious artichoke, sicilian and Vodka sicilian pizza from Artichoke

Edible lipstick

Guests participating in the SWEET Street Art Wall

- Kim Weling