The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018

The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018 preview with 

Cookie DOH Cones from The Dessertist

The Big Chocolate Show NYC 2018 took place on September 28th and 29th at The New Yorker Hotel at 481 Eighth Avenue, kicking off Chocolate Week NYC (September 28 - October 5th). 50+ exhibitors and more than 200 chocolatiers, artisans, chefs, authors, purveyors and experts from around the world offered chocolate tastings, master tasting classes and live demonstrations. 

The master tasting and pairing classes included 3-D Chocolate Printing, Whiskey + Chocolate Pairing, Indoor S'mores, Specialty Spices & Chocolate, A Craft Cocktail & Chocolate Pairing Primer, Cooking with Cacao, A Hawaiian Chocolate Tasting, Truffle Making and more. 

My favorite part of The Big Chcocolate Show NYC is of course sampling all of the chocolate! Sea salt has always been a classic favorite of mine, but I was excited to see more of Coffee, Espresso and Lavender offered among the exhibitors. Each year I am also seeing more and more creative and artistic packaging. Here's a look at some of my favorite chocolates / exhibitors from this year's show!

Mishti favorites: Darkest Lavender Sealt, Coffee Trip and Bitter Sweet Toffee

Amore di Mona - thank you for your generous sampling of your chocolates! Amore di Mona is vegan, Non-GMO, and low glycemic. Their chocolates are free of gluten, soy, milk, wheat, peanuts, eggs, and tree nuts. I was thrilled to have been able to try an assortment of your flavors! Among my favorites were Caramela with Cherries, Dark Chocolate with Coffee, Dark Chocolate Ganache topped with Sea Salt, and Lemon Rose. 

Raw Chocolate Love is 100% raw, organic, gluten + dairy, free. They offer some unique flavors  including White Truffle Oil and Earl Grey. Sea Salt, Espresso and Rose were among my go-to flavors. The chocolate is indulgent, rich and soft. It's the type of chocolate bar you want to savor one piece at a time, instead of eating the whole bar at once.

MarieBelle with beautiful 1940's Vargas pin-up girl packaging

Moka Origins favorites: Espresso and Sea Salt

My newest obsession: Nitro Cold Brew Coffee

Favorites: Pepperming infused with Lavender, Rose infused with Cardamom and Sea Salt infused with Tumeric

I got a lesson in tasting fudge: to let it melt between tip of your tongue and the roof of your mouth, and don't chew or swallow the fudge. The Fat Ass Fudge from the kitchen of Chocology was very decadent and flavorful, one of the best I've ever tasted! 

My favorites from Brooklyn Born Chocolate's include Almond Butter and Cafe Au Lait

Bang Cookies are giant-sized organic & natural soft baked cookies delivered nationwide. Among my favorites are the Espresso Chocolate Chunk, Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk and Triple Chocolate Chunk. I would also love to try the Bourbon Walnut Toffee and Cinnamon Whiskey Crackle Cookie.

- Kim Weling