Cocoa Vino

"Made with regional, sustainable and organic ingredients using ecologically sound wind power and packaged in recycled materials, Cocoa Vino's "eco-forward" business practices are as sound as their products are exquisitely decadent. The Fig Caramels are a blend of organic fig and buttery caramel with a dark chocolate shell. One box contains 12 caramels in three flavors: Madeira Wine, organic Orange with Anesone liqueur and farm-fresh apple with Calvados for $35. The extremely rich Drunken Figs are filled with vintage port and covered organic dark chocolate. Packaged in a reuseable tin, the drunken figs are $22 for four or $50 for ten."

::VIA

12/16/06::Art/Tape Swap::Potluck Dinner::Concert @The Bridge

Dec. 16th 06
@The Bridge
7:00pm
Free
Pot Luck Dinner
Art/Tape Swap

Nude Black Glass
White Boy Reggae
Pat Clifford
Pome
And More..

184 Mechanics St.
Southbridge, MA
01550

Contact us for more info.
float.on.it@gmail.com

Wooden Food Toys

"German toymakers Haba and Erzi offer the most extensive collections of wooden kitchen play toys. From great basic sets like the gift basket by Haba which includes an assortment of fruits and vegetables, bread, dairy and chocolate ($19 from Moolka) to more obscure items like Sugar Cubes ($6), Noodles ($4) and Canned Pineapple Rings ($28), Haba's intricate details are irresistible. The Cheese Roll Cutting set from Erzi ($15) is a child-sized cutting board, knife, cheese and roll with halves that velcro together to make that satisfying real-life sound when "cut."

American toy makers Melissa and Doug also make a variety of wooden kitchen play toys. I love the generic commercial innocence of the packaging design on this Deluxe Wooden Play Food Set (pictured below left ) available for $20 at Amazon. For children with more international tastes, the Wooden Sushi Set ($20 from Genius Jones) is a wooden bento box comes complete with chopsticks, wasabi, ginger and soy sauce."

::VIA

Minale Maeda::Table Manners Collection

"Minale Maeda's "Table Manners Collection" is a clever exploration of the intersection of formal dining and fast food. Toasted directly onto a grilled sandwich, the porcelain pattern lends the refinement of fine china to eating on-the-go. Other works by Mario Minale and Kuniko Maeda, the duo behind this Rotterdam-based design studio, include t-shirts printed with a tablecloth pattern—for those of us who would rather eat topless than on a undressed table—and delicately embroidered paper napkins."
::VIA

Super Mario wedding cake

"This has got to be the coolest wedding cake I have ever seen, in fact it is probably the coolest cake of any kind. The detail on this stunning and its just looks so irresistibly tasty. There have been lots of cakes made based on video games but none of them compare to this Mario inspired wedding cake. Enjoy the pictures and try not to drool over your keyboard. You can see more pictures here." ::VIA

Cocoa Locoa Bespoke Chocolate Service

"Cocoa Locoa is the creation of Karalee LaRochelle, who, like several other people who've inspired us by their midlife career shifts, knew there was a better way to make a living. After years in business consulting and marketing she earned a degree in Pastry at the New York Culinary Institute. Stints at Eleven Madison Park, Fauchon and Veré Chocolate followed.

In addition to her excellent line of hand made artisan chocolates and confections made with local and organic ingredients—the Salted Honey Caramels, made with Fireweed honey, are beyond—Karalee offers a Bespoke Chocolate Service. First she meets with you to understand the kinds of flavors and style of chocolates you like. She then creates a range of chocolates using your preferences, which you sample at your very own tasting (four costs $250, 8 costs $450).

Once you select the creations that best suit you, they can be further customized by adding a unique screened design and custom packaging. Minimum order is 50 pieces per flavor at $1.50 a piece (50¢ less than a non-custom chocolate). Still don't know what to get the person who has everything?

And what better to serve with your Bespoke Chocolate than Bespoke Vodka?

Experience Cocoa Locoa at the NY Chocolate Show today through 12 November 2006, or at the Cocoa Locoa site."

::VIA

Chocolate sushi

"Suedy's Koo-ki Sushi is really kooky. I mean, really. If you're expecting some savory maguro or ebi, get ready for a surprise, because this sushi is actually made out of chocolate. As a novel specialty item, Koo-ki Sushi sure gets your attention. The craftsmanship is exquisite, with faithful attention to detail. Each confection really looks like sushi, but tastes very different (I'm sure.) The site allows you to shop online, and even ship to your desired destination, ensuring that even if you don't live near a Koo-ki sushi store you can still savor and give the gift of choco-sushi to your friends and family. You'll be sure to astound (or confound) them with your efforts. Even the included wasabi (green tea flavored) and soy sauce (chocolate) is a sugary treat."

::VIA

"From the chocolatier behind the beloved Cocoa Nibs, Michel Cluizel fills his signature milk chocolate Halloween Lollipops ($3 each) with creamy almond and hazelnut praline (above center).

Marzipan artist Rebecca Russell, makes Skull Boy and Nosferatu figures (above right) that are both creepy and cute.

If you're still craving chocolate on 1 November, Vosges has created Day of the Dead Skulls (above left) in Venezuelan white chocolate, dark chocolate with ancho and chipotle chillies and Ceylon cinnamon, deep milk chocolate with hickory smoked almonds and grey sea salt. All have edible black glitter eyes and are available from Vosges for $8 each." ::VIA