New Hampshire’s Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce hosted some of the area’s most celebrated makers of chocolate creations on March 9 at the 18th annual ChocolateFest and Chocolate Challenge. The event was held once again on the campus of Colby-Sawyer College in beautifully renovated Wheeler Hall in the Ware Campus Center.
ChocolateFest 2013 was a record-breaking year with over 500 attendees. It gave visitors the opportunity to sample and vote for their favorite chocolate creations. The event offered an assortment of uniquely inventive chocolate desserts and decadent handmade chocolate creations from our participants: Bistro Nouveau, Cloud 9 Cupcakes, Extraordinary Taste Catering, Metro Bakery and Cafe, My Brigadeiro, New London Confections, Ooo La La Creative Cakes, Rocky Cannoli’s Bakery, Sweet Treat Greetings, Unbridled Chocolates, and Watts’ New? Bakery.
A panel of judges, including Dan Beturne of Colby-Sawyer College Food Services; Susan Nye, writer, blogger, and chef; and Denis Sword, innkeeper and chef at Follansbee Inn, rendered their votes on two awards: “Best Chocolate” and “Best Presentation.” Both awards were taken home by Laura Powers of Extraordinary Taste Catering of Andover! The “People’s Choice” award, voted on by the 500+ attendees, went to Bistro Nouveau of Eastman Community Center in Grantham.
In addition to the tasting, there was an impressive line-up of silent auction items to bid on, also to benefit the Chamber, including several overnight stays at regional B&Bs, several baskets of goodies, two rounds of golf, local ski package, jewelry, a photo shoot, and much more. There were many gift certificates donated by our Lake Sunapee Region businesses. The event was rounded off nicely with some beautiful music by local musician Will Ogmundson, pianist, and our emcee, Ben Sarro of WNTK.
All proceeds benefit the Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce, a not-for-profit business services organization that helps support Lake Sunapee Region businesses. For further information about the Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce, please contact us at 526-6575 or 877-526-6575, ChamberInfo@nulltds.net, or LakeSunapeeNH.org.