Fleeting Moments

Sweet Fashions by Hershey's

Today is the final day to reserve your place at the Sweet Fashions by Hershey's event at Hershey's Chocolate World -- and if you're near Hershey and free the afternoon of March 30, there's no better place to be!

This annual event benefits the Children's Miracle Network at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital, and includes a fashion show (including all 10 Project Runway Hershey-themed designs!), a chocolate dinner, a chocolate tasting and a big bag of goodies.

For more info, contact Connie at The Hershey Company.

Image ©BravoTV.com

Starbucks + Hershey =

I'm always a little suspicious when I hear business-speak words like "synergy" being tossed around. And it was last night, at the African Coffee & Chocolate Pairing at the Hershey Lodge, one of the more than 300 Chocolate-Covered February events here in Hershey this month. But this time, synergy works. The Hershey Company and Starbucks have quite a bit in common, and their new partnership has produced some unexpectedly good chocolate. But more about that later...

I wanted to try at least one of the Chocolate-Covered events this year -- there are some incredible guests coming to Hershey for the chocolate celebration this year (John Scharffenberger, Joseph Schmidt and Alison Barshak to name-drop just a few!) Fellow Hershey blogger Rebecca and I decided to catch an event together, and the African Coffee & Chocolate Pairing not only sounded interesting, but just as importantly it paired well with our busy schedules.

The hour-long event proved to be more than a little interesting. The tasting was hosted by Sherry Dunbar (green coffee specialist and "sensory expert" for Starbucks Eastern U.S. operation) and John Rita (“brew master” for all chocolate liquor blends that went into Hershey chocolates for 25 years, John now operates a consultancy, T.C. Cocoa). Our small group tasted five chocolates and four Starbucks coffees with their expert guidance. The highlights for me? A French-press brewing of Starbucks Casi Cielo coffee paired with the new Starbucks Dark Chocolate. Earthy and smooth, these were two tastes that tasted great together...and kept me awake half the night.

The true highlight of the evening came after the tasting demonstration. Hershey Company brand manager Bill Blubaugh presented a sneak peek (and taste!) of the Starbucks-Hershey chocolates, a premium line officially scheduled to launch in early March and "inspired by the flavors of the café."

I'll leave the financial analysis to the bottom-line experts; as for the taste analysis, this coffee and chocolate lover is thrilled with the new partnership's results! The 55% cacao Starbucks Dark Chocolate is smooth and sweet, and the Passion Chocolate blended with Tazo Passion Tea is unlike any chocolate I've tried (and in a good way!) I'll be first in line to try the Chai Truffles and the Caramel Macchiato Truffles, and I can't resist a good chocolate-covered coffee bean.

Watch for the Starbucks Chocolate ad campaign to debut in the next two weeks, and keep an eye out for the new chocolate offerings on your favorite grocery store shelves. In the meantime, click on the images to get a better idea of what chocolatey goodness is on the way!

A Night with the Stars

"Paparazzi photos" from Friday evening's Night With The Stars have been posted!

To see your images from the red carpet, go to the Frances Civello Photography web site and click on "Enter Site." Then click on "Client Proofs" at the top of the frame, and enter the password from your program.

I had the BEST time photographing everyone arriving at this fantastic event, and judging from the photos, a good time was had by all!

One Way to Beat the Winter Blues

On a happier note, it is now officially Chocolate-Covered February in Hershey!

Although the cynical among us might suspect this is a simply a marketing ploy to bring in tourists during the quietest month of the year, I prefer to look at the bright side. Chocolate Covered February provides an unparalleled opportunity to drown our winter sorrows in chocolate!

There are many cool events around town all month long, and some of them are even free (learning how to make drinks with a chocolate flair -- sign me up!) Check it out. And if you need a chocolate-loving chum to tag along, send up a flare and I'll be right there.

Valentine Minis: Such a Deal!

Tired of the same old cartoon-character Valentines? Why not send your child to class with something really unique this year!

Our new Valentine Mini Cards are simply wallet-sized photos with our gorgeous lustre coating. You choose the photo and we'll work with you to add a design that's as individual as your child (or you!)

To make the deal even better, Valentine Mini Cards take full advantage of our yearly sale on wallet-sized photos: In January and February, wallets are 50% off! See the News section of the web site for details...and book your Valentine session today!

Book Your Valentine's Day Photo Session Now!

Create a very special Valentine to send this year -- we have new card designs just for this heartwarming holiday! And if you book your session before February 4, you'll get a complimentary 8x10 deluxe print to preserve your 2008 Valentine memories for a lifetime.

The NHL Winter Classic

One benefit of being in Buffalo in December -- we had a chance to be surrounded by the excitement about the NHL Winter Classic! This outdoor hockey game pits the Pittsburgh Penguins against the hometown Sabres. It's a sequel to the 2003 Heritage Classic, and word is that the NHL is considering making the outdoor NHL game an annual event.

We passed Ralph Wilson Stadium, so we got to see some of the preparations. And to say the ardent sports fans of Buffalo have been whipped into a frenzy over this hockey game is an understatement. It's truly the talk of the town!

The game is sold out (in fact, organizers say they could have sold an additional 50,000 tickets), so we'll be among the TV viewers enjoying the game. Don't forget to grab a Labatt's and tune in tomorrow -- it's on NBC at 1 p.m. in the States.

Menu For Hope

Each year for the past three years, Pim Techamuanvivit, an internationally revered food blogger, has coordinated a fundraising effort to help those for whom finding food is more than an indulgence -- it's a matter of life and death. Menu For Hope raised more than $60,000 last year for the U.N.'s World Food Programme; this year, funds raised will be used by the WFP to directly help the school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa.

Pim's "Menu For Hope" is headquartered at her blog, Chez Pim, but it is truly global in scope. Hundreds of food bloggers have donated special prize packages from cookbooks to gourmet fare to amazing dining experiences for the fourth annual Menu For Hope -- and all it takes to win is a $10 donation and a bit of luck! Go here for links to all the prizes...and keep checking back during the campaign (December 10-21), since prizes have historically been added along the way.

Prize winners will be announced on January 9. Please consider bidding on a few of your favorites...and good luck!

No Mo' NaBloPoMo!

I've somehow managed to post here every day in November, and I have to say, it was good for me. Was it good for you, too? 

And why do I have a sudden craving for sugar cookies?

I Am A Culinary Genius.

At least that's what the Epicurious "Name That Food" game tells me! In the spirit of complete disclosure, I have to admit that it took me two weeks to finally get all ten foodie questions correct. But it was a fun journey, a great game, and there's always the small chance of winning a Major Prize. Check it out!

If I were a real culinary genius, I would have devised an innovatively delicious meatloaf and blogged about it by now. It is, after all, National Meatloaf Appreciation Day today. To see what real culinary geniuses do with meatloaf, click here.