Chocolate flows at fundraiser
Veterans Wall benefactor of Rotary eventBy DARCIE LORENO Tribune Chronicle
Article Photos
WARREN - The spread was a chocolate-lover's paradise.
There were plates of chocolate chip pound cake muffins, piles of chocolate-drizzled pizzelles and dishes of chocolate mocha ice cream.
The chocolate was even flowing - more than 20 pounds worth - in a fountain surrounded by strawberries, marshmallows and pretzels.
Luckily, the samples were aplenty at Thursday's Chocolate Festival and Wine Taste at Packard Music Hall.
"Is there anything chocolate that's bad?" pondered Shari Harrell of Warren when asked which most pleased her palate.
The event was sponsored by Rotary Club of Warren to raise money for the Veterans Memorial Wall in downtown Warren set for completion by Veterans Day. A $10 ticket got buyers a plastic container to fill with samples from tables full of baked goods, candy and ice cream from local bakeries and businesses. Another $10 ticket got them samples of wine, an addition to the organization's fourth event.
Last year's event raised $7,200. Receipts for this year had yet to be tallied.
Just Pizzelles of Cortland brought about 1,000 cookies for the night, including flavors such as coconut almond, peppermint patty and mocha latte. By 7 p.m., they were out of Rocky Road, owner Christina Benton said. A Fun Flavored Fudge table next door offered pumpkin and double chocolate fudge squares. About 400 of its 1,000 samples were gone by 7 p.m.
After making her rounds, Harrell sat next to the wine table with friends Brenda Coleman and Shelley Taylor, chocolate-covered pretzels, fudge and chocolate cake gathered up for her to take home.
Across the room, Linda Galloway was nibbling on chocolate-covered popcorn. She was there with her daughter-in-law, two granddaughters and her friend, Charlotte Rule. Rule was eyeing orange fudge, made with spices and real pumpkin. But she didn't overlook the brown stuff.
"I love chocolate," Rule said. "And the darker the chocolate, the better."
A table over, Judi and Jodi Smith and Jessica Darby were sipping on samples of cranberry wine. They've all been to the event before, and this year Judi Smith, of Champion, said she was exercising some self-control.
"I always eat everything," she said. "This year, I'm on a diet. I'm taking some home to my daughter."
The vendors were having as good a time dishing out their treats as the visitors were eating them.
Friends Carrie McClain, Amy Lewis and Rosalynd Hoso manned the Carrie's Cookie Company table. There, they dished out treats like flourless chocolate cake squares drizzled with raspberry sauce and chocolate devil's food cake with dollups of buttercream frosting.
Hoso said the events always prove to be good family events. It's always fun for the crew, too, she said.
"It's our female bonding night," McClain said.
