There were so many things to see, do and taste at the recent Salon du Chocolat in Paris, check out the chocolate fashion parade.
Another particular highlight was an area displaying the magnificent works of art submitted for the Charles Proust Trophy. Held every two years since 2006 the candidates must produce a themed showpiece- this years theme was Dali and his works. They were also required to prepare a chocolate praline cake with a touch of Grand Marnier for tasting (only by the judges sadly). Jean-Paul Hévin, one of my very favourite Paris chocolatiers, was the chair of the judging panel this year.
It was an incredible, breathtaking display.
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| There was a photo frenzy -and it wasn't just me! |
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| 3rd prize Charles Proust Trophy |
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| Second Prize Charles Proust Trophy |
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| First prize Charles Proust Trophy |
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My favourite on the day
It won the public prize |
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| All of them had sensational aspects |
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| The attention to detail is stunning |
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| They were all so imaginative |
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| and beautiful |
The first and second prizewinners were Japanese this year, with the third place going to Antibes, in regional France. I wonder if this caused a stir in the Paris chocolate world? You can see the full results
here.
I watched the incredible documentary Kings of Pastry a few years ago, so I have some small inkling of the blood, sweat and tears that goes into making these extraordinary
things of such beauty, precision and fragility. Do check it out if you haven't seen it.
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Saturday Snapshot is a wonderful weekly meme
now hosted by WestMetroMommy
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Oh my that's a little hard to absorb in one sitting! I think I've got a sugar-rush via the screen.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are extraordinarily beautiful.
Paris AND Chocolate?!? What a combo! I love the piece that has Dali in it. Wow! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful display of artistic expressions of yummy goodies. Thanks for sharing...and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for visiting my blog.
What amazing displays. I can imagine spending hours just wandering from creation to creation, admiring the creativity and craftsmanship. What an experience that must have been.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.
What wonderful chocolate displays. I instantly thought of a melted chocolate clock.
ReplyDeletein a western sub of Chicago there's this coffee shop owned by a French chocolatier, and he makes awesome chocolate sculptures as well. some are life size sculpture of people, with explanation of how much was used, etc. he has the best chocolate croissants, as he makes his own chocolate!
ReplyDeleteThey are real works of art... do people actually et them, or are they just for display? My Snapshot is at http://chriscross53.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/poppis-at-tower.html
ReplyDeleteWow! Sugar high! Love how they look like they're all behind glass ... no lapping the entries, please!
ReplyDeleteI've got Kings of Pastry - really must watch it. I must also plan my next holiday when the Salon is on!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing! I remember watching Kings of Pastry and being stunned at the level of work, but these Dali sculptures are something else. Wow.
ReplyDeleteWow! They are amazing!
ReplyDeleteHappy cooking,
She @ Book'd Out
This looks like so much fun. I have always wanted to go-was it worth it? Strange about the macarons-I know from my class they say humidity and weather can have an effect. Interesting.
ReplyDeletewould you plan a trip in October just to coincide with the exhibit.
Esme - part of the reason we went in october/november (apart from my travelling companion preferring cooler weather) was to include the Salon du Chocolat! So yes I would plan a trip around it. And indeed I can recommend it. We only spent a day at the Salon, but that was enough for me, and we went midweek (Thursday) so it would be less crowded than the weekend. I'd been wanting to see Paris in something other than high summer so it was a very nice change, and great to appreciate the seasonal delights. I've never been in Paris for Christmas, and leaving early November we missed out on the start of the Christmas lights (and more importantly Christmas logs in the patisseries), that was my only disappointment with the timing- so close and yet so far.
ReplyDeleteI can't even begin to imagine how one could come up with these creations, let alone the hours that the work must have taken. Wow, I'm so impressed.
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