Steven Wallace to Speak at the Festival of Chocolate
You Heard Him First at the Chocolate Festival!
Steven Wallace, this year’s keynote at THE Festival of Chocolate… and More, is featured in Georgia Pellegrini’s new book, Food Heroes: 16 Artisans Preserving Tradition. Wallace, President and Founder of the Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company in Milwaukee will be speaking from 11:00am – noon, Saturday, November 20. The Festival is from 9:00am –3:00pm at the Jensen Community Center in Amherst.
Although Wallace’s keynote presentation is included in the festival admission fee, we encourage advance registration to reserve your seat for this spellbinding program. Admission to the festival is $11 in advance and $13 at the door.
Wallace’s program, “Chocolate and Beyond” will highlight:
- Interesting facts about chocolate and cocoa beans
- Describe how to eat fine chocolate
- Explain why chocolate is considered an aphrodisiac
- History, mission and vision of Omanhene
- Importance of a “Beyond Fair Trade” business ethic
Those attending the keynote will also receive a sample of one of Francois Kwaku Dongo’s recipes, the Executive Chef of Omanhene, and Partner/Executive Chef for Wolfgang Puck’s enterprises.
The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company is a joint venture between the US and Ghana. Wallace began his lifelong affection for Ghana and its people in 1978 as a 16 year old foreign exchange student. He lived with his traditional Ghanaian host family in the district producing the finest cocoa beans in the world. After receiving his law degree he founded the company in 1991 at the age of 29. Wallace’s vision was to create a true and world class culinary culture that showcases the natural and human talent of Africa. The company is built on a “beyond fair trade” business model. “We are concerned with the entire value chain, not just the initial transaction involving payments to farmers. At the end of the day, there are many paths to creating a more just and peaceful world and I support all efforts to improve the human condition.” Not only does Omanhene support local independent farmers, it is also involved with environmental sustainability, anti-corruption, and child labor issues.
According to the “Financial Times”, Ghana produces the finest cocoa beans in the world. Wallace conjectured correctly that the finest cocoa beans could produce the finest chocolate. Having proven itself to be one of the most creative and successful joint ventures between the US and Ghana, Omanhene has won accolades from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan; Shirley Temple, former ambassador to Ghana; and former president, Jimmy Carter.
Omanhene produced the first single source chocolate using only the richest cocoa beans produced in Ghana. Omanhene Chocolate has been noted in “The New York Times” and seen on NBC’s Today Show; selected by Chocolatier magazine as one of only three dark chocolates in the world featured in every one of Chocolatier’s Caribbean cruise chocolate tastings; featured on the international radio network, Voice of America which transmits in 46 languages to 92 million listeners per week; and highlighted in “The Financial Times” (London), “The Journal of Commerce”, “The Amsterdam News”, “Consumers Digest”, and in Reuter’s “European Business Report”.
The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company is an excellent example of a business that not only produces a desirable product of the utmost quality, but also is based on a business model that is ethical, moral...and more. After listening to Wallace’s passionate story and tasting the product, it will be easy to see why Wallace’s keynote is the perfect fit for the Third Annual Festival of Chocolate ….and More.
Gather your friends and enjoy the third Annual Festival of Chocolate…and More. Other activities included in the admission fee include: five tickets to be used for chocolate samples, an art and craft fair, mini-fitness adventures, additional theater programs, chocolate fondue, a hot cocoa and coffee bar, and a silent auction. High school and college students will receive a half price admission fee with their student ID.
To register or for more information go to: www.festivalofchocolate.org or call 715-824-5202.
Department of Tourism JEM Grant Awarded to Chocolate Festival
The Jensen Center's Festival of Chocolate... and More has received a JEM (Joint Effort Marketing) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism to promote the event. The purpose of the grant is to assist in marketing efforts to bring more tourism into a community. The festival will be eligible for a second grant in 2010 if it can demonstrate success in bringing business into the community.
The grant will allow the festival to advertise on radio, TV, and print media in new geographic areas as well as develop a website to promote the event. Check out our website www.festivalofchocolate.org in August.
The grant selection committee reported being intrigued by the uniqueness of the chocolate festival. In addition to thousands of servings of chocolate, the festival will also include an art/craft/bake fair; a program by nationally syndicated public radio host, Dr. Zorba Paster; chocolate fountain; hot cocoa and coffee bar; a chocolate cookoff with prize money and an auction of the entries; silent auction, chair massage, thai massage, mini-fitness classes on yoga, pilates, belly dancing, zumba, bodyvive and personal training; cooking classes on artistic chocolate creations and making chocolate holiday candy; as well as programs in the theater on media and body image, avoiding plateaus in fitness routines, healthy skin care, growing up green and living in harmony. Admission to the festival is $12 at the door or just $10 with early registration. For early registration, contact the Jensen Center at 715-824-5202.
The Chocolate Festival committee is currently developing a program to increase traffic to downtown businesses on the day of the event, November 21, 2009, along with a method to track the traffic for next year's grant application. Details will be available in the September issue of Our Community Spirit.
Jensen Center Theater Packed with Edutainment During Chocolate Fest
Dr. Zorba Paster, host of nationally syndicated public radio talk show, Zorba Paster On Your Health, will be presenting the keynote, "How to Live a Long Sweet Life", with an emphasis on a daily chocolate fix. He is the author of The Longevity Code: Your Personal Prescription for a Longer Sweeter Life. His book focuses on all aspects of our life—physical, mental, social, spiritual, and material rather than the traditional negative, abstinence from everything approach to physical health. Dr. Paster's enthusiasm and contagious laugh has made him a favorite with health conscious public radio listeners.
Co-sponsor, Adventure 212, is sponsoring three excellent mini-sessions. Tami Nicewander will present “"Taking Charge of Your Skin", an informative session on solutions to skin issues. Tami will be available the entire day at the skin care booth, adjacent to the hot cocoa/coffee bar and massage area. Jen Oswald, MS will present the thought provoking program, "The Media and Body Image: Is Barbie to Blame?" The average American woman is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds, while the average American model is 5'11" tall and weighs 117 pounds. This presentation explores how we can defend ourselves and our children from the harmful standards of beauty our society places upon its girls and women. "Avoiding Plateaus in Your Workout" will be presented by Christopher Rice, MS. For those whose fitness routine is producing diminishing returns, this presentation will focus on effective strategies to break through these plateaus.
Have climate changes and the energy crisis got your attention? Get a personal view of what it is like growing up with solar: how it works and does it take a lifestyle change. Chamomile Nunz will enlighten us with "A Personal and World View of Renewable Energy."
The festival winds down with Marguerite Ramlow's, "Living in Harmony". Marguerite Ramlow is a co-founder of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association and nationally recognized practitioner and educator on the art of walking lightly on the earth. Learn to create an atmosphere for inner sustainability, relieve stress, and enjoy life!
Tomorrow River Concerts will present Michigan native and international performer, Claudia Schmidt, and her energetic and joyful music as the finale to a day of chocolate...and more! Claudia's music includes folk ballads, torch songs, jazz, spoken word and everything in between. She has promised to recite a special poem about chocolate to celebrate the day!
Admission to the festival is $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All programs, except Claudia Schmidt, are included in admission. As seating in the theater is limited, we recommend registering in advance and reserving your seat for Zorba. Tickets to Claudia Schmidt are $12.
A “Can’t Miss” Day for Chocolate Lovers
The Festival of Chocolate…and More returns to the Jensen Community Center in Amherst, Wisconsin on Saturday, November 20, 2010 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. If you love chocolate, this is a day you cannot miss!
Included in the $13 admission fee ($11 if purchased in advance) is entry to the art and craft show, all theater programs including a keynote by Steven Wallace, Founder and President of the Omanhene Cocoa Company in Milwaukee, mini-fitness adventures, silent auction, and five tickets to be used at the chocolate fondue bar, hot cocoa and coffee bar, samples of thousands of chocolate candies, desserts, and treats, and samples of cook-off entry items.
In addition to our keynote by Steven Wallace of the Omanhene Cocoa Company, we will also have informational programs on massage, chocolate as a healthy passion, the impact of an orphanage in Ghana during a young woman’s Semester at Sea, Personal Training: Before and After, a cooking demonstration and wrapping up with a performance of Shuvani Belly Dancing.
Included in the festival is a chocolate cook-off. Categories include: chocolate cakes (professional and amateur classes), chocolate pies and cheesecakes (professional and amateur), and healthier remakes. First and second place entries are awarded cash prizes $75 and $50 respectively for the cake and pies/cheesecake categories. A splurge prize will be given to the winner of the healthier remakes. New for 2010, there will not be an auction of entries, therefore entrants only need to prepare one entry. Samples will be available for sale (use tickets) immediately following the announcement of the winners.
An art and craft fair is also part of the festival. Local artists, vendors, bakers, and candy makers will have a great selection of wonderful gifts to certainly please those on your Christmas list.
The mini-fitness adventures include, yoga, gentle yoga, pilates, BodyFlow, Core/band, and Irish dance. These short 20 minute introductory classes are designed to allow festival goers to investigate these activities at no charge. All leaders are certified and will be available to answer questions.
To conclude this glorious day, Tomorrow River Concerts will be presenting an evening with Anne Hills. The concert begins at 7:30. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
The Festival is co-sponsored by the Jensen Community Center and Adventure 212.
For more information about the festival or to register visit www.festivalofchocolate.org or call 715-824-5202.
