Dr. Zorba Paster to Speak at the Festival of Chocolate
Dr. Zorba Paster, host of the nationally syndicated public radio program, Zorba Paster On Your Health, will speak at the 2009 Festival of Chocolate... and More, November 21, 2009 at the Lettie Jensen Community Center in Amherst. His program, How to Live a Long Sweet Life, is scheduled from 11:00 a.m. noon and will also include the importance of a daily chocolate fix.
Health conscious public radio listeners not only enjoy family doc Zorba Paster for his practical advice on health issues but also for his enthusiasm, sense of humor and contagious laugh. His nationally aired program is available on WPR? Ideas Network (locally WLBL–FM 91.9 and WLBL–AM 930) Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m..
In addition to his radio program, Zorba keeps busy with his family practice, mentoring medical students as a clinical professor at the UW-Madison Department of Family Medicine, public speaking, and traveling abroad. 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. In his free time he enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with his wife and family in rural Oregon, WI. Zorba has a passion for good chocolate and good coffee and admits to an occasional indulgence in junk food. He enjoys offsetting his indulgences with biking, swimming, and downhill skiing.
Linda Chapin, festival committee chair, reports being delighted that Zorba committed to this speaking engagement. "I had emailed an invitation to him. He responded the next day with regrets. Two minutes later I received another email stating that his wife had seen my email and encouraged him to reconsider. If I could wait for a few weeks for an answer, he may be available. The wait was well worth it as he was finally able to say, YES!"
Although admission to Zorba Paster's program is included in the festival admission fee, those interested in this popular speaker will need to register early for the festival and reserve a seat for his program. Register online or call the Jensen Center at 715-824-5202 to register. If you have any questions, please contact Linda Chapin at lindarchapin@gmail.com or in the evenings at 715-824-6856.
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.
Chocolate Festival's "Passport" Encourages Tourism in Community
Eleven Amherst businesses accepted the invitation to participate in the Chocolate Festival's passport program. Festival goers will receive a passport as they enter the festival. Throughout the day, they will be invited to take a break from the nonstop festival activities (and chocolate!) to explore downtown Amherst. By visiting five of the eleven businesses and getting their passports stamped, they can enter prize drawings for incredible edibles. Stamped passports should be returned to the Jensen Center by 3:00 pm. The drawings will begin at 3:15 and attendees must be present to win.
Participating businesses include: Angelina’s Salon, Whole Health Centre, Harvest Moon Bakery, Stepping Stone Salon and Day Spa, Amherst Family Foods, Wisconsin Wool Exchange, OK Hardware, Prism Real Estate, Ambrosia’s Pub & Grill, Tomorrow River Gallery and Gifts, and MorningStar Bistro.
The passport idea was developed as a response to the conditions of the Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) grant awarded to the Festival by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. The purpose of the JEM grant is to increase attendance to the event, THEREBY, increasing tourism in the community. In order to qualify for another JEM grant in 2010, the Festival must demonstrate its impact on tourism in the local community.
So please, encourage your out-of-town friends and family to join you in participating in the Festival and its passport program. It will create a win-win opportunity for the Jensen Center and beautiful downtown Amherst!
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 21, 2009 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. If you love chocolate, this is a day you cannot miss!
Included in the $12 admission fee ($10 if purchased in advance) is entry to the art and craft show, all theater programs including a keynote by Dr. Zorba Paster, mini-fitness adventures, entry to the auction of cook off entries, silent auction, local passport program, and five tickets to be used at the chocolate fondue bar, hot cocoa and coffee bar, sample bar of thousands of chocolate candies, desserts, and reats, and samples during the auction of cook off entry items.
Cooking classes on Artistic Chocolate Creations or Molded Holiday Chocolates, non-chocolate lunch options, chair or thai massage, and an evening concert by Michigan native, Claudia Schmidt are also available for additional fees.
We are fortunate to have Zorba Paster, MD, public radio host of nationally syndicated Zorba Paster On Your Health as our keynote speaker. He will be speaking to us on How to Live a Long Sweet Life, emphasizing the importance of a daily chocolate fix. (Yes, there actually are health benefits!) Other free programs throughout the day are: Body Image and the Media: Is Barbie to Blame, Maintaining Healthy Skin, Avoiding Fitness Plateaus, A Personal and World View of Renewable Energy and Living in Harmony.
Included in the festival is a chocolate cook off. Categories include: chocolate cakes, chocolate pies and cheesecakes, healthier remakes, and brownies/bars. First, second and third place entries are awarded cash prizes $75, $50, and $25 respectively. Instead of an entry fee, entrants are asked to prepare two identical entries. One will be used for judging and samples, the other one will be sold at auction.
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, belly dancing, Zumba, BodyVive and personal training. 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.
New to this year’s festival is a passport program. Festival goers who participate in the program by exploring the wonderful selection of unique shops and businesses in Amherst can earn a chance to win some delicious prizes.
To conclude this glorious day, Tomorrow River Concerts will be presenting an evening with Claudia Schmidt. The concert begins at 7:30. The three chocolate cook off entries that received Judges’ Choice Awards will be sold at auction during intermission. Tickets are $12.
Due to the uniqueness of the Festival and its history of success, the Festival was awarded a Joint Effort Marketing grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
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.
KrispyKake to Sponsor Festival of Chocolate...and More
KrispyKake, a division of Nancy Lemke Custom Cakes which has been serving the Stevens Point area for over 40 years making custom wedding cakes and all occasion cakes with their famous butter cream icing, has become the latest sponsor for the Festival of Chocolate...and More to be held November 21, 2009 at the Jensen Center in Amherst, Wisconsin.
In 2008, a simple but remarkable concept took root in our shop. "For my friend's birthday, I wanted to take a great cake with us on a road trip to New York." The concept was to handcraft a superior rice crispy cake that would not only taste exquisite, but would look exceptional, as well and be easy to serve. "I tried to create something that I remembered eating as a child but with a grown up taste." The result would be truly irresistible.
From that initial idea grew KrispyKake, where to this day we hand craft each kake and dipper, using only the finest of ingredients. We pair our own creative shapes with truly irresistible flavors, and then with our home made rolled butter icing hand decorate each piece with intricate care to make the KrispyKakes. Some flavors include amaretto, chocolate, cappuccino, cinnamon, butter pecan, vanilla and peanut butter. The dippers are individual serving sizes dipped in real guittard chocolate and topped with wonderful toppings. We then looked at other highly sought after flavors and found the delicate balance between crunch and savory, sweet and salty. Some popular picks are salty peanut/vanilla, caramel/peanut/chocolate, chocolate/double chocolate, peanut butter/chocolate, Oreo crunch, pecan/caramel/chocolate, sprinkles, m&m's and buttery vanilla. They are featured as singles, sampler packs and bouquets. They are served on a stick which makes everyone feel like a kid again.
KrispyKakes are a unique concept in desserts. They are both health conscious and environmentally friendly. Being made with rice crispies, they are both lower in fat and sugar and vitamin enhanced. Because they are "cakes on a stick" they do not require paper plates or plastic utensils when consumed making them more ecologically friendly. KrispyKakes are featured in a variety of shapes and individual krispy dippers are featured in a variety of purely uncomplicated tastes that we all love. They are great for gifts, special occasions, holidays, office parties, school functions, sports events or just general principles (any place where you would like a fun to eat treat). KrispyKake also has special programs for our servicemen and women overseas and for corporate gifts.
Loyrelli Lemke, the creator of KrispyKake, is a third generation baker. "I grew up in my grandmother's bakery—literally. As a newborn, I slept in a banana crate while my family baked." She grew up learning how to slice bread, roll rolls, grind peanuts and fill doughnuts. At the age of six she started serving ponczkas, fry cakes, hard rolls and peanut squares to the customers she could hardly see over the countertop. She also learned to decorate that same year. Making her first cake which was a full flower with petals a stem and leaves. She was in the bakery every Saturday to help her grandmother Susie Readel of the Amherst Bakery in Amherst, Wisconsin. "I loved every minute of it. Making yummy treats and selling them to happy people."
It all makes for a food experience without compare, and we invite you to share in that experience yourself. It is our sincere hope that you enjoy savoring each krispykake and krispydippers creation as much as we enjoyed creating it.
To learn more about KrispyKake and the special programs for military personnel and corporate gifts, call 715-252-9021 or 715-344-7293 and ask for Loyre.
