chocolate heaven

Today, I went to the Salon du Chocolat. Basically, the chocolate convention. Picture the Comic-Con of chocolate, and there you go. Except its a million times better.

 A post about the Salon du Chocolat wouldn't be complete without some eye candy for you guys- so here's lots of pictures. I'll get around to posting them all on facebook eventually... 

The convention center- looks huge, doesnt it?

I was in chocolate heaven. There were free samples everywhere you looked, and every stand had chocolate in every flavor, shape, and size- I tasted some chocolate that I never even knew existed (and in my opinion, shouldn't). 

potpourri chocolate- looks pretty, but does not taste so pretty.

I tried hibiscus, and it tastes like pollen in your mouth, with a grainy texture. blechh.

But apparently people like it- the girls down my hall bought 2 bars.

Green tea chocolate and some kind of Japanese fruit flavored chocolate

I tasted both, and it took all my control not to spit it out. After tasting some of these chocolates, all you want is a glass of water to wash the taste out. Olive oil chocolate? disgusting! Who knew you could go wrong with chocolate? 

 Anyway, on to the good stuff!!

Stand after stand was loaded with all different kinds of chocolates in all shapes and sizes. Best of all, there were FREE samples! I sampled so much chocolate, I got sick of it.

There were not only chocolates, there were sweets of every kind- eclairs, marshmallows, jellies, cookies- including every flavor and color of macaroons imaginable. Yummm. 

a macaroon rainbow!

I never knew you could mount them on a wall like that.

So cool.

chocolate fountains- I saw so many... some were HUGE.

The Opera Garnier- lovingly memorialized in chocolate.

 another ode to the glory of chocolate. 

Of course I need a picture with a Magnum bar (that I can fit inside)

(Magnum bars in Europe are the equivalent of our Dove/Haagen-Dazs bars- so  good!)

They were handing out free Magnum bars, but I was so sick of chocolate by that point it would have made me sick. 

I know- what the heck? Since when do I turn down sugar?

Needless to say, I went home, had some salt for dinner , and I was as good as new the next morning. 

I will post about something other than chocolate next time, I promise (but it's so good...)