Stacey Matavuli, a Bloomington Hospital registered dietician, says because chocolate comes from a plant it contains plant compounds that help protect the body against chronic diseases like cancer or heart disease. But during the Week of Chocolate, from Jan. 28 through Feb. 4, chocolate isn't only good for the body and the taste buds, but also for the community.\nIn fact, the Week of Chocolate began nine years ago as Chocolate Fest, a community-wide sampling of goodies, says Melissa Copas, development director of Options for Better Living and Citizens Advocacy. This year Options decided to partner with other organizations to help promote and make Bloomington a destination for chocolate during the winter, she says.\n"Now we have a community-wide celebration," Copas says. "All the events are chocolate themed. It's a real fun week to go through and think about chocolate all day long."\nCopas added that Options began Chocolate Fest because it was losing federal funding and depending more and more on community involvement.\n"Members sat down and thought about different events," she says. "Someone brought up chocolate. Who doesn't smile when they say chocolate, and get excited about it?"\nThroughout the week, chocoholics can satisfy their cravings and support local non-profits while learning, socializing and having fun. WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology, Options and Girls Inc. of Monroe County are holding events throughout the week in hopes of increasing awareness of their organizations, raising money and supplying Bloomington with yummy treats.\n
Just Eat-It
\nThe week kicks off Saturday, Jan. 28 at WonderLab. The hands-on science museum is holding two "Eat-It Workshops" meant to teach attendees how to make chocolate, its chemical composition, its history and the health benefits.\nCarrie Miller, WonderLab programs coordinator, says WonderLab employees got the idea to hold these chocolate workshops after holding "Tutti Fruity," a workshop about fruit and food labels with the Bloomington Hospital nutrition team.\n"We'll talk about the science of (chocolate), and the nutritionists will talk about the health benefits," Miller says. "Together we'll eat and make chocolate."\nMiller says this is the second year WonderLab has held the chocolate workshop. This year, she says, WonderLab employees "got smart in (their) planning" and decided to hold the event as part of the Week of Chocolate rather than in December as they did in 2004. \nAnother change from the last chocolate workshop is that now there are two. The first, "Checkin' Out Chocolate," is for kids ages eight to 12 and will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The second workshop, "The Science of Chocolate," is for adults age 13 and older and will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Both workshops cost $8 for WonderLab members and $11 for non-members. \n"The $11 non-member (fee) includes museum admission," Miller says. "They can please stay in the museum, take a look around and enjoy it. (The first chocolate workshop had) a positive response, we maxed out in our attendance. It lasted the full two hours and we gave out evaluation cards and got positive responses."\nMatavuli says her favorite part of the workshop is having the participants try the different types of chocolate from the Cacao bean, chocolate's original form, through milk chocolate, what chocolate lovers are used to.\n"People can get the idea of where it comes from to what we think when we think of chocolate," Matavuli says. "Most people think of Hershey's bars or kisses, or chocolate chips. We educate people on where it comes from and how it gets to that point."\n
Chocolate art
\nFor chocolate fans that haven't had enough, Options is offering delights by eight different chefs from six different restaurants at its second-annual Art of Chocolate. This sampling will be held Jan. 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the IU Art Museum. \nCopas says the Art of Chocolate is a great way for restaurants to showcase their chocolate desserts while raising money for an organization thats mission is to "partner with people with disabilities, to bring about fulfilled lives."\nShe says Options provides individualized services for disabled people and their families. It helps people find and keep employment, Copas says.\n"We provide options with trying to help customers get basic life skills to be more part of the community," she says. "All of our services are geared so people with disabilities can live, work and have fun in communities."\nNot only will attendees receive chocolate samples and appetizers from each chef, but they will also receive wine samples specially paired with each chocolate sample, courtesy of Oliver Winery. \nPam Feeney, special events manager at Oliver Winery, says the winery will pair the chocolate with both dessert wines and dryer red wines, which she says is unusual with chocolate.\nShe added that the Week of Chocolate is just one of the organizations the winery feels strongly about. \n"Oliver has community involvement, which is so great," she says. "I'm looking forward to tasting all the chocolate and I hope people are looking forward to the fun pairings. Everyone should wear elastic pants."\nGuests will also receive a tour of the museum, listen to a jazz trio and have the opportunity to bid in a silent auction. Auction items include paintings, dinner packages, a cruise and a painting made of chocolate.\n"(The IU Art Museum) is a neat setting," Copas says. "Not only do you have beautiful art pieces, but you also have beautiful art pieces you can eat."\nTickets for the Art of Chocolate are still available, but are limited to 200 people. Tickets cost $40 for one person and $75 for two. They can be purchased at Options, located at 200 E. Winslow Rd., or over the phone at 1-800-875-9615.\n
Sugar and spice and everything nice
\nKeep those elastic pants on for A Night at the Cocoa Café, a night of hot cocoa, chocolate fondue, other chocolate appetizers and poetry readings -- just like a real coffee house.\nLucy Berger, Girls Inc. center-based program specialist, says some of the members are writing original poetry about chocolate for the event.\nThis event, which benefits Girls Inc., takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Feb. 2 at the Girls Inc. main center, 1108 W. Eighth St. The poetry readings begin at 6:15 p.m.\nGirls Inc. is a non-profit serving girls ages five to 18 with after-school and school break programming.\n"It's making up for what they might not get (in schools)," Berger says. "We provide fun activities that they'll learn from."\n
Festival of chocolate
\nFinally, if two WonderLab workshops, chocolate art and a chocolate-themed coffee house can't satisfy even Willy Wonka's sweet tooth, the week still isn't over. Options' ninth-annual Chocolate Fest takes place from 5 to 8 p.m., Feb. 4 at the Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave.\nChocolate Fest is the original event that invites chefs of any age or skill to participate in its Chocolate Creations Contest. The contest includes several categories including restaurant, kids, cheesecake, candy, incredible cake, brownies and bars, pies and anything else. First, second and third place in each category will win a prize. Professional and wannabe chefs can enter the contest at
www.weekofchocolate.com or
call 1-800-875-9615.\nThe contests will be judged in the morning, cut into samples and served at Chocolate Fest alongside samples from 30 vendors, coffee from Starbucks Coffee, chocolate stouts from Upland Brewing Company and wine samples from Oliver Winery. Chocolate Fest also includes two live bands, a silent auction and a raffle. \nHolly Ross, Options volunteer and Chocolate Fest committee member, says she thinks Chocolate Fest is a really neat event because it involves many different types of organizations.\nTickets for Chocolate Fest are unlimited and cost $10 in advance and $14 at the door for adults. Tickets for children ages six to 12 cost $4 in advance and $5 at the door. Children six-years-old and younger get in free. Chocolate Fest tickets can be purchased at Options or at many Bloomington locations including Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, the Chocolate Emporium, every Kroger grocery store, the Sunrise box office, the Bedford Chamber of Commerce and the Koffee House in Spencer, Ind. To volunteer, call 1-800-875-9615 ext. 530.\n"Besides the chocolate, it just is a really unique event," Copas says. "The crowd was really amazing (last year) just to have so many people from the community come to eat chocolate. There are not many events like that."\nShe says her goal is to raise $45,000 for Options. \n"All the money goes for a great cause and supports the community," she says. "It's so important to get out and support the community. Coming together is what makes Bloomington a great place to live"
