Jade Chocolates’ Blog

I flew down to Sin City for the convention that was in town, the Pack Expo and Process Expo www.packexpo.com. The Expo features over 1,200 exhibitors from around the world showcasing the latest in packaging technology, converting machinery, containers, and components.  I didn’t find too much for my business.  My mission was to find ‘green’ packaging and there wasn’t that much of a selection.  There were lots of businesses dealing with plastics. I didn’t find any who manufactured glass or ceramics. I found a great lead for shipping insulation which is an alternative to Styrofoam.  The shipping insulation doesn’t take up as much space and I’m able to packaging more product in the shipping box.   I’ll have to catalog other finds since most of the companies only deal with manufacturers with larger productions.  Oh well, it was Vegas, it’s not like the convention was in Middletown, USA.  I had some exploring to do. 

First on the agenda: Chef Rubber www.chefrubber.com.  Not quite the place you’d expect your average Vegas vacationer to go, but for people in the chocolate and confectionery industry, it’s a must. This store carries everything from colored cocoa butter, transfer and texture sheets, professional molds, mold making supplies, couveture and more.  It’s off the strip, so you’ll have to either drive or cab it over.  (I don’t even want to talk about my cab ride there, except to say that I insisted on getting out and finding the place myself!)  I went in to take a look at the polycarbonate molds.  They had lots of molds with Mexican/Aztec motifs as well as cocoa designs.  I found a bar mold with cocoa flowers and leaves that I plan to put into production fairly soon.  That was a great find. Trisha, an employee, was extremely helpful.  She even called me a cab after I finished shopping and made sure I didn’t get the same cab driver as I had coming over.    That’s what I call 5-Star service!  

I also made a quick trip to a chocolate lounge located at the Flamingo Hotel.  This chocolate company is based in Henderson, right outside of Las Vegas.  I got the ‘Banana Bop’.  It’ was a beautiful molded piece with great flavor.  The other chocolate lounge I had to visit was in the Forum Shops at Ceasar’s Palace.  I decided to kick back, drink some hot chocolate and taste a ‘Woolloomooloo’ truffle.  It’s was a great spot to get away from the hustle and bustle, and just relax for a bit.                          

 

 

 

The highlight of my trip was dessert at Emeril’s New Orlean’s Fish House located at the MGM Grand Hotel. Not wanting to feel like a dessert glutton, I ordered a bowl of Clam Chowder before my Chocolate Flourless Cake arrived.  The chowder was good, but dessert was heaven on earth!  The cake was decadent and rich, but not overpowering.  The texture was dense, more so than the flourless cake I treated myself to at the chocolate festival.  Alongside the cake came a little shot of Godiva chocolate shake.  The shake was frothy, rich, and additive.  It wasn’t thick like a true milkshake should be, but who cares?  I was on a chocolate high. What else happened in Vegas?  I’m not telling!