All-purpose cocoa
Sweet-laden night brings funds for good cause
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Three-year-old Shy Thomas stood on her tiptoes and squinted at the pile of halved chocolate-truffles sitting at the back of the table, trying to decide which of the impeccably swirled and dipped treats best suited her fancy before picking one up with an excited exclamation of “yum!”
The toddler was one of a line of people making their way through the tasting line at the 11th annual Chocolate Lover’s Festival in Arlee. Community members bring an open dish of deserts for sampling as part of the festival, and the crowd favorites are voted upon. An identical plate of the sweets is auctioned off to raise funds for community organizations.
Thomas beamed as she walked back to her table to taste the small mound of cocoa-laden goodies.
Gluten-free muffins and mint-flavored brownies were piled high. But it wasn’t just sweet that the taste-testers were met with. Truffle artist Roxanne Duffy, who took home first place at the 2014 Chocolate Festival, brought exoticism to the table by trying out some new recipes.
“I’m trying to see what people like best,” she said.
Pistachio espresso, mango with habanero, and lavender-infused lemon truffles were a part of her entry.
It took two days to make the sweets, but Duffy was not really that worried about defending her title.
“As long as we make money for the kids, that’s all that matters,” Duffy said.
Jocko Valley Library Board Member Jay Kirby said the event is crucial to providing funding for the summer reading program in Arlee.
“We try to keep local kids reading in the summertime,” Kirby said.
The library is open four days a week, but if more resources were available the board would like it to be open five days per week, Kirby said.
This year the theme of the reading program is “Every Hero has a Story.”
Kirby said the community has always been generous when it comes to supporting the Chocolate Lover’s Festival and the library.
“We always have a good turnout,” Kirby said.
This year’s event was moved from its usual date scheduled for proximity to Valentine’s Day because of a shortage of volunteers. Kirby said that if anyone wants to help with the chocolate festival they can get in touch with the library.
Organizer Shannon Patton said this year’s turnout was low, and that the community can expect to see some more fundraising concerts and plays later this summer to help boost the coffers.
Results of the contest are:
Best of show: Roxanne Duffy
1st place: Zoe Gordon
2nd place: Rose Gurule
3rd place: Tiffany Naugle
Best KID entry: Tyler Brown and Javon Bolen
Patton thanked Valley Bank of Arlee, Hangin Art Gallery, Troy Patton Heating, Diamond Hitch Design, Horns & Heritage Shirt Company, Schall Cattle Company, J&K Town and Country and the Hummingbird for their contributions to the event. She also thanked auctioneer JR Strand.
