I noticed the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce (we’re members) is having a chocolate martini bar at The Union’s for-profit “Chocolate Infusion” event this weekend. Tickets are $20; $25 at the door.
I wondered about that, so I called the Chamber.
As it turned out, The Union didn’t learn until Friday that the event it’s been touting for weeks (wine and chocolate) required a license from Alcohol Beverage Control, according to the Chamber. (This is common practice at such an event).
Only a nonprofit can get such a license under these circumstances; not a business.
So the Chamber agreed to spend $25 to buy a one-day license on The Union’s behalf. It also is going to handle the expenses of the chocolate martini bar, which it hopes to make up by selling chocolate martinis.
The Chamber did this once before for the Italian Festival. The difference, though, is that the Italian Festival is not a private business like The Union, running a for-profit event. To be sure, The Union supports nonprofits, but it also is looking out for itself amid some new competition.
In case you haven’t noticed, The Union is branching out into the food, wine & art market — launching an insert publication with that very same tagline as our Sierra FoodWineArt magazine. It’s running a lot more food, wine & art stories in the newspaper too. Today was a front page story about chocolate!
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I just hope the Chamber would help out any private business, not just The Union, in an event-planning snafu like this. Competing against a monopoly five-day-a-week newspaper in a small town can be a tough row to hoe. Sheesh!
Good luck to The Union this weekend! We’re going to be ice skating in downtown Grass Valley.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Jeff – You are a real high class gentleman.
I’ll second that!
I wonder if ‘Christopher’ deems this a ‘scoop’?
I wonder if he’ll report on it!
A chocolate martini is not a real Martini it should be called a chocolate fauxtini. But then again, I am a traditionalist.
Well said Niel. And “shaken not stirred,” just the way 007 likes it!
Either way is fine with me and the dry vermouth has to be French.
Thank you Jeff
Niel, you are so beau monde. I love it!
Congratulations you are one of the courageous few that refuse to bend to the trendy fashion of calling any mess in a martini glass a martini. A martini is made with only two things. Gin and Vermouth. If you feel like it you can add a lemon twist, or a few olives or a cocktail onion. But chocolate? Ick.
I wonder if you can make vermouth out of biomass waste, a real Sierra-centric venture. I should keep it under wraps, though, or it will become another event: bringing environmentalists and connoisseurs together for a “Biomass Brewfest.” Do you think you could sell tickets to it? Do you need an ABC license?
As a beer brewer, I’m always trying to make things from scratch. So here goes. 5 o’clock yet?
Vermouth Recipe
Courtesy of Sebastian Zutant, Proof Restaurant
You can make either dry or sweet Vermouth with this recipe, depending on the wine you use to fortify.
2 heaping teaspoons dried wormwood* (may omit or substitute another herb)
1 heaping teaspoon dried gentian root (not powder)*
1/3 teaspoon dried chamomile leaves*
1/3 teaspoon juniper berries*
3 cinnamon sticks
1/3 teaspoon dried sage
1 orange rind
1 lemon rind
1/3 teaspoon cardamom pods
1/3 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 750 mL bottles light white wine (Pinot Grigio, Grüner Veltliner or similar)
2 cups dry or sweet Sherry
*Available at health food stores,
Place all herbs and spices into a stockpot. Cover with both bottles of white wine. Bring ingredients to a boil, and then remove from the heat. After the mixture has cooled, set the pot in a cool, dark place overnight.
The next day, fortify the wine by adding 2 cups of Palo Cortado or Fino Sherry for dry Vermouth, or 2 cups of sweet or cream Sherry for sweet Vermouth. Strain mixture before serving. Yields about 2 liters.
A great compliment, thank you Michael
Hi Jeff,
We are the chocolate makers that appeared on the front page of The Union yesterday. As one of just a few craft bean to bar chocolate makers in the country we think we have something unique to offer Nevada County. We are excited to collaborate with others in our community, such as Ol’ Republic, Matteo’s Public and local wineries.
We just launched Cello Chocolate this month and our debut into the community will be at the Chocolate Infusion event. The real story that allows us to do this is the passage of AB1616, the Homemade Food Act. We believe this could be a huge boon to the artisan food community of Nevada County. We think there’s a large population of skilled food artisans that could be selling their products direct to the public, with the County’s approval under this new law. It would be a great story for Sierra FoodWineArt Magazine to cover. The law just passed in Sept. and many people who could benefit from it might be unaware. We’d love to talk with you about this, and of course have you taste our chocolate!
Thanks for your tasteful and insightful coverage of the food, wine and art community.
Cello Chocolate owners Debi & Ned Russell
Thanks Debi.
Wait until you read our winter issue, which will be out soon! In fact, it is a special report on collaborations (among restaurants, chefs, winemakers and artists) in the Placer-Nevada county region (including some of the examples you cite and others), as well as the new Homemade Food Act. We’re very excited about it.