Cacao-crazed Austinites converged at the Norris Conference Center Saturday and Sunday for the fifth-annual Austin Chocolate Festival, where they satisfied their sweet teeth with samples from 16 of the region’s finest chocolate, fudge, cookie and cake makers. Choco-holics could even cleanse their palates with shots of double-chocolate vodka or organic loose-leaf teas.

Some vendors, such as Wiseman House fine chocolates, have displayed at the festival since its inception six years ago. Others were peddling their confections for the first time, including Allen Dubose, who used the festival to officially launch his cordial cherries company, Cordial Creations.

Festival co-creator Jennifer Flood, who started the event with her husband, Steven, says this year’s group of chocolate craftsmen is the biggest yet, partly because of the commitment to local, independent businesses the festival has fostered over the years.

“This kind of event shows there are options [for buying chocolate] locally that are high quality,” says Jennifer, 29, who started Fat Turkey Chocolate when she was just 19. The company handed out samples of its rich truffles, and Jennifer touted her recent switch to using fair-trade chocolate grown from a co-op of Ecuadorian farmers.

“We’re not political people, but we feel that we are moral people,” she says.

The dedication to higher quality chocolate was consistent among the vendors this year, including Kallari’s eco-friendly, fair-trade dark chocolate and the all-natural ingredients found in Dr. Sue’s Chocolate (think ginger, figs and blueberries).

Of course, this was no diet-friendly affair. Kelly Dixon of Offenbacher Gourmet Fudge wowed with her rich walnut-toffee variety—her mother’s recipe—and Objects of Confection’s sinfully delicious cake balls came out swinging with a seasonal pumpkin cake edition.

Even parched chocolate lovers didn’t have to take a break from the tasty treats: Vodka 360 offered shots of its double-chocolate blend; Zhi Tea featured loose-leaf hot tea infused with chocolate and coconut; and Wiseman House brewed up a bubbling batch of rich hot cocoa made from five different types of chocolate.

If the heaps of sweet treats weren’t worth the $21 admission, there was an added benefit to the overindulgence. Proceeds from the festival benefit Austin’s MS Walk on October 29 and the local chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The festival previously raised more than $5,000 for the Austin affiliate of Susan G. Komen, and Jennifer says she hopes to raise just as much this year for the MS Society.

---

For more information, visit www.austinchocolatefestival.com.