GCC - Chocolate Challenge Build Up

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Kathleen

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Anybody up for this challenge?


Count me in IF there are a few days to do the challenge or if it is over a planned weekend. Meaning I know the date and time of the hours in advance. My work schedule won't allow for an impromptu thing or if I have to do it during weekday working hours. :ermm:

Those not participating should have to judge it on presentation....which I am horrible at doing....so that will be amusing for me to struggle with! :LOL:

Wait.....I misread this! So we are going to do chocolate? Cool! How long do we have to make it????

~Kathleen
 
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...and contestants who would make a 5 course meal from a theme Ingredient. I propose that the theme ingredient be chocolate, in any form you want.
You mean all 5 courses should have chocoloate in them?
Now that's MY kinda' contest :punk:
I'll volunteer for the clean up committee.
I'll put the food away... ;)
 
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You mean all 5 courses should have chocoloate in them?
Now that's MY kinda' contest :punk:
I'll volunteer for the clean up committee.
I'll put the food away... ;)

I'm bouncy! And think I have thought out my recipes. My question is WHEN? Details?

MA, you are on my team as taster and assistant! Alexandros can serve. :chef: You can help me pick the wine-pairings and table decor....because *whispers* my plating skills are lacking.

~Kathleen
 
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Sounds interesting. I'm not a fancy wancy cook, but I'm willing to maybe give it a try. Can you research into recipes you want to try online? Chocolate isn't something I cook with often.
 
Ok. Let's set the date for Saturday, February 12. That gives everyone time to prepare their menus and purchase the ingredients.

Suggested Rules:
Contest participants must create five (5) courses including an appetizer, main course, , beverage, and desert. The main course must include a vegetable and a meat entry, though a combination of the two could be substituted.

For the main, do you have to use the ingredient in the veggie.

Is Cocoa a usable form of chocolate?
 
Wow I have missed a lot here. Okay, if it is chocolate I am definitely a contestant! I can do three, five courses makes no difference. In fact I think I already have 5!
 
I'm totally in! Especially if everything needs to be posted (all at once) BY February 12. I think that should be the deadline! I also do not care whether it is 3 or 5 courses. I would like that there must be a meat entry and a veggie must be used rather than have the veggie used in the entry....perhaps as a side?

~Kathleen
 
Cocoa is a valid form of chocolate, as is white, and any percent dark or milk chocolate. Think savory and sweet and it becomes fairly easy to produce different items. You don't have to cook everything on the 12th. In fact, I think it would be hard to cook the meals on the 12th, take pictures, write up a critique and recipes, and enter it all on DC on the same day. Cook the meals as early as you want. Even make practice meals to test ideas. The entries have a final posting date of the 12th.

Do we have any volunteers for judges? And I'm requesting more ideas for how the entries are to be judged. Also, what format will be used to place the winner? Should we critique each dish and give ideas about what made it work or not? Or maybe, just say this one is extra yummy, and this one reminds me of fried worms.:ROFLMAO: No, the fried worms comment can't be used. We have to be constructive and uplifting. The goal is to test ourselves, and to be creative.

I think this is going to be a lot of fun.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
For me, five courses would be an appetizer, seafood, palate cleanser, main and dessert. Three courses would be appetizer, main and dessert. Others might interpret them differently i.e. salad course, etc.

I think it would be best if a decision was made regarding the courses - number and that they are.

I am really having fun with this. Thanks, GW, this is what I needed!
 
Does anyone remember back when I proposed a cooking contest that we called "The Golden Chef Contest"? Well, several people agreed to participate. The theme ingredient was oats. The rules were about the same as for the Iron Chef competitions on FN. As it turned out, I was the only person to actually turn out 5 dishes (the only person to turn out any dishes) and post the pictures and recipes on DC.

I would like to try this again. But this time, I won't be a contestant. I challenge any who want to show what they are made of to compete. Again, we will need at least three people who would agree to judge, and contestants who would make a 5 course meal from a theme Ingredient. I propose that the theme ingredient be chocolate, in any form you want.

Anybody up for this challenge?

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed fo the North

Sounds like it would be more fun it the cooking contest wasn't limited to a theme. Chocolate? That's not an exactly cheap or easy product to work with. 3-5 course? I'm limited in my capacities. I think I'll just watch. This is just my opinion, It's not intended to set anyone off.

I like challenges don't get me wrong. If the theme was a little more opened up to the everyday / weekend warrior types, say " Cast Iron Challenge" Put your best CI / Dutch oven recipe up with a pic and recipe. Nothing costing more then $30.00 tops. Time set during the summer. Nobody freezes.. I know I'd participate as I'm sure a lot of others here that cook with CI will to.

I wish all the contestants good luck. Looking forward to seeing all the entries :)

Munky.
 
I PM'd the op of an idea like that. Maybe I'll PM you an idea and see what you think.
NAChef and Munkey, I chose chocolate because it is so popular. And as for cost, a bag of chocolate chips, baking chocolate, and cocoa powder aren't expensive. Put them together with some flour or other starch to make everything from pancakes, to doughnuts, to pasta, to pies and cakes, to cookies, etc. Add eggs, another cheap ingredient, and you can make flour-free cakes, soufle's, puddings, custards, etc. A host of mexican and tex/mex foods use chocolate in unique and interesting ways.

As in the link you sent to me, NAchef, the idea behind this contest is to spark the imagination, and possible the artistic, or adventurous side of any who participate. As I said at the beginning, the last time we did this, the theme ingredient was oats. Take a look at what was created from that humble grain.

We can choose any ingrediets or themes we want to for these contests. Last time I asked though, I received no answers. There is considerable interest in chocolate for this contest. So I vote that we keep it. But as was stated above, we could choose a theme based on a cooking technique, or a particular dish, or even a geographical location, providing of course that the ingredients are readily available.

This isn't Goodweed's contest. This belongs to all of us. We can have multiple challenges going at the same time if we want. And I'm open to all suggestions. I'm not even the self-appointed leader of this thing. I'm just a guy trying to flesh out an idea, and hoping we all can learn and grow from the experience.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

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So who is competing besides Kathleen and me? I have my recipes already and have talked a good friend, who happens to be a photographer to come over and I will cook, she will shoot and we will both eat! Sounds like a win/win situation!
 
So who is competing besides Kathleen and me? I have my recipes already and have talked a good friend, who happens to be a photographer to come over and I will cook, she will shoot and we will both eat! Sounds like a win/win situation!


I'm all about doing this cook-off!
 
With a snow day, I have finalized my chocolate menu! It's a seeeeeecret, of course. How goes it with the others?


I had mine figured out about 2 days after I heard about the challenge. I am super excited to do it too. Mine is also top secret, and by the looks of it will be fun.
 
I actually had the basics of mine figured out minutes after seeing the ingredient!

PPT, I am sorry you can't be part of it, I know you would have been a good contender. So ladies, since we are all keeping our menus under wraps all I can say is "bring it on" and I will "meet you at the judges table!" (Ok, at the polls!)
 
If anything is tricky about this challenge it is how wide chocolate can be used. Its difficult to reign in the imagination when you have so many options!
 
If any of you manage to incorporate chocolate into a savory dish that is low in fat, low in salt and low in carbs...you will be my hero. The anticipation is starting to get to me.
 
So who is competing besides Kathleen and me? I have my recipes already and have talked a good friend, who happens to be a photographer to come over and I will cook, she will shoot and we will both eat! Sounds like a win/win situation!

Photographer? That is a win-win situation. I have a camera....it will have to do. :ROFLMAO:

I had mine figured out about 2 days after I heard about the challenge. I am super excited to do it too. Mine is also top secret, and by the looks of it will be fun.

You sound like a ringer! Well, I'm not intimidated by people with real talent! I might be intimidated by LP's photographer though! ;)

If any of you manage to incorporate chocolate into a savory dish that is low in fat, low in salt and low in carbs...you will be my hero. The anticipation is starting to get to me.

Three of my courses have you in mind! Seriously! :chef:

~Kathleen
 
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