The sweets are coming! Some of the folks scheduled to appear at Sweet include (back row, l-r): Florian Bellanger, Alan Rosen, Morris Harrar, Sam Mason, Will Goldfarb, Deborah Racicot, Michael Laiskonis, and Terrance Brennan. Seated: Michael Gabriel and Katie Lee Joel.
photo: Food Network
Halloween is around the corner and with it bags upon bags of sugar-filled candy. But that stuff is for the kids. Grown-ups aren't really allowed to trick-or-treat. And so you cry: "What about the grown-ups?"
Enter the first ever New York City Chocolate Week, held from November 4th–11th in honor of the 10th annual Chocolate Show in New York. To celebrate, restaurants around town including Artisanal, Bouchon Bakery, Butter, Brasserie 8 1/2, davidburke & donatella, Le Cirque and p*ong will be featuring chocolate tastings, chocolate cocktails and other chocolate treats both sweet and savory. All of this chocomania culminates with the actual show, which will feature samples, demos, book signings and more (November 9–11; 125 W. 18th St.; each $28 ticket includes admission for one adult and two children under 12; each additional child is $8; tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com or 212-307-7171).
If that isn't enough sugar to put you in a coma, then head to the Chelsea waterfront on November 16th for an evening put together by the Food Network imaginatively titled Sweet. The candy lover's dream (and diabetic's nightmare!) will feature pastry chefs, chocolatiers, confectioners, bakers and fromagers from all over town – including Le Bernardin's Michael Laiskonis, Jean Georges' Johnny Iuzzini and Craft's Karen DeMasco, as well as Food Network personalities like Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis and Cat Cora. Of course, sweets aren't the only things at Sweet – there will be wine, champagne and spirits too.
Feeling guilty already? Don't. The event will not only be good for your dentist, it will also be good for the children. As a charitable event, proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength and the Food Bank of New York City (9 PM; $200 per person; 269 11th Ave.; tickets available online).