Hot Stuff: Chocolate Salon at Fort Mason

Demos cover standard yet luxe truffles and chocolate drinks to chocolate inspired perfumes by our friend Yosh Han. Graceann Walden fans like SFist Ced will rejoice at a chance to see and hear her dish and demo a fave chocolate recipe. There's even wacky sounding "gourmet" chocolate make up applications manana that will range from "subtle and natural" to hot fudge, billed as "dramatic and glamorously" delish.

Some food and wine events can be serious cluster fucks. There were a lot of people in the diverse crowd, including babies and kids, in the two rooms. It's at times slow moving, but the people (hot chick alert!) and chocolate watching are top notch. We'd like to award double chocolate brownie points to the vendors for having clean, colorful, appealing food displays. The crowds weren't ever overwhelming or irritating. Watch the direction and flow in front of each table. Follow that and you'll be sated and happy, eventually.

Folks seemed overall mellow and polite. Some were shy and meek to reach out and touch the various samples (not us. Not ever). Perhaps they didn't want to be scolded for moving or taking a non-sample item, which we witnessed at one booth, where a guy was loudly told, "that's NOT a sample! These are the samples." Usually there were tongs to use for self service. Others, the vendor would serve the sample on a napkin or individual size wrapper. Questions seemed to be eagerly welcomed, and there weren't any hard sells for the products.

Map out your strategy. Our recs for "must try" chocolates include: Coco-Luxe's goji berry-pumpkin-salt truffle, XOX Truffles Earl Grey truffle, toffee or anything really, from the Charles Chocolate table, coconut curry truffles at Theo Chocolates, Limoncello ginger samples at the appealing Cosmic Chocolate ("Ecstasy. Art. Flavor.") space, and chocolate by the numbers at San Francisco Chocolate Factory. The smokey blue cheese chocolates at Lillie Belle Farms were far out, creamy, interesting, yet chocolatey enough for us to buy a box to share with friends. Vegans, fair trade, organic fans and gelato heads will find something to enjoy, too. Many of the vendors have decent coupons and sales, so bring extra cash or a credit card.