A Ménesi szőlőbirtok

Balla Géza Arad-hegyalján legendás vörös aszúkat, fűszeres Kadarkát és bársonyos Fekete Leánykát termel.

Sziklaborok a ménesi birtokról

Borai elsősorban spontán erjesztéssel készülnek, kerüli a fajélesztők, az enzimek és egyéb adalékanyagot használatát. A bor születését csak szabályozott hőmérséklettel befolyásolja.

Ménes, a hajdani híres történelmi borvidék Aradhegyalján hosszú időre feledésbe merült a XX. század forgatagában. A legendás vörös aszúk, a fűszeres Kadarkák, az egykoron Európa-szerte híres nagytestű, bársonyos ménesi vörösborok és szelíd Királyleánykák viszont Balla Géza jóvoltából újra hódítanak. A Wine Princess pincészet 1999 óta arra törekszik, hogy e borvidék visszanyerje régi patináját, hírnevét. A 2007-ben kibővített modern, de hagyományos alapelvek szerint működő borászat közel 100 hektáron gazdálkodik. A szőlőbirtok 85 százalékán kék, 15 százalékán fehér szőlőt termesztenek. Balla Géza a fehérborokat kizárólag reduktívan készíti, melynek köszönhetően nagy mértékben megőrzik frissességüket és gyümölcsösségüket. A vörösborait a szőlő bogyózása után a fehérborokéhoz hasonló, de vízszintes helyzetű acéltartályokban erjeszti, oxigén jelenlétében. Az 2-3 hétig tartó erjedés során a hőmérsékletet 25-29 C° maximálja. A kierjedt cefrét ezt követően alacsony nyomáson préseli. Az így elkészült borokat különböző kapacitású hordókban tárolja. Használjuk az új kishordós érlelést 225, ill. 500 literes hordókban, illetve az ászokhordós érlelést 5000-15000 literes öreg tölgyfahordókban. A hordós érlelés kb. 2 évig tart, amit a testes borok esetén 2-3 éves palackérlelés követ. A Feketeleányka, Kékfrankos mellett világfajták, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon és Cabernet Franc is színesítik a választékát. Zászlósbora a Kadarka, amiből régen a bécsi udvar által kedvelt, híres aszút készítették. Ültetvényei között a Ménes-Gyorok határában található kb. 6 Ha-os Kadarka terület a legöregebb, kb. 60 éves. Az ugyanitt található teraszos művelésű Kékfrankos kb. 40 éves. A többi telepítés átlagos életkora 10 év. Balla Gézával Budapesten, a Symbol étteremben találkoztunk.

– A pincészetét Wine Princessnek keresztelte el. Miért nem utal a saját nevére?

– Romániában aligha lehettem volna sikeres Balla Géza borászat néven másfél évtizeddel ezelőtt. Ma már viszont más a helyzet, s éppen ezért kezdek áttérni olyan címkék és csomagolások forgalmazására, amelyen a BG monogrammom dominál. A csomagolópapíros, rafiás Wine Princess borok mellett tehát már megjelentek a letisztultabb BG-ló-

gos borok is a vinotékákban. Mivel komoly hangsúlyt fektetek a borturizmusra és évente közel 250 ezer palack bort értékesítünk, így a BG logóval a Balla Géza név gyorsan felülmúlhatja a Wine Princess elnevezést.

– Két különlegessége a Feketeleányka és a Kadarka. Tulajdonképpen ezekkel alapozta meg a hírnevét…

– Így igaz. A Feketeleányka 2009-es évjáratú sziklaborom a tavalyi VinAgora nemzetközi borversenyen aranyérmet nyert, ami fantasztikus teljesítménynek számít. A gyümölcs karaktere nemcsak az illatában érződik, hanem átmegy a bor ízébe is. Magyarországon egyáltalán nem termelnek ilyen szőlőfajtát, bár már adtam néhány vesszőt pár borász barátomnak, hogy próbálják ki a telepítését. A Kadarka már honos Magyarországon, bár 5 hektárnál nem nagyon ültet többet egyetlen borász sem, kivéve Szekszárdon Mészáros Pali bácsi, akinek 12,7 hektárja van. Én 15,5 hektáron termelek Kadarkát, s minden házasítást Kadarkával végzek.

– A talaj nagyon befolyásolja a vörösborok minőségét. Nyilván ebből fakad a sziklabor és klasszikus bor elnevezés is a palettáján…

– Valóban két kategóriát készítek. A sziklabor kategória valójában szelekciót jelent, olyan szőlőtőkékről jön le a nedű, ahol 25 centi a termőtalaj vastagsága, s alatta gránit található. A klasszikus bor fogalmát ezután már nyilván nem kell megmagyarázni. Fontos nálam, hogy a tőketerhelést soha nem viszem túlzásba, s kétszer csinálok terméskorlátozást. Először a metszéskor, majd másodszor a zsendüléskor.

– Ez nyilvánvalóan a minőség javítását szolgálja…

– Ragaszkodom a magas nívóhoz, s büszke vagyok arra, hogy mentorom, tanárom, a villányi Tiffán Ede az egyik boromra azt mondta, használjam a Grand szelekció nevet rá, mert ez jobb, mint az övé.

– Borainak elég magas az alkoholszintje…

– Ez tényleg jellemző, mert leginkább késői szüretelésű szőlőkkel dolgozom, aminek magas a cukortartalmuk, s emiatt az alkoholfok is emelkedik. Nálam a rozé is testes és 14% az alkoholszintje. Szinte már siller. Kedvelem a provence-i rozékat, ahol egy kis barrik hordós érlelést is kapnak a rozék, én próbálok ezekhez hasonlítani a saját termékemmel, ha már szóba hoztam a rozét.

– Bár most azt vetette fel, hogy próbál hajazni másokra, mégis inkább az a jellemző, hogy terroir jellege van a borainak...

– Ennek örülök, ha felismerik a fogyasztók. A talajból és a klímából adódóan kicsit kesernyés utóízük van a boraimnak, ami különlegessé teszi őket. Fűszeres illat és ízvilág jellemzi a nedűimet.

– A ménesi sziklaborok hány évig érnek hordóban?

– Minimum két esztendeig. 24 hónap alatt a tanninok még a Kadarkát is lággyá varázsolják. Fontos elmondanom, hogy nagyon kevés kis fahordóm van, inkább 10-15 ezer literes, hatalmas tölgyfahordókban érlelem a borokat, s tojásfehérjét használok derítésre. Kizárólag a szomszéd néni tyúkjai által tojt, maximum 3 napos tojásokat verek fel, s tíz napig hagyom a vörösbort a tojásfehérjén.

– Aki vásárolt már Balla bort vinotékában, vagy étteremben rendelt, az tudja, hogy ár-érték arányban nagyon kiváló vétel…

– A sziklaborokat sem adjuk drágábban pinceáron, mint háromezer forint. mire ez beérkezik Magyarországra, s rárakódik a szállítási díj, az áfa, meg a kereskedő haszna, addigra jóval drágább lesz, de még mindig megfizethető kategóriában marad.

– A ménesi birtoka csak 280 kilométer Budapesttől, sok magyar keresi fel a pincészetét?

– Szerencsére igen. Ötven főt el is tudok szállásolni a panziónkban.

L. Kelemen Gábor

XIX. EGRI BIKAVÉR ÜNNEP SZENT DONÁT NAPJÁN

EGER, ÉRSEKKERT: 2015. JÚLIUS 9-12.

Az Egri Bikavér Ünnep egy életérzés, melyet csak a helyszínen lehet átélni és megtapasztalni. Összegyűlünk, jó zene mellett kóstolgatjuk kiváló borainkat, egyszerűen csak jól érezzük magunkat, idén immár tizenkilencedik alkalommal. A gondosan összeállított Egri bikavér kiemelkedő minőségű, remek bor, mely élve a házasítás végtelen lehetőségével, ezerarcú, mégis jellegzetesen egri. Az Egri Csillag és Rozé borok a vörösökhöz hasonlóan lendületes savakkal és gyümölcsös zamatokkal adják vissza a borvidéken honos fajták és a termőhely harmóniáját. Régi és közkedvelt hagyománya a Bikavér Ünnepnek, hogy a borokhoz Eger és a környék legjobb konyhái készítik az egyedi alkalomra komponált ételeket. Egy bikavér, egy egri étel igazi borgasztronómiai gála. A rendezvényen traktoros gyorsulási és szépségverseny, magyar gyártású motorkerékpár, illetve veterán autó kiállítás, a kicsiknek kisállat simogató teszi emlékezetessé a hétvégét. Két színpadon négy napig sokszínű zenei kínálat, páratlan hangulat, kézműves termékek, önfeledt szórakozás várja vendégeinket.

Izgalmas részletek a www.bikaverunnep.hu, illetve a www.facebook.com/egribikaverunnep oldalakon találhatók.

French Polynesia

French Polynesia covers over two million square miles of the South Pacific Ocean and is comprised of 118 islands spread over five great archipelagos.

The islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora are names that evoke a wonderful state of mind, seducing honeymooners, romantics, adventurers, and vacationers looking for escape.

What makes Polynesia and Tahiti so unique for visitors? Embrace the warmth of your Polynesian hosts whose love for their islands is seen through music and dance.

The best illustration is the Heiva I Tahiti which is a Major Cultural Event which also marks a festive time during which various aspects of the Polynesian culture are celebrated. In addition to traditional songs and dances, you can also watch canoe races, fruit carrier races and other traditional sports, attend a Polynesian craft show and more. These festivities are also organized on other islands, the most famous after Tahiti being the Heiva of Bora Bora that takes place in the large square of Vaitape. During this wonderful occasion, most of the hotels provide transfers to Vaitape, allowing visitors to attend the shows, while some may also sell tickets to the evening events.

Overwater Bungalows: Enjoy the drama and comfort of the world’s perfect hotel room while sleeping above soothing lagoon waters.

Unlike any other hotel room you might have stayed in before, these traditional thatched-roof bungalows are perched above the turquoise lagoon waters. In many of the rooms, tropical fish swim below as you look through the glass floor or coffee table. With all the amenities of a first-class hotel room, here on your private balcony surrounded only by water and sky, you can enjoy both breakfast (often delivered by canoe) and the sunset (seemingly delivered by the heavens).

Honeymoon & Romance: Celebrate a new romance or a special anniversary in the most romantic spot on earth. Discover how the seclusion and setting of these islands create one of the world’s most desirable honeymoon destinations.

Tahiti and Her Islands do not cease to celebrate love which makes it a dream destination for a wedding anniversary or a special life event celebration. The hotels may provide upon request romantic services and special attentions for the occasion; a bottle of champagne offered for two, a tropical-scented-flower bed, a gift for both wife and husband.

Looking for a romantic escapade? The islands of Tahiti is the perfect place to unwind and reconnect.

Capri and limonchello

Capri is an island of seduction. It is four square miles of sharp lava blanketed with lush green foliage, white cube houses and walls spilling over with bougainvillea.

This Eden of oleander and jasmine is surrounded sparkling deep blue and green waters and eerily lit sea grottoes. Capri’s sheer physical beauty and dreamy laid-back lifestyle has attracted sun-seekers for millennia, from Roman emperors to latter day hedonists.

Homer certainly chose his spot well when he designated this island to be the home of the mythical Sirens, beautiful but monstrous flesh-eating women who lived on the offshore rocks and sang an irresistible song to lure ancient sailors to their doom.

Capri’s allure today is still almost as strong, though the only doom you’re likely to face these days is financial. The famed Blue Grotto has among the highest admissions of any sight in Italy).

Most visitors pop over on the ferry in the morning from Sorrento, fork over the euros for a quick row through the Blue Grotto, gawk at the obscene prices in Capri boutiques, and if they’re lucky hike out to explore the ruins of Tiberius’ Villa. Capri by day, especially in summer, experiences a tourist crush that veritably sucks the magic right out of the island. If at all possible, spend the night.

Take your extra day to visit the mountainside village of Anacapri, hike the undeveloped side of the island, or ride the chairlift up Monte Solaro for a panoramic sweep of the Bay. The center of Capri Town is Piazza Umberto I, called by everyone the Piazzetta. The village of Anacapri, Capri town’s historic rival but today the cooler, calmer, cheaper, and slightly less crowded and developed of the two towns - if any of village life survives on this touristy island, it’s in Anacapri.

The best buy in Capri is the famous and traditional parfume and do not miss the Limonchello liquer, which is oroginally from Capri and made of the island’s sour lemon.

Sailing from Venice

Those who regularly book sea cruises definitely know that the departure is always one of the biggest attractions. At such times the captain serves cocktails to the passengers, usually an orchestra plays music and everyone is on the deck observing how majestically the huge ship sails out of the port, clears the land and heads for the large open sea.

Specialists are agreed that the most beautiful departure is from the port of Venice in Italy. It’s a wonderful spectacle from the top of a large ship to see the many canals and their bridges, the hundreds of small boats, the vaporettos (water buses), the buildings rising from the water, the palaces, scenic squares and parks. We experienced putting to sea on board the Azamara.

The most expensive cities

The Mercer Consulting (USA) made a research among 214 cities of the world to find out which are the most expensive? Please find here the first five places: 1. Tokyo, Japan, 2. Luanda, Angola, 3. Osaka, Japan, 4. Moscow, Russia, 5. Genéve, Switzerland.

In Tokyo the rental fee for a luxury flat cost 1 million HUF/month. A cup of coffee on an averge place cost: 1823 HUF. Luanda used to be the most expensiceve city but now it is just the second. The developement of the economy is high, 12% yearly, because of the oil business. Osaka is gettin more overcrowded, this is the reason of the sky high prices. 1,1 million person is travelling daily from the suburbes to the city center to work. Moscow is the city of the billioneres. 79 billionares living inthe Russian capital, and they can afford the high prices. Not the average people. Genéve is the headquarter of all the big international associations and this fact creates high prices. Mainly the studying is very expensive, but the rental fees are also unbeleivable high.

Giga Luxury!

Why? The answer is: Why not? Here is an unbeleivable list. Some people have so much amount of money, that they need extravagant goods to be happy. Why? Why not? – Giant Hello Kitty made from 66000 Swarovsky chrystals. Value: 66 115 USD. – Crash helmet with 20 000 inserted Swarovski chrystals. Value: 18 000 USD – Vodka bottle plated with 24 carat pure gold leaflets, inserted diamonds. Value: 1 million Euro. – Nail Polish bottle, designed by the London based Frost and Models Own company with diamonds and gold. Value: 130 600 USD. – Hoover with 3730 Swarovski chrystals, designed by Lukaz Jemoil, Polish artist. Value: 20 000 USD. – Mercedes SL600 with chrystal design. Value: 1 million USD.

– Bicycle with 6000 Swarovski chrystals. value: 102 418 USD. – Bath tube, extra elegant. Value: 800 000 USD. – Ear-phones with 118 diaminds. Value: 50 000 USD.

Spielberg’s List

Steven Spielberg (born December 18, 1946) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and business magnate. Spielberg is consistently considered as one of the leading pioneers of the New Hollywood era, as well as being viewed as one of the most popular and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. In a career spanning more than four decades, Spielberg’s films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg’s early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking. In later years, his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust, the transatlantic slave trade, war, and terrorism. He is one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios.

Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler’s List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Three of Spielberg’s films — Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Jurassic Park (1993) — achieved box office records, each becoming the highest-grossing film made at the time.

To date, the unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $8.5 billion worldwide. Forbes puts Spielberg’s wealth at $3 billion.

The most loved films by an international research, the first place of the list went to Steven Spielberg: 1. Schindler’s List, 2. Casper, 3. Psycho, 4. Blues Bothers, 5. Chocolat, 6. Collateral, 7. Elisabethtown, 8. The Cider House Rules, 9. Jurrasic Park, 10. Timeline.

Reiki Brief Overview

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by „laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen „life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s „life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means „God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is „life force energy”. So Reiki is actually „spiritually guided life force energy.”

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery. An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an „attunement” given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of „life force energy” to improve one’s health and enhance the quality of life.

Its use is not dependent on one’s intellectual capacity or spiritual development and therefore is available to everyone. It has been successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds.

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion rather than having only an intellectual concept of it.

Suspended tent

The unique floating tent gives you the experience similar to being in a hammock. The invention is so popular that delivery takes three weeks.

The Tentsile Stingray, a ‘suspended tent’ that can be fixed to tree trunks, was created in line with the idea of a British architect, Alex Shirley-Smith. The tent is suspended at three anchor points and provides stability and perfect security. You don’t have to fear that the temporary bedroom might fall off in the middle of the night with the whole family finding itself on the ground in a forest.

You don’t have to worry in the tree tent, which is made from water-proof and waterrepellent materials, that you’ll be flooded while camping. When it starts raining the raindrops will trickle off and the bottom is high enough not to get damp. The tree tent also protects you against insects, ants and spiders crawling on the ground.

Undisturbed relaxation in the middle of the forest. You can get up to the tent with the help of a portable rope ladder, and when you roll up the ladder in the evening no one can disturb you since the door cannot be accessed by anyone. The greatest advantage of a tree tent is that there is a fantastic view of the surrounding landscape from high above. Waking up in the morning in the mountains or on the beach presents a unique experience.

7 star hotel

Next year in Casablanca, begins construction of 540-meter high skyscraper, which will be the tallest building in Africa and one of the highest in the world. The tallest building on African continent will be called Tower of light (Al Noor Tower), and responsible for this design is French multinational Architectural firm Valode and Pistre. The desire was to from the top of the tower, visitors get the impression that they can see the whole of Africa. The building is chock full of symbolism, though as always with such claims, one wonders whether this was intended from the tower’s inception or is the result of a happy accident.

The building is chock full of symbolism, for example: the 540 m height is said to reflect the total number of African countries (54 is approximately correct, though certainly up for debate), while its 114 stories are said to honor the same number of chapters (or surah) in the Quran. Al Noor Tower’s facade will sport a 1000-pattern design which signifies Africa’s rich languages, which exceed 1000. The building will occupy a total floorspace of 335000 sq m and include a luxury 7 star hotel with 200 suites, in addition to a spa and business center. Al Noor Tower also owns an impressive 100 m atrium, which rises into the center of the tower.

Leader of the project is Sheikh Tarek M. Binladen, who is chairman of the executive board of the company “Middle East Development”. – This will be the unifying impulse that will improve the future of Morocco and whole the continent,- said Sheikh The Budget for this beautiful project is estimated at around US$1 billion, and completed in 2018.

Speedboat-tennis

Federer and Hewitt promoted new faster format Fast4 tennis system, designed to be

Cooling T-shirts the tennis equivalent of T20 cricket - faster and closer matches. The two tennis stars Technology played tennis, volleyed back and forth at the beginning of this year while riding seperate speedboats on Sydney Harbour in front of the Sydney Opera House. Federer’s matches usually don’t lack in entertainment, but this one hits a whole new level.

Prior to hitting the waves, they flipped a coin to determine how they would split the speedboats. Federer won, choosing the bigger boat, leaving Hewitt with the “little baby boat” as he called it.

Once on the water, the two played a match of what can only be called speedboat tennis. After a couple misfires, they actually managed to keep a consistent rally going once they acclimatized to playing on fastmoving boats versus the stationary ground they’re used to. In fact, both of them appear to be enjoying themselves, laughing and smiling while riding through the harbour.

After the two were back on land, they played a friendly match on a boring, old hard court set up beside the famous Sydney Opera House. – It would be better to have shorter tennis matches – said Roger Federer to promote Fast4 tennis. – TV channels can not make an accurate time table, because it is not known how long will be a match. The players would be more happy to play just 1,5 hours instead of 5 hours sometimes, less T shirts would needed, etc.

Fast4 Tournament Scoring Format & Rules are special to make much shorter the games.

My Mother Said …

It’s almost unbelievable that there is a restaurant in one of Hungary’s most hidden corners, in Encs in the northeast of the country. It’s far from the main street, with no more than a modest doorway, though would be perfectly fitting in any part of the world and even be overwhelmed with popularity. My Mother Said … that’s the name of the bistro run by Szabolcs and Szilárd Dudás, which is so fantastic that it’s always packed with Hungarians and foreigners from Monday to Saturday, both at lunchtime and in the evening, though it’s not a tiny place, with seating for at least 80 people. People come from several hundred kilometres away for the gastronomic experience.

No wonder the restaurant has received a Gault & Millau award, which is only given to enterprises in the hospitality sector serving a narrow international elite. The award is somewhat similar to the Michelin stars, which My Mother Said would also deserve.

Here are some basic facts about the restaurant. Ingredients are local when possible, but otherwise from every corner of the world, and even elsewhere. White table cloths: none. Service: friendly people, fine jeans and trendy sweaters. They bake their own bread, prepare their own fruit cordials, make their own sausage and create other home-made delights for the benefit of customers. The house wine is from the Szepsy family cellar, namely they serve world-class wine to ordinary people – wine which connoisseurs would crave for. – Both of us worked in Italy for eight years, as a head waiter and chef - says Szabolcs Dudás. – Time went by and after a detour to New York for two and half years our homeland wanted us back and we came home. We felt something was missing. Where’s my mother, who said what had to be done? First we set up a corner bar, then a corner pizzeria and then the My Mother Said bistro.

What is olive oil?

Olive oil is how we refer to the oil obtained from the fruit of olive trees. People have been eating olive oil for thousands of years and it is now more popular than ever, thanks to its many proven health benefits and its culinary usefulness.

Olives can only grow in certain regions, yet millions of people are involved in olive oil production throughout the world and the culture of olive oil is rich and vital.

Of course, from that simple beginning it gets a bit more complicated. Here are the basics you should know about the process of olive oil making.

How olive oil is made? After olives are picked and washed, they’re crushed – sometimes between two big stones, but now more commonly by steel blades. The resulting paste is stirred to release the oil droplets in a process called maceration, before being spun in a centrifuge to pull out the oil and water. After the water is removed, what is left is olive oil.

Just a few people know, one of the best expert of oilve oil in the world is the Hungarian Gusztáv Tóth, who is running a special shop in Pomáz, close to Budapest. This is the only place in Hungary, where you can buy (and taste) a real good quality authentic olive oil.

The best olive oil of the worldd is eVo, from Tuscany, the chef of the White House in Washington DC uses this oil to make food for the president and his guests.

You can find this eVo oil int he shop of Gusztáv Tóth with other fantastic product extra virgin olive oils.

Salon du Chocolat

For its 20th Anniversary, the Salon du Chocolat attracted 120 000 visitors throughout 5 days last year in Paris: this is”the world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate and cocoa”.

Over 500 participants gathered on the nice 20 000 sqm exhibition space to delight all the senses of visitors: 220 exhibitors - national and international chocolatiers, pastry makers and confectioners, along with the greatest chefs and pastry chefs who treated visitors with some 50 fantastic chocolate recipes.

To celebrate its 20th Anniversary, the Salon du Chocolat honoured „Chocolate, a Universal Heritage” to reveal the richness of expression of this magical product with over 100 artists, designers and fashion stylists who pooled their expertise to pay the most prestigious tribute to chocolate.

The chocolate fashion show. Over 20 years, the Salon du Chocolat has brought together major players in fashion and in chocolate to create exceptional couture masterpieces. The Salon du Chocolat presented a fabulous retrospective of the 150 best designs that were displayed in a dedicated exhibition, as well as an exclusive „special anniversary collection”.

Because chocolate is both an art and a material, the Salon du Chocolat was presenting an interactive, original and all-new cultural and “arty” exhibition for its 20th Anniversary.

The big attraction of the Saloon was the Mona Lisa made of Chocolate, the Eiffel Tower, and a ladies handbag which was so beautiful, that nobody realized, it is from chocolate.

Other big attractions: Richard Orlinski, artist and sculptor, partnered with Jean-Paul Hévin to create a giant chocolate reproduction of his famous Kong.

Bastien Carré, “luminographer”, who has been specializing in the creation of artwork with LED lighting „brought light to chocolate” with Chocolats Bellanger.

Stéphane de Bourgies, photographer, presented a gallery of new celebrity portraits.

Clémence Besse, olfactory designer – Parfum en Scène presentied a collection of perfumes derived from cocoa.

Fofi Assegid, sculptor, exhibited a collection of 20 heads sculpted entirely from chocolate.

Live performances were offered by artists representing all the performing arts and symbolizing chocolate in movement including graffiti artists.