PROGRAM. THIS COMING FALL. HOW COOL IS THAT? THE SOUTHWEST CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE FESTIVAL HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND AT EXPO, NEW MEXICO. MORE THAN 150 VENDORS ARE THERE BOTH LOCALLY AND FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OUR PHOTOGRAPHER, JOSH STOMACH, HAS THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM TODAY’S ESCAPE TO LOOK AROUND. AND THEY ALL THE KIND OF GOODIES THEY HAVE OVER HERE AND EVERYTHING IS DELICIOUS. WE HAVE A GREAT TIME. THAT IS THE MOST FUN EVER TO GIVE SOMEBODY SOMETHING. THEY PUT IT IN THEIR MOUTH, THEY EAT IT, AND THEY’RE LIKE, OH YEAH. THAT’S THE REACTION. THAT’S WHAT WE WANT. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE OUT HERE. IF YOU NEED ANY KIND OF ACCOMPANIMENTS, THEY’RE GOOD. OKAY. WE HAVE A CHOCOLATE PINON. EVERYBODY THAT’S ONE THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO LOVE. AND WE HAVE A PUEBLO ALL MORNING THAT’S GOING TO BE LIKE YOUR TRADITIONAL EVERYDAY KIND OF COFFEE WITH NOT TOO MUCH EXTRA FLAVOR. I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH WITH A LITTLE BITTER CHILI. AND IT CAME ON FROM I KNOW IT WAS. AND I WAS EATING STUFF HARD, BUT I LOVE IT. I EAT IT ALL. IT’S A ONCE IN A YEAR EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY’RE GOING TO DISCOVER CHOCOLATES AND COFFEES AND CAKES AND CANDIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE BUSINESSES ARE FLYING IN FROM EAST COAST WEST COAST. THEY’RE COMING HERE TO ALBUQUERQUE. AND WE’RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. THEY JUST COME OUT AND THEY SUPPORT. WELL, WE HERE AT KOAT INDULGE. I GO
Chocolate and coffee fest is brewing and buzzing
Two-day event offers much more than just candy and coffee
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Updated: 7:45 PM MDT Apr 1, 2023
At the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival, you feel the buzz in the air.It's become a national event, with 190 vendors from across the United States. It's also a huge local draw, on display this weekend at the ExpoNM Fairgrounds.Founder and producer Dean Strober was looking happy as the crowd milled around, sampling this, sipping that, and clearly enjoying themselves."There are two things that we can all come together on — that's coffee and chocolate," Strober said, "the kind of a party my wife Lynn and I want to go to ourselves, so we created it. And really, it's bringing out an incredible number of people."The scope goes way beyond its namesake to include desserts, baked goods, and "wine pairings" and "cocktail pairings" with the goodies on hand. Meanwhile, a DJ's recorded music makes the beat go on, and there's an Easter egg hunt too.Jacklyn James, working at the Santa Fe Gourmet Coffee booth, said she gets a kick out of interacting with the public."We come to the event to meet our customers," she said. "It makes me happy that people enjoy the products I've been cooking with for many years, so I have a love for them. So when someone expresses that same kind of love, it's a good feeling."
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — At the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival, you feel the buzz in the air.
It's become a national event, with 190 vendors from across the United States. It's also a huge local draw, on display this weekend at the ExpoNM Fairgrounds.
Founder and producer Dean Strober was looking happy as the crowd milled around, sampling this, sipping that, and clearly enjoying themselves.
"There are two things that we can all come together on — that's coffee and chocolate," Strober said, "the kind of a party my wife Lynn and I want to go to ourselves, so we created it. And really, it's bringing out an incredible number of people."
The scope goes way beyond its namesake to include desserts, baked goods, and "wine pairings" and "cocktail pairings" with the goodies on hand. Meanwhile, a DJ's recorded music makes the beat go on, and there's an Easter egg hunt too.
Jacklyn James, working at the Santa Fe Gourmet Coffee booth, said she gets a kick out of interacting with the public.
"We come to the event to meet our customers," she said. "It makes me happy that people enjoy the products I've been cooking with for many years, so I have a love for them. So when someone expresses that same kind of love, it's a good feeling."
