Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Chew Chew Train

A friend I met in Colorado sent me this video link showing Chef Ned Archibald's "Chocolateville." Ned's the pastry chef at Keystone Resort, and every year builds this town from thousands of pounds of chocolate.

My father was a train conductor, and when I was a kid I always wanted to build a huge toy train set-up complete with little town and all the fixings. Of course, the fact that this one's made with chocolate, and lives in a resort surrounded by powdery snow sort of completes the fantasy for me.

By the way, my mother Pauline is doing much better after her shoulder surgery, and I'll be heading back to San Francisco on Dec. 14th. Thanks to everyone who sent their regards and good wishes!


15 comments:

Steffen P said...

OMG - thats so awesome!

PrimeBrit said...

Better if he'd finished with Merry Christmas

Chef John said...

You mean, "Happy Holidays" ;-)

Richard said...

Wow, that's seriously impressive!

Unknown said...

That may just be the most awesome thing I have seen in a long time... Wonder if I could fit one of them in my bedroom? Hmmmm.

Scott - Boston said...

I've actually vacationed down there in Chocolateville. Pretty sweet.
A couple of little known facts I learned about the place:

Crime is rampant. It is just nearly impossible to incarcerate anyone for any real length of time behind those delicious chocolate bars.

Summers are pretty much a disaster.

The town dentist may be the happiest man I've ever met.

The burnt caramel sea salt dark chocolate coin to American dollar exchange is friggin' brutal.

And, unfortunately, Ned The Mayor of Chocolateville is not in fact made out of chocolate. I found that out the hard way.

Scott - Boston

Chef John said...

LMAO Scott, if you were here I'd give you a big Hersheys Kiss!

Anonymous said...

But what happens to all of that chocolate after the season is over? Please tell me they don't just haul it to the dump.

Chef John said...

I have no idea. Probably gets a little dusty.

Tamar said...

All aboard! I guess you were born to be the digestive 'track!'

Anonymous said...

Nice I guess to have the income to do such a thing...even if it was a business that paid for it. Let me try and pass that off at the next Staff Meeting and see how it goes...

Chef John said...

:-) If only we could teach those chickens of yours to lay chocolate eggs. That would be great – no yolk.

averagebetty said...

Where has Scott from Boston been my whole life? This is by far the silliest comment thread I have ever read! Glad to hear your Mom is doing well <3

By the way, I think the Obama's went with "Season's Greetings" this year ;)

Cheers,
Betty

Chef John said...

Wow, a Scott from Boston and an Average Betty comment on the same post! I'm actualy going back to merry Christmas. Not the Jesus one, the shallow, commercialized version.

Chris K. said...

I broke out with acne after watching that.

Merry Xmas!