The annual Ghiradelli chocolate festival--perhaps the only real reason to ever visit the prominent Ghiradelli square. I've been there twice apart from this festival--one I have close to little recollection of, the other puzzling because we were in search of something to do but found nothing besides eat a free chocolate square sample.
Being savvy internet-users, we researched before we got there, of course. This is the advice of many chocolate festival veterans and now ourselves: share a tasting booklet with a friend (15 samples for $20), bring a little box to store the goodies you are too gelat to eat (we failed to do this and stocked up on Ghiradelli chocolate squares instead), and use half of your samples on chocolate-flavored liquor.
All these "famous" San Francisco vendors set up little booths and you get in line, tell them what you want, and get a scrawl on your tasting booklet. Make it to 15 and you're done. You can get 15 of one thing if you so please. Walking around, you might have the fortune of chancing upon freebies like more chocolate squares, vouchers, and the ever so San Franciscan eco-friendly reusable shopping bags. Sure, I'll take one. We also watched Mr Ghirardelli (well, no, he was the Ghirardelli head of chocolate-making) give a very subdued presentation on the history and making of chocolate.
But of course the highlight was the sampling. We had chocolate raspberry tarts ...
Chocolate milkshakes ...
Chocolate oreo caramel popcorn (pretty lau hong by then; disappointed) ...
Chocolate caramel almond brittle ...
Not pictured, chocolate coconut cupcake (hey I make better and healthier cupcakes), Ghirardelli chocolate fudge sundae, and a handful of Ghirardelli chocolates.
But this was the creme de la creme. Behold. Double chocolate vodka.
It looks like vodka, it tastes slightly of vodka, but the during- and aftertaste is like you just drank a shot of liquid chocolate. We were bowled over, got several shots worth of these, and walked around sipping them with eyes round with amazement at each sip. In addition, we also tried chocolate strawberry wine (??) and chocolate creme liquor. A few times over for each.
Now that's probably the best way to deal with the chocolate festival crowd and long lines. Get a few tasty nibbles and make a beeline for the alcohol.