Rehoboth Chocolate Festival offers sweet and savory tastings

A prolific Nolan Witman of Hockessin took home a grand prize ribbon for his Lego wonderland. He also received two second-prize ribbons for a nutella pie and a fudge cake, and two third prizes for brownies and snowmen. BY DENY HOWETH

March 6, 2014

Cayden Willis gobbles down a chocolate mousse cake. BY DENY HOWETH

Carole Suchanek and Carol Hall, VIA volunteers, ready brownies for the tasters. BY DENY HOWETH

Dani Shifflett of Kilwin's dips a granny smith apple in chocolate after it rested with its caramel coating. It will then get a salt sprinkling to complete the sweet and savory. BY DENY HOWETH

A chocolate cabbage by Colette Fugere took third place in the showpiece category. BY DENY HOWETH

A VIA volunteer cuts the dipped apple entry by Sweet Serenity Chocolates, Seaford DE. BY DENY HOWETH

Sara Craig savors the chocolate icing from her cupcake. BY DENY HOWETH

Sam White helps kids with their projects. BY DENY HOWETH

Lines circle the convention center waiting for the professionals' tastings.

Chocolate lovers had a choice of treats to try from amateur and professional chefs at the annual Rehoboth Beach Chocolate Festival March 1, held at the Convention Center. Caramel and chocolate-coated granny smith apples to brownies were among the choices.

The showpieces were the only entries to survive the devouring crowd. The event is sponsored by Rehoboth Beach Main Street and Friends of Rehoboth Beach Public Library.

Grand prize winners:

Restaurant - Salt Air

Professional - Robert Cirelli

Bakery - The Point

Amateur - Kathy McGuiness, Renee Cotteigh and Liz Vasilikos

Teen - Joost Elling

Kids - Virginia Bateman, Marlka Vasilikos and Thalia Vasilikos

Adult Showpiece - Elzabeth Roskowski

Teen Showpiece - Rachel Meoli

Kids Showpiece - Nolan Witman

Professional winners:

Cookies - Jaseira Gonzalez, first; Lynne Chichi, second; Touch of Italy, third.

Brownies - Kevin J. Klabe, first; Colette Fugere, second; Robert Cirelli, third.

Pies - Robert Cirelli, first; William A. Walker, second.

Cheesecake - Robert Cirelli, first; Robert Cirelli, second; and Kevin J. Klabe, third.

Candy - Sweet Serenity Chocolates, first; Taylor's Toffee, second; Kilwin's, third.

Cake - Catherine Godelsk, first; Robert Cirelli, second; Denise DeRosa, third.

Most Unusual - Kevin Klabe, first; Samantha Twaddell, second.

Restaurant winners:

Cookies - Salt Air, first, second and third places.

Brownies - Salt Air, first; Irish Eyes, second and third places.

Pies - Victoria's, first; Irish Eyes, second; Salt Air, third.

Cheesecake, Irish Eyes, first and third places; Victoria's, second place.

Candy - Cultured Pearl, first place; Dogfish Head, second place; Victoria's, third place.

Cake - Irish Eyes, first place; Salt Air, second place; Victoria's, third place.

Most Unusual - Salt Air, first place; Cold Stone Creamery, second place; Root Gourmet, third place.

Bakery winners:

Cookies - Dolce, first place; The Point, second place; Root Gourmet, third place.

Brownies - Dolce, first place; The Point, second place; The Bake Shoppe, third place.

Pies - The Bake Shoppe, first place; The Point, second place; Root Gourmet, third place.

Cheesecake - The Bake Shoppe, first place; The Point, second place; Touch of Italy, third place.

Candy - The Point, first place.

Cake - The Point, first place; The Bake Shoppe, second and third places.

Most Unusual - The Point, first place; Dolce, second place; Touch of Italy, third place.

Amateur winners:

Cookies - Elizabeth Roskowski, first place; Amber Willis, second place; Autumn Wals, third place.

Brownies - Aileen Hearn, first place; Elizabeth Roskowski, second place; Pam Karpin, third place.

Pies - Treacy Boyetle, first place; Terri Carr, second and third places.

Cheesecake - Tracey Boyetle, first place; Nancy Stauffer, second place; Terri Carr, third place.

Candy - Dorsey Johnson, first place; Nancy Stauffer, second place; Dixon Walker, third place.

Cake - Kathy McGuiness, first place; Dorsey Johnson, second place; Jackie Bossard, third place.

Most Unusual - Dixon Walker, first place; Michael Gates, second place; dixon Walker, third place.

Teen winners:

Joost Elling, first place; Kyle David, second place.

Brownies - Kyle Buhl, first place; Richard Buhl, second place; Christopher Smith, third place.

Cheesecake - Kerinne, Maria, Holly, Adrienne and Bryan, first place.

Candy - Calli Hamby, first place; Stormy McGuiness, Caroline Savage and Macayla Costleigh, second place.

Cake - Harrison L. Layne, first place; Stormy McGuiness, Caroline Savage and Macayla Costleigh, second place.

Most Unusual - Stormy McGuiness, Caroline Savage and Macayla Costleigh, first place; Kaylee Giacomini, second place.

Kids winners:

Cookies - Linnea Poulsen, first place; Thalia Vasilikos, second place; Mairead Rishko, third place.

Brownies - Marika Vasilikos, first place; Jessica and Faith Thompson, second place; Nolan Witman, third place.

Pies - Grayson Boyette, first place; Nolan Witman, second place; Sophie Czerwinski, third place.

Cheesecake - Jessica and Faith Thompson.

Candy - Virginia Bateman, Marika and Thalia Vasilikos, first place; Sydney Ruark, second place; James Falk, third place.

Cake - Rayne Ruark, first place; Nolan Witman, second place; Gabriel Ogden, third place.

Most Unusual - Soren Poulsen, first place; Jessica and Faith Thompson, second place; Nolan Witman third place.

Showpiece winners:

Adult - Elizabeth Roskowski, first place; Bill Cornelius, second place; Colette Fugere, third place.

Teen - Rachel Meoli, first place.

Kids - Nolan Witman, first place; Daphne Bramer, second place.