Castle Street Café and Mezze Bistro and Bar Chefs Crowned Chocolate Challenge Champions

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Chocolate mousse cake entered by Castle Street Café and milk chocolate cappuccino entered by Mezze Bistro and Bar were chosen as the winning recipes of the Chocolate Challenge, a tastefully fought contest of sumptuous delights featuring Toblerone chocolate. The contest, a filled-to-capacity event attended by 200 eager taste testers, was held on Sunday, October 29, and is one of several events at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute held in conjunction with the current special exhibition Alpine Views: Alexandre Calame and the Swiss Landscape which is sponsored by Toblerone. Local eateries competing in the challenge were Café Latino, Mezze Bistro and Bar, Castle Street Café, and Jae's at the Clark. Swiss chocolate maker Toblerone provided over 90 pounds of milk, dark, and white Swiss chocolate to the chefs for this event. Through taste testing, two champions were crowned: one chosen by a panel of judges and one chosen by a popular vote of event attendees. Castle Street Café's recipe was selected by food critic Deanne Moskowitz of The Berkshire Eagle, editor Amanda Rae Busch of Berkshire Living, and chef Jim Lambert of Berkshire Community College Culinary School, as their favorite. Chef/owner Michael Ballon's flourless chocolate mousse cake was a mouth-watering decadence, which perfectly melded heavy cream with chocolate. Mezze Bistro and Bar's recipe was selected by the public who enthusiastically took on the arduous task of tasting the entries and voting on a crowd favorite. On this chilly day, chef James Tracey, of Mezze Bistro and Bar, created the perfect warm up. His milk chocolate cappuccino fused the sweet honey nougat taste of the Toblerone with fresh ginger to create a delicious and different take on the popular drink. Complete results in the juried competition include: First place to Castle Street Café for its Castle Street Café Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake; second place to Mezze Bistro and Bar for its Toblerone Milk Chocolate Cappuccino; third place to Café Latino for its Brioche Bread Pudding. Complete results in the popular choice competition include: First place to Mezze Bistro and Bar for its Toblerone Milk Chocolate Cappuccino; second place to Castle Street Café for its Castle Street Café Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake; third place to Jae's at the Clark for its Chocolate Truffles. "We at Toblerone applaud all the chefs who participated in the Chocolate Challenge and want to extend a special congratulations to Castle Street Café and Mezze Bistro and Bar for their delicious, winning entries," said Akym Kuzmick, brand manger, Toblerone/Kraft Foods. "We are so excited to be partnering with the Clark on the Alpine Views: Alexandre Calame and the Swiss Landscape exhibition as well as to have the opportunity to share Toblerone with these fine chefs and visitors to the Clark alike." Toblerone Toblerone is a leading chocolate brand within the Kraft Foods global portfolio, sold in over 120 countries worldwide. Kraft Foods (NYSE:KFT) is the world's second-largest food and beverage company. For more than 100 years, they've been dedicated to helping people around the world eat and live better. Hundreds of millions of times a day, in more than 150 countries, consumers reach for their favorite Kraft brands including Kraft cheeses and dinners, Jacobs, Gevalia and Maxwell House coffees, Oscar Mayer meats, DiGiorno pizzas, Oreo cookies, Ritz and Wheat Thins crackers and chips, Philadelphia cream cheese, Milka and Côte d'Or chocolates, Honey Bunches of Oats cereals, Good Seasons salad dressings and Tang refreshment beverage. They've also started added Tassimo hot beverage system, South Beach Diet line and a growing range of better-for-you Sensible Solution products to their shopping baskets, continually expanding their list of Kraft favorites. For more information about Toblerone, visit www.toblerone.com. The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (daily in July and August). Admission is free November through May. Admission June 1 through October 31 is $12.50 for adults, free for children 18 and younger, members, and students with valid ID. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit www.clarkart.edu .
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St. Stan's Students Spread Holiday Cheer at Williamstown Commons

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Students from St. Stanislaus Kostka School  in Adams brought the holiday spirit to Williamstown Commons on Thursday, delivering handmade Christmas cards and leading residents in a community caroling session.
 
"It honestly means the world to us because it means the world to them," said nursing home Administrator Alex Fox on Thursday morning. "This made their days. This could have even made their weeks. It could have made their Christmas, seeing the children and interacting with the community."
 
Teacher Kate Mendonca said this is the first year her class has visited the facility, noting that the initiative was driven entirely by the students.
 
"This came from the kids. They said they wanted to create something and give back," Mendonca said. "We want our students involved in the community instead of just reading from a religion book."
 
Preparation for the event began in early December, with students crafting bells to accompany their singing. The handmade cards were completed last week.
 
"It's important for them to know that it's not just about them during Christmas," Mendonca said. "It's about everyone, for sure. I hope that they know they really helped a lot of people today and hopefully it brought joy to the residents here."
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