Chocolate Fondue Fountains: A Great Party Centerpiece

If you?ve been to a stylish wedding reception this year, you?ve probably seen everyone excitedly crowded around one table dipping strawberries into a chocolate fondue fountain.

These fountains have become extremely popular. And for good reason! It?s not every day you see a bubbling fountain of pure sweet chocolate, just waiting for you dip all manner of goodies into it. What kind of goodies you ask? How about cool strawberries, bananas, cookies, small chunks of cake, and cookies. And that?s just getting started. If you think something would taste good dipped in chocolate, you?re probably right.

Chocolate fondue fountains also smell wonderful. Your guests will be following their noses from the moment they get out of their cars until they find the table that you have set up for the fountain.

Another reason why chocolate fondue fountains are such a great party item is because they create a place for everyone to gather around. Kind of like a water cooler. If it was a water cooler of delicious melted chocolate, that is.

So we know that fondue fountains are a great choice for a large, fancy party. But they are actually a great choice for a kids party?or almost any party for that matter.

Less expensive fountains are available for around fifty dollars online or in some department stores. The very large, fancy fountains are more expensive (usually over a hundred dollars), but you might be able to rent one from a local caterer for a reasonable fee.

If you are buying a fountain, make sure it is sturdy, preferably with a stainless steel base. High quality fountains are usually quiet. Low quality fountains may make so much noise that it can even be irritating to stand next to them.

The fountains come with instructions for use. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully to ensure that everything works smoothly.

One instruction that you might not want to follow is mixing vegetable oil with the chocolate. This is to thin the chocolate out (which is very necessary), however, there is a better way to do that. And that would be Paramount Crystals. These are what the professionals use for thinning out chocolate. They are easier to get right than an oil mixture and will not affect the taste of the chocolate. Use an 8 oz bag for every 3 lbs of chocolate and you will be all set. You can buy paramount crystals at most stores that sell baking goods.

A quick warning: chocolate fondue fountains don?t do well outside?especially if it is windy. In fact, you may wind up with your guests being showered with chocolate if your not careful.

If this is an adult party, you can flavor the chocolate with some sort of flavored liquor. For example, Grand Marnier will give the chocolate a slightly orange flavor.

Everyone wants to throw a memorable party and chocolate fondue fountain is one of the best ways to make sure that your guests talk about your party for a long time.

Chocolate Fountains - The New Must Have For Parties, Weddings And Events

Do you remember parties and events only a couple of years ago? Parties without chocolate fountains? How did we ever cope without them?!

Chocolate Fountains are now the ‘must have’ feature for any party. Weddings, corporate events, product launches, premieres, Christmas parties, any type of event!

Guests are drawn to them like bees around a honey pot. There are always a handful of people who just cannot stay away! They work their way around each dip. Stop… admit how guilty they feel, then carry on around the fountain again!

Many chocolate fountain bookings are for weddings. With couples choosing them as an alternative wedding cake (let’s face it who likes wedding cake anyway?). Some have it as a unique centrepiece for their reception. Others as an alternative desert or extra buffet desert.

Companies are choosing them for product launches too. There’s nothing like a chocolate fountain to make your clients and potential customers weak at the knees!

The market is growing fast. In the UK thousands of mini chocolate fountains have been sold over the past year for the home. Fondue dip parties of the 70’s are now back in full swing!

Melt Chocolate Fountains was established 6 months ago and has had hundreds of enquiries and bookings. Typically Christmas parties and product launches. The company rents out fountains on a dry hire basis or as a complete package with all glassware, flowers, dipping foods (including marshmallows, strawberries, fudge, mini donuts, profiteroles, kiwi fruit and pineapples).

Melt has also had its own unique neon bases designed and manufactured. The neon bases are much better than the bases some companies have which have LED lights. Neon lights, really light up the fountain making it a feature at the event. LED lights only give off a dull light.

Melt has medium and large fountains. Medium fountains suit up to 300 guests, with large fountains up to 700 guests. The chocolate is melted in a microwave before the event and then poured into the base of the fountain. A central column with an internal corkscrew pushes the chocolate up through the fountain which then cascades down the tiers and back into the base.

If you want to hire a chocolate fountain there are a few things to consider beforehand:

Does the company have food hygiene certificates? This is very important, you don’t want your guests coming down with food poisoning!

Is the company registered with Environmental Health? Also very important. Environmental health will do an inspection to make sure the company’s food premises is up to the job.

Does the company have public liability insurance? An essential! If anything goes wrong you need to be assured that your guests and venue are covered.

What does the service you’re booking include? Some companies rent out the fountain without a base. Some only offer a handful of dipping foods. Some restrict the number of dipping foods per guest. Others will only stay for four hours and charge extra for more hours. There’s nothing worse than a chocolate fountain being dismantled halfway through your party with a messy fountain being whisked across the dance floor past your guests!

Finally, are you confident with the company? Did they get back to you straight away? Was their presentation/quotation professional? If the answers yes, then their fountains will almost definitely be professional too!

Good luck with your fountain!

Joanna Jones is the founder of Melt Chocolate Fountains a company based in London.

The Wonder of Chocolate Fountains

A fashionable party is not complete without its chocolate fountain. Gone are the days of the ice sculpture, now, it’s all about the chocolate fountain. Imagine what looks to be a three or four tiered chocolate wedding cake but is in actual fact warm smooth chocolate. Used at weddings, parties and even corporate events, a chocolate fountain is guaranteed to make a lasting impression on even the most diet conscious.

The fountain comprises two units, the heater base and the holding basin and the auger (which is a large corkscrew). The heater must be turned on 15-20 minutes before the use and the solid chocolate put into the basin. The unit melts the solid chocolate which takes around 30-45 minutes to begin to flow. If you are new to chocolate fountain use it is recommended that you melt the chocolate prior to putting it in the basin. Chocolate fountains do not pump the chocolate to the top; instead they use a corkscrew motion which brings the chocolate to the top. This means that the life expectancy of the unit is increased and cuts down on unnecessary repair costs.

Any type of chocolate can be used in a chocolate fountain however chocolate with around 30% or more cocoa is preferred. This creates a silkier look and smoother taste; any other type of chocolate used will need a small amount of vegetable oil added.

If the unit is to be used on and off on a regular basis melted chocolate can be stored in the heated part at the bottom of the unit and the corkscrew/auger turned off when not in use. It is a good idea for hygiene reasons to cover any melted chocolate with a mesh of some sort which allows heat to escape but prevents anything contaminating the chocolate.

Written by Justin Khalid. Find the latest information on Chocolate fountains

If You Haven't Heard Of Chocolate Fountains You Are Missing Out

A chocolate fountain is as close as you can get in real life to the fantasy of Willie Wonka or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. These are sure to delight any true chocolate lover.

There are many different varieties of chocolate fountains available on the market ranging from small personal sized ones that are suitable for individuals or small parties as well as a diverse selection of tabletop types that are very inexpensive. With some of these you have to pre-melt the chocolate because all they do is keep the chocolate warm and flowing once it is melted, some of the better ones will do it all including melting the chocolate.

You need to be sure to read the description of the chocolate fountain you are considering so that it has the features you want. For example, if you want one that does the melting for you be sure that it states it on the box. If you are concerned about power cords being a tripping hazard there are also battery operated versions as well.

A battery powered model like the Giles Posner product is safe for even those of us with two left feet. These comes in jet black as well as a candy pink color and are great for outdoor festivities where a close electrical outlet may not be available.

Sephra makes fountains as large as 40 inches tall but they also make individual style models considered mini-fountains that are perfect for use at home. This model will also melt the chocolate for you like some of the higher end ones so you don't have top microwave your chocolate before putting it in the container.

To be sure that the chocolate flows smoothly over the unit you may need to add oil and this should be added to the chocolate that is used in the chocolate fountain. Some of the more popular home chocolate fountains are from Rival, Sephra, and Fundue Foods. What one should look for in a chocolate fondue fountain is quality in construction, quietness in operation, ease of assembly, cleaning should be easy and it should also have dishwasher safe parts.

If you are the type of person that gets into fun facts then you will definitely appreciate this one. There is a huge fountain in Las Vegas, actually the largest one in the world, and it is inside of the Bellagio. It stands over 27 feet tall but only about half of that is visible. This enormous gadget has over a ton of chocolate circulating in it at any time. Talk about a chocolate lover's fantasy, this has to be it!

This enormous fountain consists of 25 glass "shells" into which the chocolate pours from pipes in the ceiling. Those with an eye for art will find that the basins are in fact noticeably Chihuly-esque. To tell the truth, the ceiling sculpture in the lobby of the Bellagio was designed by noted glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about chocolate as well as chocolate gift baskets at http://www.frenchchocolatedelivery.com

Yummy Chocolate Fountains

You will need chocolate fountains, as well as some supplies such as food to dip in the chocolate, utensils, and the yummiest chocolates - a good variety on hand (to order) would be good so you can accommodate your customer's requests. You can rent out your chocolate fountains for about $500 per event.

Occasions people might rent a chocolate fountain are many. Weddings would be a big seller, as well as holidays, birthday parties, catered dinner parties, etc.

You could start a business renting out chocolate fountains to those interested in using these in their functions. You will have to make some initial investments in this business, consisting of mainly a number of chocolate fountains. Together with this, it is necessary to have a good variety of chocolates at hand to use in your chocolate fountain. You could also cater to the requests of your customers by buying and using their choice of chocolate in the chocolate fountain if required also.

When hiring out your chocolate fountains, rent them at a reasonable rate, at about $500 per function. There is no specific function that has a priority for chocolate fountains. You expect orders for chocolate fountains during holidays, birthday parties, weddings, catered dinner parties, and a host of other occasions. When hiring out your chocolate fountain, it is necessary that you either go on your own to handle the chocolate fountain or send an attendant.

You or the attendant has to set up the fountain at the site of the function. Then you have to show the guests how to use the fountain, and at the same time make sure that everything works out fine in the function. You have to take along food for dipping in chocolate. This could be anything from bananas, biscuits, cakes, and anything that works out well with chocolates. You then have to skewer the food to display them with the fountain. With this, you can create an elegant and beautiful presentation for the fountain, and its dipping items.

Once you set up yourself with this business, you will have to invest in advertisements and marketing so that people will be aware of your business. This is a relatively new business, so not many people will be aware of it. You should create flyers to display in shopping malls and in community centers. It would be better for you if you could arrange for a demonstration in a shopping mall, where shoppers would get to know of such a facility existing. You can sell, 'chocolate dipping', in the shopping mall and people will sure love it. You just have to take along some bamboo sticks for skewing, food for skewering, and some small plates or napkins to prevent the chocolate from dripping on your customers' bodies!

Once your chocolate fountain becomes famous, you are sure to get many people waiting and vying for your fountain. People will be waiting to meet you in functions and shopping centers just to eat your delicious chocolate and relive childhood passions and dreams of chocolates!

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A Chocolate Fountain of Youth?

We humans are strange indeed. People spend so much energy in an attempt to look and feel younger, that they so often miss the fact that they are using so much precious time doing so. Could the answer to retaining youth be right under our very noses, could something as well known as chocolate be the answer?

Age is seen as the ultimate enemy of the modern man and woman. With the pressures to always be on top and keep climbing, capturing the energy and vitality of youth has a compulsion many cannot ignore. Through history a variety of notions to stop the effects of time have surfaced and allured so many. In the sixteenth century, the insane Countess Bathory and her ‘associates’ murdered over 600 young girls for blood baths, in their quest for immortality. Many of the less morbid antidotes to ageing taste nasty, smell funny or are simply unaffordable. Can it be that something as pleasurable and universally accessible as chocolate, could be a youth serum?

Preposterous you say? Perhaps not, the cocoa bean, the essence of chocolate, has a complex chemical makeup that we are still trying to understand. What we do know however, is that chocolate contains flavinoids - healthy chemicals (a sub-group of polyphenols), that are widely believed to possess several health benefits.

Flavinoid’s strongest health related property is as an antioxidant. Antioxidants combat free radicals which are naturally produced by your body and cause irreversible damage (oxidation) to cells. Free radicals can leave your body vulnerable to premature aging, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and degenerative diseases like arthritis and although modern science has increased our average life spans, environmental factors like cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, radiation from UV exposure, and stress can increase free radicals. So finding a source of antioxidants to counteract this could well leave you looking and feeling younger.

To get the most out of this particular fountain of youth you should eat chocolate with as high a percentage of cocoa as possible, it is only these dark chocolates that have a significant level of flavinoids, in order to obtain the light and sweet taste in milk chocolate, many of them are processed out. So eating mass produced candy bars you find in your local supermarket which are very low cocoa content (and are in fact not really classified as chocolates), is not likely to do you any good, in fact the concentrated sugars and artificial flavorings are probably bad for your overall health if eaten regularly.

Chocolate a health product? Are you shaking your head? Well for all the skeptics out there you should look at it like this: a bit of sumptuous chocolate may not be the key to immortality, but it always makes you smile and that’s gotta keep you young.

I can be contacted by submitting a query at http://www.neuhaus-chocolates.com

What is a Chocolate Fountain?

A chocolate fountain is usually made of stainless steel and serves melted chocolate. A motor at the base heats the chocolate placed in the heating tray. The heated chocolate then goes up through a column and when it gets to the top, flows down over multiple tiers. This chocolate flows over each tray until it reaches the base.

Couverture chocolate, which contains at least 32 percent cocoa butter, works great in a chocolate fountain. You get this in light milk chocolate or dark chocolate. You can use other chocolate but must add vegetable oil, which hampers the taste and smoothness.

At one time chocolate fountains were commercial units, which cost thousands of dollars and used by professional party planners at catering events. You can still rent larger fountains from party stores and catering services that come with an attendant to made sure the fountain runs properly.

Home Chocolate Fountains

Now chocolate fountains are available for home use so people can host their own events. A home fountain is great for a party of around 20 or 25 people.

For someone thinking of purchasing a chocolate fountain for his or her home, there are a large number of budget friendly chocolate fountains on the market. Many of the very inexpensive models are not worth buying because of their cheap construction.

Purchasing a Chocolate Fountain

When purchasing a chocolate fountain for home use, look for the following:

• A good warranty is very important.

• It should be easy to clean and dishwasher safe.

• You want a machine that is easy to assemble.

• Make sure the construction quality is excellent.

• Nothing is worse than a loud machine so quiet operation is important.

• Auger pumping mechanism

To have the chocolate flow smoothly, you need to add oil. Many companies make chocolate for chocolate fountains that you do not add oil so you can set them up faster and more conveniently.

Most people are chocolate lovers. Just seeing rich chocolate, cascading down each layer on a chocolate fountain, makes our mouths water. There are many types of chocolate available to use. Some of these are:

• Milk chocolate - creamy and smooth

• Dark chocolate - some people call this bitter chocolate

• Unsweetened chocolate - no sweeteners added

Chocolate Facts

Less than 2 percent of fat in American diets come from chocolate. The main sources are fried foods, meat and full fat dairy products. Experts and research show that most headaches are not related to chocolate intake. Studies show that stress, hunger, irregular sleep patterns and hormone changes can cause headaches.

Learn more about Chocolate Fountains and the various information about this delicious food at: Chocolate Fountain Machine

Sheer Pleasure - A Chocolate Fountain

A chocolate fountain is a fun and entertaining way to provide a cascading waterfall of chocolate for your guests or family. The fountain serves as a decorative device for serving chocolate fondue. The right consistency needs to be achieved to reach the correct texture for the chocolate to fall down the fountain. The chocolate is poured into the fountain in the base, the fountain is turned on to provide the heat which is controlled by a thermostat, and the motor turns the rotating blades to start the flow of chocolate. A corkscrew-type piece, called an auger, turns slowly in a rhythmic-like pattern; this draws the chocolate up to the top of the chocolate fountain. The fountain usually comes apart for easy clean-up as the pieces can be washed in a dishwasher. In most cases, the parts of the chocolate fountain are made from stainless steel for durability and allow the heat to be retained. Most fountains are solid and weigh approximately 40-90 pounds when empty. A small fountain contains about 9 pounds of chocolate and will feed up to 100 people. A medium sized fountain holds 20 pounds of chocolate and is 30 inches and can feed over 100 people. A larger fountain can provide enough liquid chocolate for over 250 people for a reasonable amount of time.

The best chocolate to use in a chocolate fountain is a chocolate containing more cocoa butter than most regular eating chocolate. The chocolate usually contains 33-44% more cocoa butter than the chocolate you get in bars or chips. This type of chocolate is called Couverture, the French word meaning covering. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and dairy-free chocolate will all be good choices for use in the chocolate fountain. These chocolates work best when the product is first melted in a double boiler to achieve the deserved consistency, after which it can be placed into the chocolate fountain. The low-temperature heater will keep a regulated temperature of the chocolate to retain the flow of the wonderful covering. A chocolate that is too cold will not drop smoothly from tier to tier. A too-hot chocolate will become too thin and leave gaps in the waterfall effect.

Products that are best dipped into the chocolate fountain are marshmallows, pretzels, strawberries and other fruit such as bananas and grapes, cookies, and anything that complements the chocolate. The least desirable items would be something that crumbles or could add crumbles to the chocolate, that in turn could cause the fountain’s holes to become plugged, affecting the flow of chocolate. Using a long fork, skewer or stick can make it easier to enjoy the chocolate dipping pleasure.

Terry Roberts is a professional translator and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more about chocolate fountains - and about chocolate in general - please visit his website: Gorgeous Chocolate!

Why Would I Want To Hire A Chocolate Fountain?

Many party organisers decide to hire chocolate fountains for weddings, corporate events or parties for special occasions in order to add that special something to proceedings. Whether dipping strawberries, fudge or marshmallows in the chocolate fountain everyone will thank you for hiring a chocolate fountain.

The reason why so many people are interest in hiring a chocolate fountain for their event is that it will add that something extra to an already important day. As well as acting as a visual focal point, the chocolate fountain you hire will also be a brilliant talking point and ice breaker. The chocolate fountain should look impressive and fit in with your event. Also hiring a chocolate fountain will eliminate the need to have those uncomfortable silences when talking to your elderly relatives, partners, prospective lovers or the guy you don’t know who keeps asking you to feel his “guns”.

Party organisers in the UK will often have preferred suppliers when it comes to chocolate fondue fountains. They will want only the best, newest and most spectacular fountains rather than the cheaper chocolate fountains that are available to buy in shops or supplied by inexperienced companies.

If you are running an event then you will do well to find out prices from a few different suppliers in the city or further a field – many suppliers do not charge extra for travelling outside their home town. Be careful hiring from companies that only work in one city as their experience will be limited and therefore their service not as good compared to another supplier who travels all over the UK every week.

Once you have a few companies in mind you then need to contact them and get a quote for your event – be it a wedding, corporate event or party.

One of the biggest questions that chocolate fountain hire companies all over the UK get asked is "How much does it cost to hire a chocolate fountain? What are the prices?" or "What is a good price guide for Chocolate Fountain rental in “your city”".

You can usually expect to pay about £450 for the hiring of a chocolate fountain. Make sure the price you get quoted includes everything needed for your event. Don’t book the company and then find out you have to supply the dips your selves. The prices for rental of chocolate fountains will differ from one supplier to the next, but so to will what is being offered. The prices will also differ depending on your event – the more people you have, the longer you want the chocolate fountain for and the specific details of your chocolate fountain, different flavoured chocolate, more dips, surrounds etc. may add to your cost. Due to this make sure you state exactly what you want when enquiring about your chocolate fountain

How much should I pay? This all depends on your budget. By going with the cheapest quote you are possibly going to receive the lowest level of experience and service available or maybe they won’t have public liability insurance. If all the quotes you receive are very similar then I would choose from the middle of the quotes. Don’t be blinded by a really low quote as you may regret not spending that extra £50 on the next cheapest company. Equally don’t ignore really high quotes – make sure they are not including accessories you don’t want – lots of companies offer a lighted surround and if you feel this would be too overpowering or look silly at your event then mention this to the chocolate fountain company and they maybe able to lower their price excluding the surround.

Once you have hired the chocolate fountain and if you did so without requesting any of the ordinary extras e.g. a naked operator with only a plate of marshmallows to cover his delicate area, then you can expect a smartly dressed operator or two (depending on the size of your event), the fountain and chocolate, all dips and presentation plates, skewers and napkins for your guests, a table and cloth to cover the floor in case of spillage. Some operators may ask you to provide a table for them for the convenience of not having to disturb your guests too much on the way out of your event. The chocolate fountain you can expect to run for about 4 hours unless stated a specific time and this will exclude the shutting down and cleaning at the end of your event.

In the case that you were offer something when booking the chocolate fountain or requested something extra with the chocolate fountain and on the day of your event the company turned up with out it you will have to re negotiate your terms of price if it is something you can do with out e.g. a particular dip, or if it is something you can’t do with out e.g. a coloured chocolate for the themed fountain you needed, then you will be able to cancel without paying if it is not resolved and should receive a refund of your deposit if you paid one.

The more respectable companies will be able to offer you various chocolate flavours to run through your chocolate fountain. Most suppliers will be able to offer you milk and dark chocolate. Whilst some will offer white chocolate if requested. These should not incur an extra cost but be sure to ask before assuming. The well equipped providers will be able to offer flavoured chocolate or even (and this is usually at a small extra cost) coloured chocolate – it is white chocolate with tasteless food colouring added. The latter option is used for themed events or parties e.g. Halloween event would use orange colouring.

The most important factor to consider when hiring a chocolate fountain is to make sure you can see exactly what chocolate fountain you are receiving before you hire. Most good respectable companies will have pictures on their websites – for example maybe under a link called “About our Chocolate Fountains”. Unfortunately size does matter! And the bigger the better when it comes to chocolate fountains. The next thing to bear in mind is the operator that comes with the fountain. Making sure they are smart and presentable is important. So to is making sure they conduct themselves professionally over the phone or are prompt when emailing you back. Another good sign is previous quotes or remarks posted on the company’s website, hiring a chocolate fountain without a confident and charming operator is a waste. The atmosphere around the chocolate fountain has to be kept humorous and light hearted – which is only done by a competent and professional operator.

The earlier you can book the better really as many dates throughout the year will book up very soon and you don’t want to be forced to use a second choice company just because you left the booking until the last minute. Having said this, do not think it is not worth hiring a chocolate fountain if you only decided at the last minute. A lot of companies will offer or be willing to hire out chocolate fountains mid week or at the week end for last minute bookings if they are not booked else where at a cheaper rate. Don’t however rely upon being able to get one to do this and therefore miss out on the opportunity of hiring a superb chocolate fountain for your occasion.

Once you have booked a company to hire you a chocolate fountain you have done all of the hard work and all you need do now is wait for that special day with anticipation, for when that day comes you will be faced with a scrumptious flowing waterfall of chocolate accompanied by luscious mouth watering dips – provided you have listened to all the suggestions above.

To make sure everything runs to plan make sure you ring or have received a phone call about a week prior to your event for reconfirmation of your booking. Also if you have paid, which some places ask for a week prior to event, you can also check they have received payment.

I hope you enjoy your next chocolate fountain hire and I would recommend the following supplier: Jack of http://www.jackschocolatefountains.co.uk

Tips For Having A Chocolate Fountain At Your Wedding Reception

Chocolate fountains are an increasing trend these days not only for birthdays but also for wedding receptions. These items are often a must not only because they are gastronomically attractive but they also provide a picture perfect centerpiece for all the guests to enjoy. Unlike the wedding cake, which is the center of attraction but is rarely eaten by the guests, the chocolate fountain is likely to be a hit for both children and adult guests.

It is often a good idea to use the fountain not only whet the curiosity of your guests but also their palates while they are waiting for the main attraction of the reception, the bride and groom. In most cases, it takes time for the couple and the bridal party to arrive at the reception due as they often hang around at their ceremony to have some photos taken.

How about serving light appetizers even before the arrival of the bride and groom? Add a few marshmallows, biscuit sticks, strawberries and other fruits into the mix and this can give your guests the opportunity to dip in while they wait.

The fountain, especially when set up strategically can be a good backdrop for a memorable photo not only for the couple but also for their guests. It is often best to put a spotlight or some lighting to highlight the display to maximize its visual impact. Traditionally brown chocolates would be used, but ultimately no one can stop you from using red, yellow or any other colors you wish.

You will find that a lot of caterers include a fountain as part of a special wedding package while others offer it as an additional expense. Some will even allow you to bring your own machine, however, you should take into consideration that it will be up to you to set it up and deal with it in case of any problems that may arise. A good tip is to make sure that someone is assigned to check on it regularly so it does not run out of melted chocolate or become too messy.

One final tip is to ensure you use a chocolate with a high cocoa butter content. These are the most suitable, and you may even find that other varieties neither flow or taste as good.

Find more advice on wedding planning and wedding etiquette. In addition you can get more information on mother of the groom dresses.

Chocolate Fountain Description and Help

What is a chocolate Fountain? A chocolate fountain is a device for serving chocolate fondue. It can come in many different sizes, mini, medium, large and extra large depending on the number of guests you wish to cater for. The fountain has multiple tiers over a heated basin at the bottom. The chocolate is melted in the basin and then pulled up through the augur and continuously flows over the tiers. When it flows over the tiers, guests are able to select a condiment they would like to dip into the fountain, using a skewer, they select a dip of their choice and coat their item in delicious, warm melted chocolate....heaven! Essentially, a chocolate fountain is composed of two parts. The base is the motor and a heater. The heater is designed to transpose heat through the base to keep the chocolate in liquid form. The motor drives the screw in the upper part of the fountain.

This is an Archimedes screw, weren't they clever! This is thought to have originated around 600 BC, I bet they never thought of a chocolate fountain then. The screw lies in a tight cylinder in a vertical fashion with several holes at the bottom of the screw. The screw lifts the chocolate to the top of the cylinder from where it flows over several plates and down the fountain to be recycled again. This is the basic premise of a chocolate fountain, because the chocolate is thick, there is no need for a pump as the screw is a better means for lifting the chocolate up. Why have a chocolate fountain? Chocolate Fountains are a new and impressive form of entertainment, they create a fantastic focal point at any major event and provide your guest with a unique and interactive way of treating themselves to luxurious fondue chocolate. Chocolate fountains are a great solution for some weddings, they provide a wonderful desert or can be used for an evening buffet.

Some people chose to have a chocolate fountain rather than a wedding cake, this is because chocolate fountains are interactive and people can help themselves as much as they like when the would like it What should you consider when booking a chocolate fountain? We recommend you consider booking you chocolate fountain at least 12 months in advance, this is because they are extremely popular. To enable you to get a realistic quote you will need to provide the following details:1. Number of guests the chocolate fountain is to cater for. 2. Location of event. 3. Date of event - (if it's a midweek event you may get a good discount). 4. Duration of event. Most people book their chocolate fountain for the evening and on average, chocolate fountain companies hire their fountain for a period of 3 hours. However, every wedding/event is different, if you require your fountain during the day or for a longer period of time etc, please discuss this with the chocolate fountain company you have chosen Home chocolate fountains are mini versions of the commercial ones used for weddings and events. Unfortunately there is a lot of rubbish out there and we get calls regularly from people saying that their mini fountain doesn't work. Here are a couple of things that will help.

Only use a quality chocolate that is made specifically for chocolate fountains. This tends to be more expensive but it is the key to success. Chocolate purchased from your local supermarket doesn't work unless you put oil in it, a good quality fondue chocolate doesn't require oil. The poorer the quality chocolate, the more oil you require. This is in fact a contradiction because standard chocolate bars typically contain around 20% vegetable fat anyway, but you will still have to add more oil because of the high level of impurities. If this doesn't work, take the fountain back to the point of purchase and tell them that it is rubbish, maybe some of the high street chains will think again about selling consumers junk! How do you get the most out of your home fountain. Ensure that you have a variety of dips available, the best to use are strawberries, grapes and other fruits such as pineapple and melon but fruit works really well with chocolate. Ensure that you have skewers and enough for your guests, these are readily available at a variety of shops, especially hardware shops that sell barbecues. Also ensure that you have some large napkins as you wouldn't want chocolate dripping all over your floor. Finally, presentation is key, make sure that your skewers are kept together and that you present your home fountain as clean and attractive on a surface that is easy to wipe to ensure that drips don't spoil your display.

Finally, after your event has finished, don't turn the fountain of and go to bed. Dispose of the chocolate whilst it is still in liquid form as this makes cleaning so much easier. Your fountain should also disassemble into separate parts, put everything except the motor assembly into a dishwasher or a sink full of hot and soapy water and then it should be easily to clean down. Before you pack your fountain away, make sure that it is completely clean and dry to prevent any contamination. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at the Chocolate Fountain Directory or Chocolate Fountains of Devon for advice and information on suppliers.

Edwin Hall is the owner of Chocolate Fountains of Devon and the chocolate Fountain Directory. Bizarely also has a bsc, msc and phd in economics, surfs in the summer and plays football, soccer if you're American or like Becks, in the winter

 

Take A Swim In A Chocolate Fountain

When it comes to enjoying the luxury of chocolate, could there be anything more decadent that a chocolate fountain? Rivers of smooth and creamy chocolate plunging over the sides of a fountain, tantalizing us with its rich aroma and velvety color. It?s the stuff of dreams - a chocolate fantasy of which Willy Wonka himself would be proud.

But while a chocolate fountain seems like it would be too good to be true, it is in fact real. Used for special occasions such as parties or weddings, the most common chocolate fountain is a tabletop device that keeps chocolate at a high enough temperature to keep it liquid. While some models will actually melt the chocolate for you, others require you to melt and add the chocolate yourself.

The chocolate fountain can be found in number of locations. Party rental stores will rent the fountain for your use and in some cases will assemble the fountain, operate it during your event, and disassemble it afterwards for a nominal fee. Other, smaller tabletop versions can simply be picked up at the rental site. Some require an electricity source and others are battery-operated. Regardless of the power source they all come in a variety of sizes and colors sure to fit your theme and budget.

If you plan to use the chocolate fountain at a number of different events, it may be worth the price to purchase one outright. An affordable and easy to operate chocolate fountain can be yours with just a little bit of research. Check out party supply stores for their best prices or clearance items. Or go online to compare prices and sizes of different models. For the party planners among us, the addition of a chocolate fountain can make our parties the popular place to be with this simple addition.

While some use a chocolate fountain as simply a decorative item, most will use it conjunction with bite sized fruit or pretzels that guests can dip into the fountain. Instant chocolate covered strawberries, or white chocolate covered pretzels will surely be a hit.

For easy to understand, in depth information about chocolate visit our ezGuide 2 Chocolate.

 

Has The Chocolate Fountain Become The Catering Craze Of The Past?

Chocolate fountains were once a unique way to assist any party, celebration, catered event or buffet. Guests enjoyed their fruit with high quality chocolate spilling over like a waterfall. The fountain looks like a wedding cake, hence it's one time popularity with the wedding market. Standing anywhere from 19" to 50" tall and approximately 16" round, it weighs approximately 90 pounds when chocolate has been added. A chocolate fountain with milk chocolate, dark chocolate or indeed any flavor high quality Belgian chocolate does look fantastic at any wedding or birthday event.

Unfortunately, the death knell of the chocolate fountain is due to it's own success, namely that there are so many opportunities now for a population to hire a chocolate fountain for their next party, wedding or celebration, that the glitz, glamor and novelty factor has gone out of the market. There are so many sites on the Internet that offer rentals for chocolate fountains and the best idea, however, is to actually visit a supplier and see the fountains for yourself, as you'll want to know the height of the fountain, and how will it look when it's running. It's an impressive site, and the taller the fountain the cooler it'll look for the guests.

Nowadays of course, you can buy a chocolate fountain at such a reasonable cost and think about it, how many times is there going to be the possibility of using a chocolate fountain, which are perfect for events and parties that cater for 20 to 200 people. Along with the chocolate fountain, you will also have to buy the chocolate (the good news is that you can buy it visiting bulk), as well as, the fruit that will be used to dip, visiting the fountain. These days you can buy mini chocolate fountains which are around 19" in height and would make a great gift.

One downside of a chocolate fountain at a party, corporate event or hospiltality is of course, hygiene. I personally never eat out of a chocolate fountain at a convention, business meeting or at a party with too many people. A population will often double dip and though there's lots of chocolate that gets pumped, it still is best to have a chocolate fountain at a more intimate event, such as a small cocktail party, or a wedding or bar mitzvah where you're only having close friends and family.

Hygiene notwithstanding, having a chocolate fountain is great because of the appearance. Like a large shimmering, multi-tiered cake, the fountain will illicit comments from the guests. Like a fruit punch fountain, or a champagne fountain, the chocolate fountain is a great conversation piece. So when planning your next wedding or birthday party event, it's a great idea to speak to the event coordinator about a fountain, as well as, speaking with a chef or a caterer about what kind of edibles are best served by the fountain.

The chocolate fountain is a chocolate lover's dream come true and watching their facial expressions at a fountain is fascinating. Possibly the most popular fruit to dip into the chocolate fountain is strawberries it's astonishing how they go together.

Sebastian Fox is an events organizer with Knights Templar Events, a UK event management company specializing in chocolate fountain hire.

http://www.knightstemplarevents.co.uk/chocolate-fountain.php

How does a chocolate fountain work?

A chocolate fountain is essentially an apparatus made from stainless steel that serves molten chocolate fondue. A motor at the base of the fountain is used for heating the prepared chocolate morsels that are placed in a heating tray. A central corkscrew pushes the molten chocolate up through a column. Upon reaching the top of the fountain, which may be 2-4 feet in height and have multiple tiers, the chocolate flows down. The chocolate flows into one tray and spills on to the next till it reaches the bottom tier. After the chocolate cascade reaches the base of the fountain, the whole process is repeated again. The first melting of the chocolate can also be carried out in a microwave or a double boiler. The fountain is placed on a base that is sturdy enough to hold around 40 kilograms of weight and is close to a power socket.

Chocolate high in cocoa butter, such as couverture chocolate, is ideal for use in fountains. The chocolate can be either milk or dark. Chocolate low in cocoa butter must be supplemented with vegetable oil; however, this hampers the smoothness and taste of the chocolate.

Chocolate fountains are available as home and commercial versions that can be used for a variety of occasions such as parties, film premieres, bar mitzvahs, and product launches. A home fountain is ideal for a gathering of around 25 people.

Chocolate fountains are available for rent from catering companies and party supply stores. These also provide an attendant who ensures that the fountain works properly, the chocolate cascades smoothly, and there is no abuse of the fountain at the hands of eager children. Tidbits such as fruit pieces, cheesecakes, marshmallows, etc are kept around the fountain. These can be skewered on to toothpicks and dipped in the fountain. Generally, anything that is not liable to crumbling will be fine for dipping in a chocolate fountain.

Chocolate fountains can be rented at an hourly rate that includes the charges for the attendant's services and the cost of the chocolate used. Usually, chocolate fountains are operated for no more than two hours during a party; normally they are functioning when appetizers and desserts are served. They can also be an additional item in a buffet. Installing a chocolate fountain in the outdoors is not recommended as insects get drawn by the aroma of chocolate and breeze may disrupt the flow.

John Griffin recommends that you visit http://www.chocolatefountainheaven.co.uk for more information on chocolate fountain hire