The previous post was filled with some of the savory offerings at the JOCEF fundraiser last night. Now I would like to bring you the sweeter side of the evening.

 I’ll start you off with the sweetest guy there. Big Joe Henry the radio entertainer  who co-chaired the event.

 The Raven and the Peach in Fair Haven provided mouth watering desserts. I have to be honest here…I have never tried a chocolate fountain before. Yes I have seen them and knew of their existence, I just never tasted a strawberry covered in chocolate like this. Just my opinion here but it is highly recommended!

 Marie Jackson with Zeet Peabody were here with the Flaky Tart goodies. As beautiful as this display was, the flavors were matched. The lemon mousse under the  raspberries and cream was heavenly. The crunchy pearls on top made this dessert regal. It was elegant to look at and sublime to taste.

 The chefs from David Burke’s Fromagerie served up dessert to hit all of your senses. There was crunch,  a slippery and tangy gelatine, deep, rich chocolate, a bit of raspberry and ice cream. In other words, this was one sexy dessert. Was I seduced enough to eat all of it? Yes!

 Whipped Bites is one of those places that I whisper about because every time I write about them they get even busier. Not only do Erica and Nick make great desserts, but they make fantastic crepes too. Truth be told, they also make great coffee, espresso and cappuccino…don’t tell anyone…I hate waiting in line for a table.

 Caitlin showed me something I didn’t know about. From Sickles cheese mongers came a Taleggio that was perfectly creamy and salty, but then she handed me a candied almond and told me to dip it into the cheese and eat it. I love learning things like this…Caitlin is now my new best friend.

 It was almost like Christmas at the Culinary Education Center’s table. Cookies like these make me swoon. A bad day can be turned around with a good cookie, so imagine how wonderful this is on a good day! I saved this picture for last because I wanted to point out that this is what the benefit was all about. A Recipe For Success…to enable and support those young chefs who might need a hand.

When our oldest daughter graduated from high school in 2000, and wanted to go to a culinary school, the guidance department couldn’t help her. They had no resources and there weren’t any scholarships available at the time. Things have changed for the better I am happy to say. It was my pleasure to attend this event and document some of the high points. Oh, and yes, our daughter is a chef today. She works for Whole Foods in Washington state.