Can You Make a $1500 Mocha?

I was at Water Avenue Coffee in Southeast Portland yesterday for a photo shoot, when who should I run into but Ginger Gerhart of Ghirardelli Chocolate! Ginger told me about a really cool contest that her company is currently hosting called the Ghirardelli Mocha Challenge, in which coffee professionals can submit recipes for the perfect mocha, iced or hot. Top prize? A cool $1500.

While the good folks at Ghirardelli are promoting this contest at Coffee Fest Seattle this weekend ”visit their booths, #704 & #706 for more information ”the contest is being held online, which means anyone, anywhere can enter through November 30 for a chance to win not only that awesome $1500 first place cash prize, which also comes with a chocolate gift basket, but also $500 and a gift basket for second place, and a gift basket for third place.

Here are the rules:

Contestants must use at least one of the following Ghirardelli products:

¢ Sweet Ground Chocolate (Chocolate, White or Peppermint)
¢ Sauce (Black Label, Sweet Ground Chocolate or White)
¢ Frappé (Double Chocolate or Classic White)
¢ Barista Dark Chocolate Mini Chips
¢ Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa

Contestants must include coffee in their recipes. Contestants may use any kind of coffee in any format i.e. brewed, espresso, French press, etc.

The folks at Ghirardelli encourage contestants to “get creative ”feel free to use other ingredients. The only caveat is it must make for an indulgent treat.” And no alcohol please.

Each contestant may submit up to (4) four separate entries across both categories (iced and hot).

Contestants must be 18 years or older to enter and a legal resident of the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia.

All recipes must be received by midnight 11/30/2010.

Complete terms & conditions may be viewed here

Judging

Recipes will be judged on the following criteria:

¢ Taste & Balance of Flavors (35%)
¢ Appearance/Overall Impression (35%):
¢ Ease of Preparation (30%)

Any questions? Check out the Ghirardelli Mocha Challenge page at Barista Exchange HERE.