Election Night Partying: How Are You Rocking Your Vote?

I have to admit that I'm getting twitchier by the day anticipating walking into my polling place and then into the booth, ballot in hand. It could be one of the most momentous elections of my generation and I'm so anxious that it goes off without a hitch and, of course, the way I want it!

So, watching the results Tuesday evening is going to be a huge deal. It's going to require some hand holding, some camaraderie and, if all goes well, it will become a wonderful memory of where I was and who I was with at that historic moment. And, of course, it requires a great meal.

In anticipation of being on KPBS radio's These Days on Tuesday morning at 10, when San Diego Citysearch editor Erin Chambers and I will talk about election night food and events, I'm compiling a list of places to go, places to pick up election-themed foods and web sites/blogs where foodies are touting their election-themed recipes. If you have anything to contribute to these before Tuesday morning, please add your comments or send me an email.

So, here is what I have so far:

San Diego Events:

Official Political Parties:

• House of Blues: San Diego County Democratic Party. Free. Doors open at 8 p.m. (1055 Fifth Ave.)

• W Hotel, Magnet Lounge: SD County Young Democrats Election Night Party at 7 p.m. (Columbia and W. "B" St.) Happy hour prices all night, 3 flat-screen TVs w/results. Bring friends (if Obama supporters).

• Progressive Post Election Night Party. At the Halls, 1591 Dawson Dr., Vista 92081. 8 p.m. Watch the election returns on a giant screen, meet great local progressives. The Progressive Post will provide a main dish. Please bring your favorite dish to share. RSVP. captain.hall@cox.net.

• North County Democratic Unity Office, 135 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. 8 p.m. Food and drinks provided. Donations appreciated. RSVP: 760-690-4015, ext. 11 or christinenava@hotmail.com.

• Eagles Lodge: San Diego County Dems can be found here at 3848 Centre St. in San Diego.

• E Street Cafe: More Dems at this Encinitas restaurant. 128 W. "E" St.
  

• Versailles Room at the Westgate: San Diego County Republican Party and California Republican Party, 8 p.m.

No event listed on SD Young Republicans web site.

San Diego Hotels:

• Grant Grill and VeeV throwing a Poll Party featuring their election selection menu of cocktails and appetizers named for the candidates. 6-8 p.m. Bring your “I Voted” sticker to receive complimentary VeeV cocktail.

• Omni Hotels lobby and lounge: 6 to 10 p.m. multiple large-screen TV, poll-sliders miniburgers (cheese, grilled onions, pickle, tomatoes, fries), red recovery cocktails (citrus vodka and triple sec with cranberry juice and Sprite), Pull the Lever loaded up nachos (red-and-blue corn tortilla chips w/chiles, jalapenos, chicken, avocado, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream), All-American Patriot Apple Pie a la mode. At 675 L. St.

• Ivy Hotel: Starting at 5 p.m. for San Diego's urban young professionals in the Ultra Lounge of Envy Nightclub. Featuring multiple large flat-screen TVs; red, white and blue decor and Obama and McCain drink specials for $5. 600 "F" St. in the Gaslamp.
  

San Diego Universities:

• UCSD’s Eleanor Roosevelt College, free, all-campus event from 7 p.m. TVs to watch returns, panelists and student speakers, election prediction contest, free food and drinks

• USD Hahn University Center Forum: 4 to 11. Free. Snacks and drinks served.

San Diego Restaurants and Bars:

• Urban Solace: Featuring two special drinks on election night: the Barackatini and the McCain Wallbanger. The (red, white and blue) Barackatini includes: citron shaken with sour, pomegranate seeds, and a float of Blue Curacao. The McCain Wallbanger includes: Greygoose and Galliano In addition, they will be keeping a tally of drink order “votes” from patrons, and they will put up large board with a big map featuring the constant updates from the real election. 3823 30th St. in North Park.
  

• Tango Wine: Election Night Wine and Cheer; 2161 India St., from 2 to 10 p.m.

• East Village Tavern & Bowl: Obama campaign election watch party, 930 Market St.

• Crescent Heights: The newest addition to downtown's eateries is hosting an "Eat, Drink and Be A-merry-can" evening with an all-night happy hour on election night. 655 W. Broadway.
  

• Moonstone Lounge: It's the Hard Rock's roof bar and it has election-themed cocktails all night long, including the now ubiquitous "Ciroc Obama" as well as the "Palin Punch." 207 Fifth Ave.

• Seau's: Those big screen TVs will have election night returns playing on them starting at 8 p.m. At Mission Valley Center.

• Seaport Village Ben & Jerry's: Both locations are giving away free ice cream cones from 5 to 9 p.m. for those who vote (and even those who don't). Just tell the cashier you voted and you'll get a free cone. Limit one per customer. 849 W. Harbor Dr. at the food court and East Plaza.

• Sea Rocket Bistro: A free glass of champagne to all guests election night and election returns shown on the restaurant's 10-foot projection screen throughout the evening. 3382 30th St. in North Park.

• Sicilian Thing: Free cannoli with purchase on Election Day if you bring in your "I Voted" sticker/ballot stub. 4046 30th St. in North Park.

• Starbucks: Tell them you voted and you'll get a free tall brewed coffee.
  

San Diego Foodstuff:

• Venissimo Cheese: Cheese trays for wine and cheese on election night. For those rooting for the blue team, there’s a wide variety of blues in stock (made of all types of milk: cow, goat and sheep). For the red team, there are Red Dragon, Red Hawk and other red-washed rind beauties!

• BGD Foods at Little Italy Mercato: Burnin’ Barack Obama Salsa for a Change and Kickin’ John McCain Maverick Style Salsa.

• Cupcakes Squared: Get in the election mood with blueberry cupcakes with donkey flags and raspberry cupcakes with elephant flags. 3772 Voltaire St. in Point Loma.
  

Web sites:

• Chowhound: Election Night Parties - What to Serve. Lots of great ideas for Blue- and Red-themed party eats.

• Food Channel: Top Ten Foods for Your Election Night Watch Party: Kool-Aid, Chocolate "Moose" (or Baked Alaska), Cheese, Sloppy Joes, Keystone Light Beer and more.

• iVillage.com: Winning Election-Party Food and Drinks. The Ciroc Obama, the McCainarita, the O'Bomber, the White Tornado and more.

• Recipe4Living: Plan a Patriotic Election Party: Recipes such as Presidential Salsa, Congressional Bean Soup in a Crockpot, USA Flag Pizza, Senator Russell’s Sweet Potatoes and Patriotic Parfait and Cocktails.

• MyRecipes: Election Night Celebration: Mad for McCain Tex-Mex classics like Arizona Tortilla Soup and Margarita Sunrise. Over the Moon for Obama? Wife Michelle says one of his home-cooked favs is a big pot of chili. Also Chicago-style deep dish pizza and Italian beef subs. And a uniter dessert: Chewy Red, White, and Blue Cookies.

• Cooks.com: Maine to California Election Night Casserole and Election Night Stew.
  

• Yumsugar: Frosted sugar cookies decorated with your favorite patriotic design.

• Clever Parties Blog: 2008 Election Night Candidate Favorite Recipes -- John McCain's Arizona Baked Beans, Barack Obama Chili Recipe, Senator Bidens' Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and -- what else -- Sarah Palin Moose Stew Recipe.

• Cooking & Blogging: Show Your Colors with Election Night Cake. American flag cake.
  

• BlogHer: My Twitter friend Kalyn Denny has Barack Obama's Family Chili recipe and John McCain's Rib's recipe up on her BlogHer blog.

• Karina's Kitchen: Karina has a cozy brown rice casserole that will bake while you watch the returns. Beef, cranberries, black olives. Yum!

• The Nibble: Election Night Cocktails: Obama-Rama; Obama Poma; McCain Mojito; Red, White and Blue Mojito

• Dinner Tonight from the Editors of Everyday Food: Election Night (Food) Contenders: Editor and Twitter buddy Deb Puchalia gives a rundown on Martha Stewart's easy starters (cheese balls), mains (Deep Dish PIzza) and sweets (Baked Alaska), as well as her Shortcut Supper of chili. Plus, Deb tags other bloggers's dishes.
  

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Dallmann Confections: Candyland in El Cajon

Trying to find Dallmann Confections is a little tricky. Just off the 8 freeway in El Cajon, the little storefront doesn’t yet have any signage to speak of—owner Isabella Valencia’s only been there for two weeks—and the place is set back from the street. But, the location is really more headquarters than retail operation. Valencia has plans to eventually hold chocolate and wine tastings as well as chocolate-making classes here, but unlike other local chocolatiers, she has no plans for opening a café or shop on site.

“This just isn’t the right location for a café,” she acknowledges. “I’d rather wait until I can do it in La Jolla.”

But, having bounced around for the last couple of years in different locations, including downtown San Diego, her new East County workspace is a welcome relief. The garish yellow and turquoise paint on the walls and ceiling will soon be a thing of the past once Valencia redecorates, but in the meantime she’s got a large open kitchen—perfect for hands-on classes and demonstrations—as well as plenty of room for tasting guests to circulate.

You would think the 27-year-old Valencia came to making chocolate as an inevitability. Back in the ‘50s in her native Austria, her grandfather, Guenther Dallmann, ran a much loved pastry shop, which grew in renown and success when her mother and father expanded the business. Their Mozart Travel Cake—remember, this is Austria—is one of their biggest draws. It would have been only natural for Valencia to join the business, but instead it was her brother who went to work for their parents while she continued her education, earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management at The Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management in Klessheim, Austria.

Valencia first came to the U.S. on an internship at a resort in the Poconos Mountains back east. It wasn’t the most exciting place she could have landed but it was there that she met her husband, Alex. The couple returned to Austria for awhile but the Westgate Hotel’s general manager, George Hochfilzer, also Austrian, recruited them to work at the downtown San Diego hotel for 18 months.

“The idea was that we’d go back home to Austria after 18 months,” she says, “but with an American husband I was able to get a green card and I was promoted to manage the gourmet shop.”

Long story short—one day Valencia got a call at work from Mainly Mozart, asking if she knew where they could buy Mozart chocolates, a delicacy that, as it happened, her parents make. Shipping the chocolates from overseas became cumbersome so Valencia decided to quit her job to learn how to make them herself. That was “it” for her.

“It’s like the way nuns say they feel when they explain their calling,” she says. “I felt it was what I was meant to do.”

Three weeks back at home with her family gave her the fundamental skills she needed to get started. She returned to San Diego, told Mainly Mozart she was ready to provide them directly with what they needed—and they told her they weren’t interested anymore.

Fortunately, Valencia was inspired by her new-found passion and, like an Einstein she says, spent her time at home playing with chocolates and ingredients like teas and spices to develop a line of confections. She approached her former Westgate Hotel colleagues, and they became her first customers. Wasting no time getting more accounts, her business quickly grew. Valencia now sells her chocolates to wine bars like Wine Love, Wine Steals, The Cask Room and Eno Winebar; retail stores like Taste, Zanzibar, Orfila Vineyards, Java Jones and the Westgate Gourmet Shop; restaurants like Villa Portofino in Catalina and hotels such as Tower23, the U.S. Grant, W. Hotel Spa, the Westgate and The Handlery.

And now of all things, Valencia’s preparing for the Academy Awards. Dallmann Chocolates will be part of the celebrity swag giveaway extravaganza for three days leading up to the Oscar’s. “I got an email out of nowhere asking me to participate,” she says. “I’ll be with other vendors at the Beverly Hilton in a booth with a display. They tell me that 35 celebrities a day will come to the booth, eat my chocolates and have their photos taken with me.”

Her hope, of course, is that she’ll be able to generate a lot of publicity through the event and even garner some A-list customers.

In the meantime, Valencia is madly whipping up confections for her regular clientele as well as other special events. Stacked on shelves are bags of the Felchlin chocolates that are the foundation of her creations: dark 72 percent, a lighter 65 percent and 38 percent milk chocolate. The Swiss company makes single bean organic chocolate derived from Venezuela.

In the adjoining workroom, drawers are packed with all sorts of fascinating ingredients that she uses in her chocolates. Out came a small bag from Japan containing pearl dust, literally the wispy particles that result from hand grinding pearls. Valencia sprinkles it on her Prosceco and Pearls champagne truffles, a hit at weddings, she says. Then there’s a container of bee pollen and another of royal jelly for her Royal Jelly truffle. Royal jelly, which is secreted from the salivary glands of worker bees, provides nutrition to the larvae in the hive. Valencia uses it in the truffle’s ganache, and sprinkles bee pollen lightly on top. She also has a bag of fine grade macha, or green tea powder, and assorted spices and herbs. Fresh flowers, like orchids and roses, figure in her presentations and dried flower petals often top her candies.

Interestingly, she says she gets many of her ideas for her confections from body shop products, which often contain unusual combinations of ingredients. But, it still takes a lot of fine tuning to be able to turn a concept into a luxurious chocolate bonbon or truffle. One example is the key lime bonbon I tried that morning.

It is a beautiful treat—Valencia uses her thumb to paint the inside of the molds a vibrant yellow and green. The ganache is made with key lime and forest honey. The trick has been just how far to take the lime flavor. Too much and customers will wince at the taste of sour chocolate, so it has to be just enough to develop the flavor and no more. Valencia is just shy of reaching the finish line here, although the bonbon itself is rich and delicious.

On the other hand, the Rose bonbon was perfection and I’m not even a huge fan of rose-flavored food. It reminds me of my grandmother’s strong smelling soaps when I was a child. And, often candy makers are heavy handed with the rosewater. So, I was wary. But, it was a delight, especially the way it infused the caramel filling and contrasted with the bittersweet chocolate encasing it.

The Jasmine bonbon gently stoked my taste buds. The scent of the tea just swam up to my nose while its flavor lingered on the back of my tongue even after I swallowed the chocolate.

The other tea-flavored bonbon I sampled, Macha Passion, was equally well crafted. I love macha tea and I love passion fruit. Until recently, I grew a vine in my garden, always hoping it would bear the small fruit with its sweet-tart syrupy pulp. Valencia uses a passion fruit puree at the base of the bonbon, topped with a gorgeous ganache infused with macha, all wrapped in chocolate. My mouth felt like a happy playground as different flavors bumped up against one another.

The Giandja, a combination of hazelnut paste and Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur, was far more subtle and luxurious. It’s a smooth jazz kind of confection.

The palate is jolted awake, though, with the playful Fleur de Sel, which Valencia says is a customer favorite. The sea salt sits in the center of the top of the bonbon, so no matter where you bite, you get a sensation of buttery caramel and a little kick of salt, snuggled in bittersweet chocolate.

Finally, I got a chance to taste one of Valencia’s truffles, her basic chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder. It was dense and dark, definitely an adult confection.

Valencia also has a line of three chocolate bars of varying depths of chocolate. Her smart packaging includes suggestions on the back for wine pairings with the chocolates.

“I love to watch people take a bite of my chocolate and see the smiles on their faces,” says Valencia. “It makes me feel like a superstar on stage.”

Dallmann Confections is located at 780 N. 2^nd St. in El Cajon. You can learn where to find her products on her web site, www.dallmannconfections.com.

Have some thoughts about Dallmann Confections or other artisan chocolatiers in San Diego? Do you have a favorite neighborhood market or shop that carries unique or unusual foodstuff? Let me know or add to the conversation by clicking on comments below:

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