Generally speaking, there are two methods of eating chocolate. You can either pick politely at it, with pinkies outstretched, or you can dig in with the gargantuan appetite of a Wing Bowl participant. At the annual Kennett Square Chocolate Lovers Festival, held on Feb. 8 at Kennett High School, the hundreds in attendance did a little of both.

The festival, held as a benefit for the United Way of Southern Chester County, was a sold-out show of sweetness and confection, as dozens of professional, amateur and student bakers displayed a wide array of brownies, cakes, candies, cookies and cupcakes throughout the school's gymnasium. As Honor Society students from Unionville and Kennett high schools doled out sweets, chocolate lovers of all ages sampled more than 200 goodies on display.

Forty-five professional, amateur and student bakers got awards handed out in all five categories. First-place winners in each category were:

Cake Category

Professional: The Gables at Chadds Ford, Chocolate Espresso Cake

Amateur: Yukiko Savini and Geri Green, Love Child Chocolate Raspberry Torte

Student: Alexander Wank, Chocolicious Candy Cake

Brownies

Professional: Delaware Tech Culinary Arts, Hazelnut Fudge Brownies

Amateur: Jeannie Mudwick, Jeannie's Caramel Brownies

Student: Alisa Morales, Jon Sweet and Keiante Jones, Ultimate Fudge Brownies

Cookies

Professional: The Country Butcher, Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Amateur: Jonathan Kissell, Chocolate Berry Lollipop Cookies

Student: Several students from Kennett High School, S'Mores Bars

Candy

Professional: Talula's Table, Salted Caramel & Chocolate Shooters

Amateur: Alison Snyder, Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Students: Elana Lindner, Orange Chocolate Candies

Cupcake

Professional: Rosa's Cupcakery, Rose Bouquet

Amateur: Robyn Ingram, Robyn's Mocha Cupcakes

Student: Emilie Tannert-Schmidt, Double Chocolate Raspberry-filled Cupcakes

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].