Gelato Team USA took seventh place in the 2016 World Gelato Championship that ran last weekend in Rimini, Italy.
The team, led by Il Gelato Hawaii owner Dirk Koeppenkastrop, took first place in ice carving, one of seven tasks. Carver Chris Foltz captured a theme of “Fire and Ice” with a sculpture of a woman rising from fire with spikes of ice in her hair.
A gelato made with green tea, pulled from a mystery box, took third place in that category. Other tasks: producing a coppa, or sundae; gelato cake; miniature chocolate gelatos; an entree with a savory gelato; and a centerpiece made with croccante (candied almonds resembling a brittle).
Team members are manager John Hui, captain Koeppenkastrop, Foltz, Michele Pompei and Tim Brown.
The Top 3 teams of the biennial contest were from Italy, followed by Spain and Australia. Other teams represented Argentina, Chile, Japan, Morocco, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland and Uruguay.
Acclaimed chocolatier to visit shop
Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini visits chocolate lovers 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at his shop in the Ewa Wing of Ala Moana Center.
Marcolini was named the first pastry glacier in Belgium in 1991 and was inducted into Le Salon du Chocolat Hall of Fame in Paris in 2014.
Pierre Marcolini is on the third floor of the Ewa Wing. Visit marcolini-hawaii.com or call 951-0456.
Seasonal cooking classes beckon
CookSpace Hawaii gets festive with a couple of holiday classes geared toward Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year. The fee for each is $68.06. Register at cookspacehawaii.com or call 695-2205.
>> Pastry chef Mark Okumura shares his chocolate knowledge, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Okumura is an instructor at Kapiolani Community College. Students will learn to melt and temper chocolate; cover truffles, fruit and salted caramels; and decorate. And, each person takes home a box of chocolates.
>> Lynette Lo Tom returns to teach a couple of her Chinese New Year recipes, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 5. Tom will make Lo Han Jai (vegetarian monk’s food) and Nien Gao, the steamed caramel-colored sticky rice, prepared steamed and baked.
Malasada sale benefits music hale
Malasada fans, don’t forget: Damien Memorial School is holding its annual Fat Tuesday Malasadas fundraiser Feb. 9. Pre-order by Feb. 1, with order forms available at damien.edu.
Malasadas will be sold by the dozen ($12) or half-dozen ($6). Pickup is 6:30 to 11 a.m. at the school, 1401 Houghtailing St. in Kalihi. Some malasadas will be available for purchase that day, but they sell out fast.
Proceeds benefit the music building. Call 841-0195.
Cooking trio hosts new year’s dinner
Food writer Lynette Lo Tom, author of “A Chinese Kitchen” and contributor to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser food section, gets in the kitchen with chefs Ed Kenney and Dave Caldiero to present an eight-course dinner, “Fire Monkey Meets Mud Hen,” 6:30 to 9 p.m. Feb. 8 at Mud Hen Water, the chefs’ Kaimuki restaurant.
The meal will include an appetizer platter with winter melon soup, jai, deep-fried old-fashioned oyster rolls, a raw-fish salad and nien gao. Other dishes will feature noodles, duck and roast pork.
Tickets are $103.49 (includes Tom’s book); visit eventbrite.com. The restaurant is at 3452 Waialae Ave.
