The Sandpoint Eater: It takes a cake (and a village)

By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist

Last week, many generous individuals paid $150 a plate (or more) to attend the Bonner General Health Foundation’s 15th annual Heart Ball, then shelled out thousands of dollars for sublime slices of chocolate masterpieces.

There’s no such thing as too much chocolate. However, the dessert auction wasn’t just for chocolate lovers, as there were 26 decadent desserts in nearly as many flavors, wowing the crowd and commanding extraordinary prices.

The top five cakes drew oohs and ahhs and nearly $30,000. That’s a lot of dough (and a lot of batter). 

The maximum bids bought the following creations: chocolate butterscotch torte donated by Pack River Store, $8,000; red velvet layer cake with cream cheese frosting presented by The Idaho Club, $5,200; peanut butter cup mousse pie donated by The Fat Pig, $5,000; raspberry lemon cream cake contributed by Joe’s Philly Cheesesteak, $4,500; and delightful decadence for the chocolate lover presented by The Hydra Steakhouse, $4,500.

It took more than a village to prepare the fairgrounds for this elaborate event. It was more like a small army of tactical volunteers, fortified with an entire room of fresh flowers, glue guns and glitter — as well as décor and design oversight from Howard and Georgia Simmons. The team spent three days transforming the venue into a fairytale-like setting.

I didn’t venture far from cake setup and table-setting duties, so I am never exactly sure what all the guys were doing hanging from ladders, hauling in massive pieces of equipment, stringing cords and cables, and generally doing a lot of stuff that looks dangerous (but I think the show can’t go on without them).

Later, all those helpers returned, transformed in fancy gowns and polished garb for an evening that started with plenty of cocktails — thanks to our favorite mixologists from Trinity at City Beach — which included the Pretty in Pink signature cocktail and tray-passed appetizers, followed by a three-course gastronomic sensation: chilled lobster amuse-bouche, tea smoked duck breast salad and 24-hour braised beef with whipped brie mashed potatoes. 

According to diners, the epicurean meal provided by Alex and Brittany Jacobson of Pack River Store and their crew of 30-plus helpers was over-the-top delicious (I didn’t have time for more than a quick bite of that braised beef, but I’m still thinking about it and hope to find it on a future menu at PRS).

Guests were generous with their money, and the core of more than 30 volunteers was generous with their time, including all the beautifully dressed and poised young ladies from HOSA-Future Health Professionals (formerly called Health Occupations Students of America). To learn more about their organization visit hosa.org.

One of my pet peeves — it tops my list, actually — is people complaining about teenagers; and, after spending the evening with this bevy of youthful helpers, who greeted guests, handled the coat check and helped us with the fast-paced dessert auction, I’m here to tell you the state of our youth (and future health care workers) could not be in better hands.

I’m not sure of the final dollar amount raised. Still, I know everyone who attended was generous beyond measure, and it will make a considerable dent in the funding for an additional 3-D mammography machine for Bonner General Health. If you’re inclined to donate toward this lifesaving equipment, you can still do so at bonnergeneral.org/foundation.

I know it sounds cliché, but the generosity of our community never ceases to amaze me. In the past 30 years, I’ve knocked on doors, hosted and volunteered at fundraisers, baked, bartered and bought more than my share of raffle tickets to support myriad causes here. I’m not alone. There’s so much good in this community. You can always count on Sandpoint citizens to show up and shell out their hard-earned money to improve the lives in our community. There are a lot of big hearts living in our tiny hometown.  

Speaking of hearts, don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is coming. If you plan to dine out, I hope you’ve already made your reservation at one of our fantastic local restaurants. I can’t think of an establishment that didn’t provide a cake — or buy a cake (or two) — so be sure and thank them for their generosity.

If you don’t have time to make an auction-worthy dessert to finish your romantic evening, try my silky and delicious chocolate mousse recipe. It’s simple to make but fancy enough to serve your favorite Valentine.

Chocolate mousse recipe • Makes 6-8 servings

This decadent chocolate mousse is fast and easy to make, and fancy enough for any fine dinner finale. Unlike many mousse recipes, it’s eggless so it can be enjoyed by most everyone. Use good quality chocolate bars and 40% heavy whipping cream. 

Ingredients

• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ½ salt 

• 2 tbs liqueur or espresso (optional) 

 • 3 cups heavy cream divided

• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a light boil, reduce heat, whisk in salt and vanilla. Turn off heat and add the chopped chocolate, then whisk until smooth (add optional amaretto, espresso or Kahlua at this point), whisking until smooth. 

Cover and chill in the fridge until just cool — 15 minutes or so (don’t leave too long or it will become too stiff to fold with whipped cream). 

Beat last 2 cups of heavy cream and powdered sugar in a stand-up mixer on medium-high speed until you have stiff peaks. Save ½ of the whipped cream in a storage container and refrigerate until assembly. 

Fold the chocolate into the mixing bowl of the remaining cup of whipped cream and gently fold by hand until the remaining whipped cream is incorporated and there are no streaks of cream. 

Scoop into 6 or 8 glasses or small bowls, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, pull from fridge and let sit out for 15 minutes or so.  Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate curls and fresh, plump raspberries.