'House for a Home' Chocolate House Auction Set for Dec. 8

Pennsylvania College of Technology's School of Hospitality is set to host its annual Food Show and "House for a Home" chocolate house auction to benefit Williamsport/Lycoming Habitat for Humanity on Dec. 8.

The Food Show will be open to the public and silent auction for chocolate houses constructed and decorated with candy and icing by students in the principals of chocolate works course will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the college's Thompson Professional Development Center. The silent auction's top bidders will be announced at 1 p.m., and, shortly after, additional holiday chocolates, cookies, cakes and other confections will be sold at live auction, with the help of auctioneer Scott Younkin, of Linden.

In addition to chocolate houses, students in advanced culinary arts courses will display their final projects, including hors d'oeuvres from the advanced garde manger course; intricately plated desserts (classical and specialty desserts class) and entrees (classical cuisines of the world); cakes from students in the cakes and decorations course; and ice, tallow and various other buffet showpieces from students in the artistic buffet decorations class.

The students have been constructing and decorating their chocolate buildings which include a castle, a replica of the college's Madigan Library and Victorian homes, all decorated for the holidays since late October.

Students who have built houses for the fund-raiser: Erin E. Brown, Lock Haven; Brian D. Cascio, Nashua, N.H.; Whitney N. Derr, Lewisburg; Samantha J. Fogleman, Port Matilda; Francheska M. Gonzalez, Reading; Jolene M. Graham, Locust Gap; Rachel S. Hall, Altoona; Andrea L. Kessel, Milton; Christopher G. Kowalski, State College; Marley D. Sampsell, Julian; Lindsay M. Spicher, Belleville; Walter C. Talmadge, Matamoras; Jessica N. Williams, Towanda; and Jason R. Wilson, Williamsport.

As part of the Food Show, the students' work from all six participating classes will be judged by professional chefs and restaurant managers, including Sandy Cacioppo, prepared food manager, Weis Markets; Dennis Eckrote, executive chef (and a Penn College alumnus), and Elizabeth Long-Furia, chef/owner, Elizabeth's, An American Bistro, Lewisburg; Andrew Masciangelo, executive chef, Savona Restaurant, Gulph Mills (a Penn College alumnus); Eugene Mattucci, owner/executive chef, Mattucci's Willow Cafe, Mount Carmel; and Scott Steiner, assistant food service director, Parkhurst Dining Services, Pittsburgh (another Penn College alumnus).

Several area high school culinary arts programs visit the college annually to attend a presentation on hospitality careers and majors, visit the show, and tour the School of Hospitality facilities.