A small sampling of the Chocolate Fantasy Buffet

Three cheers for chocolate: dark, milk, white. It really doesn’t matter; add chocolate to any dessert and the result is irresistible.

Just ask the 100 chocolate lovers who attended the Chocolate Fantasy Buffet prepared by Kathleen Cressman-Pastiu, pastry chef at the Washington Inn, Cape May. Twenty different desserts, traditional and unconventional, all spotlighting chocolate, teased the palate.

Pastiu, originally from Audubon, graduated from Johnson and Wales University, College of Culinary Arts, Rhode Island, with a degree in pastry and arts. (Another famous graduate of the school is Emeril Lagasse.)

Pastiu worked in Boston for about eight years after graduation and then spent another five years at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia. In September 2000, she came to The Washington Inn.

Pastiu’s reputation for excellence is growing. Besides her work at the Inn, she caters events and makes special-order wedding cakes. She is also responsible for the chocolate chip cookies used at Lucky Bones Restaurant for their ice-cream sandwiches.

The Chocolate Fantasy Buffet is a chance to showcase Pastiu’s skills.

Chocolate Decadence, a flourless chocolate cake glazed with chocolate ganache, is the most popular item. It is ultimate chocolate treat and Pastiu always includes this on the menu.

Another traditional favorite is the mini Chocolate Tower (a specialty of the Washington Inn) made of chocolate mousse, fresh berries, whipped cream, and encircled by a dark chocolate lattice.

This year’s surprise favorite was the white chocolate eggnog croissant pudding. So light and airy, the flavors married perfectly, patrons went back for seconds and thirds.

An innovative chocolate pumpkin éclair brought mixed reviews. Pastiu takes the comments seriously. She likes to try new combinations and honest feedback lets her know what works.

“At least try it,” she says. “If it’s chocolate, it can’t be too bad.”

Other desserts featured on the buffet were chocolate mint cakes, mini-pastries, cookies, and white chocolate key lime pie.

Fresh fruits, marshmallows, pretzel rods, potato chips, and Rice Krispie treats were waiting for you to dip into a “trio of fondue.” You had your choice of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.

There is always something made with Bailey’s milk chocolate ganache.

“Anything I do with that is my favorite,” says the chef. This year it was a Bailey’s mini-tart, which was receiving rave reviews.

Pastiu encourages cooks to try their hand at making chocolate dessert dishes at home and she offers some practical advice on working with chocolate.

“When melting chocolate in the microwave, do it at 30 second intervals. Don’t burn it, be patient. And don’t be afraid to try new things.”

She also recommended two of her favorite cookbooks: “The Cake Bible” by Rose Levy Beranbaum and “The Pastry Chef” by Bo Friberg.

“It’s great to be in the pastry field,” says Pastiu, “it opens you up to so many other parts of the world and cultures.” Pastiu has been to Belgium and France for classes and welcomes tips from her mother-in-law who is Rumanian.

The Chocolate Fantasy Buffet, held four times a year, has become a sell-out event for the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). The menu changes each time, and while traditional favorites may be repeated, you will surely find a new exotic dish or a surprisingly creative new use for chocolate.

If chocolate is a friend of yours, make plans to attend one of the buffets scheduled for 2009. Check out MAC’s Website, capemaymac.org, for details. In the meantime, there’s always that most popular treat of all, brownie mix.