You’ve read all week how excited we were about the 21st Annual Loudoun County YMCA Chocolates & More Extravaganza. It was almost mind-altering to judge over 25 chocolate creations, each one a potential winner, a work of art. The hardwork and handiwork of committed chocoholics came up with sweet praise for some of our Piedmont favorite food stops.

It was clear that chocolate softens the blow from the country’s economic blues. Over 800 guests attended the event and a record number of sponsors supported the fundraising efforts which netted over $50,000. The People’s Choice awards have now been tallied and both Goodstone Inn and West Belmont received top honors from both judging categories.

The Goodstone Inn has plenty to celebrate with its most recent hire, pastry chef, Sheree McDowell, for all of her creations. She wowed the crowd with a table filled with beautiful handmade chocolates which earned her and the resort the Critic’s Choice award for best dessert. She also garnered the People’s Choice honor for the best dessert presentation.

The critics awarded Capitol Chocolate Fountains of Manassas for its dessert presentation, and South Street Under won top honors from the People’s Choice tally.

Several restaurants competed in both the dessert and hors d’ouevres categories. That was true for Leesburg’s Vintage 50 which earned top marks for its smoked beef carpaccio with meat from Fields of Athenry. Host site West Belmont Conference Center scored top hors d’oeuvres honors from both the critics and the guests for its presentation.

Talk about a chocolate high and a little bit of protein!