Nerd Nite Toronto celebrates the nerdy joys of the season with talks and pairings from a Chocolatier and Beer Sommelier. Performance from Magician Keith Brown, plus Ugly Sweaters, raffle and trivia. Thursday Nov 24, 7:00 p.m. Doors at 6:30, Tickets $15 Tranzac, 292 Brunswick Ave.

Details:

$15 gets you admission, samples of beer and chocolate pairings and one raffle ticket.

Presentation 1: "Beyond Lindt, Nestle and Cadbury: A Brief History of Chocolate" by Julia Miller

Chocolate is a beloved confection worldwide. Most people recognize names like Lindt, Nestle, Cadbury, and Hershey, but it's history goes far deeper than that. In fact, it reaches back about 4000 years ago, long before Switzerland and Belgium were even recognized as states. This presentation dives into lesser-known chocolate history, covering everything from the French court's use of chocolate as an aphrodisiac to it's part in the Great Wars.

Julia Miller is a student at U of T majoring in History and Environmental Studies. She fell into chocolatiering by chance and has worked with the company Chocolate Tales for the past two and a half years. She apprenticed in Hamilton and teaches classes weekly in Toronto, from truffle making and wine paring, to chocolate-themed bachelorette parties. Is she sick of chocolate? No. Never.

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Performance: "The Trick That Almost Killed Me" by Keith Brown

After a decade of performing this death defying feat - it finally went horribly wrong! This trick put world-class magician and speaker Keith Brown in the hospital. He survived to share this epic tale. See it to believe it. It’s Absolute Magic!

Keith Brown is a world-class speaker and entertainer. He performed at a Stanley Cup party before he could even drive a drive. Keith has inspired wonder in over 16 countries and counting. He recently played the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas. The CBC claims he's "Hotter Than Potter!" He was chosen Toronto's Best Magician and he's not even from Toronto!

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Presentation 2: "Beer & Chocolate – A Bittersweet Love Story" by Doug Appledoorn

What better way to spend an evening than sampling beer and chocolate! Find out why beer and chocolate are a match made in heaven. We'll explore several different kinds of chocolate and why they pair so well with a variety of beer styles.

Doug Appledoorn is a Prud'homme® Master Beer Sommelier, craft brewer, and beer educator. He conducts tastings and teaches Prud’Homme Beer Certification classes, and is a spirited advocate of all things beer. Doug is also one of the co-founders of the People’s Pint Brewing Collective, an organization dedicated to the promotion and sale of Small Batch Artisanal Beers and soon to be a brewery and tap room in Toronto's West End.

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Trivia from the Nerd Nite Toronto Bosses