How will chocolate look in the future? However you want it to

When chocolate and art collide, some people whip out their cell phones, snap pictures and post them on Facebook immediately. That’s exactly what happened at Jac-Lin’s Flower Shop during McAllen’s first Art Walk of 2009-2010. A 16-pound milk chocolate portrait became the subject of the photos all over the Web. Meanwhile a chorus of oohs and ahhs sounded in the corner, near the ice cream grill.

Eddie Benavidez, owner of Ceda Chocolate Lounge, played Willy Wonka that night, entertaining guests at the flower shop by making fresh ice cream as they watched.

“The only way I can make this fresher is to have a cow next to me,” Benavidez joked.

The ice cream base Benavidez uses is more like a custard, so it has a very creamy texture. He likes to experiment with various recipes – especially with exotic flavor combinations. Cinnamon and cayenne pepper, chocolate with chipotle pepper, and blueberry are just a few of the flavors Benavidez has tried.

He ladles the liquid ice cream concoction onto the freezing grill, then fluidly scrapes the cream along the silver griddle with two spatulas. Within a few seconds the ice cream begins to take shape. If customers want toppings mixed into the ice cream, it’s not a problem for Benavidez since the dessert remains soft.

Ceda Chocolate Lounge currently isn’t much of a lounge. It’s actually an online store with several options for printing photos on chocolate, printing logos or messages on chocolate lollipops, or customizing your own business card – also on chocolate. Benavidez also brings his ice cream grill to parties, weddings or any other place people want him to go.

Someday, Benavidez plans to open a permanent store location in McAllen. Customers can expect fountains of chocolate with dippable desserts and customized chocolate gifts. There will be chocolate beer, wine and choco-tinis. A larger cold grill will elicit louder ooohs and ahhhs as customers enjoy fresh ice cream. Ceda Chocolate Lounge will also double as a music venue, and customers will be entertained by a Benihana-style show when they order a freshly frozen treat.

For now, however, Benavidez will continue to set up shop at special events, such as Jac-Lin’s Flower Shop during Art Walk. If anyone can make the chocolate lounge a reality, it’s Benavidez.

With a background in technology, Benavidez easily slid into the online work force when he decided on a career change. The former network administrator wanted to try something different and found his sweet calling when he discovered a store in Laredo making ice cream on a cold grill.

“They weren’t ready to franchise, so I decided to find a grill and do it on my own,” he said.

When the candyman is ready to set up shop, chocolate will reign at Ceda Chocolate Lounge.

For more information or to order, visit www.cedacl.com.

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Amy Nichol Smith covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4420.