A busy week for me. I have been working on my Halloween cookery and practising a few ‘pink’ recipes for the Cancer Research day I have in the half term at Reigate Grammar School. Tuesday, I spent the day experimenting with a couple of healthy recipes with low sugar, no gluten or fat – cakes made with chocolate and avocado you can see how I got on here: Alive with Flavour – Avocado and Chocolate Cake Experiments
This week has been CHOCOLATE WEEK and its finishing this weekend in London Olympia with the Chocolate Show, Salon du Chocolat. I went up Thursday evening for a peak before the doors officially opened to the public on Friday. We had a great night speaking to a few of the chocolatiers I had met before with Discover Cacao, samplying some new products like alcoholic ice cream, chocolate fizz and my first visit to the Chocolate Fashion Show.
The Chocolate Fashion Show was amazing. About eight models only one male with chocolate accessories, hats, and dresses even a chocolate sporran on the Scotsman.
Friday morning we were back with the general public for another day of Chocolate. Time flew as we chatted to lots of chocolatiers, some we knew and some were introducing their chocolate for the first time! 5D Chocolates http://www.5dchocolates.com Sylvia and Terry’s from Kent http://sylviaandterry.com and Solkiki http://www.solkiki.co.uk to name just a few! I have picked up some chocolate from ‘LAND’ and ‘Lucocoa’ to do some cooking and ‘The Chocolatier – Aneesh Popat’ Chocolate Peanut Butter for my healthy, daily dose of Chocolate in my smoothies. Sam Smallman ran an excellent tasting of Ronald Dahl chocolates and we were lucky enough to get front row seats to see Aneesh Popat demonstrating his simple chocolate biscuit with just flour and chocolate (I will be having a go soon). In the afternoon the judges, actually all of my favourite chocolatiers I know of, sitting around one table: Mark Tilling, Eric Lanlard, Paul Young – already seen Will Torrent – were tasting desserts, the Best Chocolate Dessert Awards! (My perfect job!)
For me the whole week has been a final chapter in my last 6 month ‘Chocolate Experience’. Back in March this year I was writing about ‘real chocolate’ and understanding how to taste, savour and appreciate ‘proper chocolate’. To read My Chocolate Blog click here. Meeting so many passionate chocolatiers yesterday and talking about the health benefits, tasting so many different types, tastes and flavours… I really feel like I have completed a chocolate journey! Thank you to Discover Cacao for that journey, can’t wait to see the new magazine in print (excited to be in there too with a chocolate recipe) and I know we are very excited to share not only our experiences but real chocolate knowledge and the talented chocolatiers to Surrey and Kent with our events, CHOCOLATE IS COMING OUT OF LONDON…
More pictures from the Chocolate Show:
Chocolate Show London
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