Chocolate Unwrapped was just held in London this weekend and I am so happy I was able to make it down there. It was quite possibly the greatest foodie adventure I have experienced!
Chocolate Week in the UK was last week and involved the country’s best chocolatiers and chocolate shops holding events all over the UK. Chocolate Unwrapped was a two-day event held as part of Chocolate week which featured exhibits and experiences from the UK’s finest chocolate companies. It truly was a decadent feast of chocolate that enabled me to taste a variety of new chocolates and reconnect with some of my favourites. I can honestly say that my knowledge and appreciation of chocolate has significantly increased.
(Apologies for some of the dark, crappy pics – I didn’t have the my Panasonic Lumix)
The range of exhibitors included Artisan du Chocolat, William Curley, Paul a Young, Melt, Rococo, Rabot Estate, Duffy Sheardown, Divine, Matcha, chocolateandlove, Auberge du Chocolat, Baruzzo, GoDo chocolate, The Chocolate Café, Original Beans, Cocouture, Cacao Sampaka, Lucky’s, Jeff de Bruges, Nicky Grant, Cococru, Patchi, Hotel Chocolat and Thorntons.
What made the day so fantastic was that every exhibitor was extremely generous with the samples which made the tasting that much more enjoyable! Some exhibitors such as Thorntons and Hotel Chocolat were sampling whole pieces! I had tasted so many, that by the time I made it to the truffles at Charbonnel I couldn’t sample whole pieces anymore and had to do halves – crazy I know!
Paul A Young was sampling his amazing brownies, Rococo had pieces of their legendary fig and blackcurrant, and chocolate covered raspberries from Cacao Sampaka were bite sized beauties!
I could go on and on about every morsel that I tried, but thought a better way to sum it up would be to present my top 5…
1. Cacao Sampaka – a Spanish chocolate company who are just entering the UK market with a fabulous range. My favourites here were the incredible milk chocolate gin and tonic, dark chocolate with blackberry, and dark chocolate with raspberry. They were also sampling a luscious Turon hazelnut bar which you simply have to try to understand what the fuss is all about. Creamy hazelnuts, such crunch yet so smooth, simply divine!
Cacao Sampaka chocolate covered freeze dried raspberries
2. Paul a Young – I was lucky enough to be able to attend Paul’s presentation on chocolate sampling and tasting. He talked the crowd through his adventures in chocolate and made an interesting point about making sure you try a new flavour you normally wouldn’t which re-awakens your senses and he was so right! I initially refused to try his port and stilton truffle, but after a nibble I can say it was pretty good. My fave was his Mast brothers couverture truffle – made with 72% Madagascan cacao and water – no cream which made for a crisp, fruity flavour bomb!
Paul A Young
yummy truffles
3. Nicky Grant – a designer and chocolatier who works from the Cornish countryside. Her chocolates were so pretty,and my fave was the raspberry truffles that were fresh and fruity. Nicky also made a beautiful chocolate sculpture that was ogled at by many!
Nicky Grant fresh chocolates
Chocolate sculpture
4. Artisan du Chocolat – their liquid salted caramels are insane! The crisp outer shell gives way to a liquid centre of sea salted caramel which floods your mouth – it’s simply delicious! No wonder Gordon Ramsay serves these on his menus!
5. Melt – I love their Wild bar which is made with just three ingredients – Bolivian cocoa beans, sugar, and cocoa butter. Unfortunately there was no Wild, but I was able to sample a new bar called Wine which is made using the best kind of cocoa beans – Criollo. The Criollo variety is responsible for less than 5% of the worlds cocoa production, and while there is not actually any wine in the bar, the chocolate is complex and sophisticated.
I also loved Lucky’s brownie bars and honey cakes covered with chocolate, the dark chocolate with raspberries from Divine, and the pralines from Hotel Chocolat. How did I think a top 5 would suffice?!
Chocolate Unwrapped was a great day out and definitely tested my limit with chocolate tasting!
Chocolate sculpture
Chocolate shoes
