chocolateweek | with knife and fork

Chocolate Week: Day 7 and beyond

So on day 7 of chocolate week (having rather bungled days 4,5 and 6) I tootled off to Vinopolis to take a look around the Chocolate Unwrapped show.

Despite arriving fairly early (only half an hour after opening) it was getting quite busy with chocolate fans and some stands were already rather mobbed.

I stuck to going to see regular favourites plus a few names I’d not heard of before. I was mostly checking out the different packaging as ongoing inspiration for a couple of client projects (totally unrelated to chocolate) and I was also interested in single bean/origin bars and some of the flavoured bars rather than filled chocolates.

But I did spot these at the Paul A Young stand and as they were pushing the bounds of chocolate flavours bought some for me and my husband to taste. I made him taste blind and guess the flavours…..he easily got the Worcestershire sauce flavour but struggled with the identifying malt loaf one.

And did we like them?

Well the Worcestershire sauce scored highly with both of us the sharpness of the condiment cutting through the dark chocolate in a good way….the malt loaf I liked for its gentle fruity subtlety but the verdict was less favourable from the other side of the table *okay but not stunning*

I think it depends whether you are looking for something quite full on or something more mellow…both delivered a clever twist of flavours that were surprising but effective.

Note: malt loaf on left (round) Worcestershire sauce on right (with orange dot)

Chocolate Week: Days 4, 5 and 6

It was going so well…each day a different chocolate with my coffee, plenty of choices in the stash then

BAM (imaginary comic book graphics round this word if you will)

its all went a bit wrong….

I woke up on day 6 and realised I FORGOTTEN to have any chocolate on days 4 and 5, totally forgotten.

I had none, zilch, nada.

So I set to rectifying the situation by trying out this

The orange gives it a marmalade-y sweet yet sharp edge while the fig adds earthiness and richness.

Was good and felt rather festive.

You’ll be please to know that back on track on day seven I do much better indeed…..

Chocolate Week: Day 3

Day 3 an chocolate supplies were running perilously low…so I placed and Ocado order

Not just for chocolate you understand there were lots of other store cupboard staples I needed too….imagine though a whole van full of chocolate turning up would be pretty fab

Anyway today I went for Green & Blacks Cherry chocolate

I just love those sour cherries in it nice and tart and tangy.

Chocolate Week: Day 2

Turns out as well as chocolate week and curry week its also egg week…..good job I had egg curry last night then.

So Day 2 of chocolate week I was mostly munching on my regular bar

Divine 70%…its great it smooth and dark enough and sensibly priced and widely available and good ethics.

Not really much more you can ask for in a regular chocolate purchase in my view. Well possibly someone to send you a large delivery as a gift but apart from that….

Chocolate Week: Day 1

I’m not that much of a fan of this week and that week and the other week. Mainly because there are now so many its easy to get them muddled. After all today was the start of Chocolate Week, Curry Week and also international porridge day…hopefully not all in the same meal!

Although actually the only thing I haven’t had today is porridge….

So despite all that I do like chocolate and any excuse to branch out is a good one.

Today’s chocolate choices were:

first with morning coffee Pixie Hall‘s truffles

and then

Macarons + More chocolate orange and cardamom shortbread

Both totally delish and both purchased at The Norfolk Diet market in Norwich on Saturday