Ggglllggg... uummmpphhh.....

These are the natural noises made by someone who has attended the Chocolate Festival on London's south bank recently. The festival is even larger this year, but the organisers have failed to recognise the effect of brilliant sunshine on chocolate so there were some casualties early on. Here's hoping that some canopies will be forthcoming for future occasions…

Some of my favourites:

Cocoa Magic from Wales, do a delightful range (and are delightful people, by the way) of hand-decorated shoes. Occasionally these are available as part of a gift box; look out for it when it happens! The ideal treat for a friend who never stops wanting shoes.

Damian Allsop had a wonderful concept album, in which you experience the several flavours one at a time - flavours are listed on the back of the 'CD' cover.

Some of the most beautiful chocolate packaging I've seen, from fair trade supplier Chocolate and Love.

These, from Sir Hans Sloane, are lovely display pieces. They also have some selections of what I could barely stop salivating for long enough to be told were chocolate with burnished passionfruit, coffee, and raspberry coatings. I definitely got the raspberry right. But due to being distracted by lust, I could be wrong about the rest. It's your duty to go down there and investigate, I tell you!