Valentine's Day Outing

Any excuse will do for a chocolate event, so why not visit the new Chocolate Museum? Pick up some artisan bars and make a day of it!

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!

Raspberry flavoured water-based chocolates

They were a little dry. This might be more due to the fact that I waited over a week to taste after buying, than to any inherent quality of the chocolate.

The raspberry flavouring was very interesting. It was in lumps throughout the chocolate. Also, if you look closely, you may be able to determine that bubble wrap was used for the mould.

According to the stall operator at the chocolate festival, they do not subsequently lick clean, or so much as burst, the bubble wrap. And they think they know how to have fun!?

Betraying my geek heritage

I so want some of these:

If anyone wishes to donate to my chocolate fund they can be purchased at Hotel Chocolat.