Are you like me and just go weak at the knees with a souffle - especially a chocolate souffle? I was on the hunt for a recipe which seemed easy to follow and would give me a chance of achieving a rise!  This recipe is by Claire Saffitz of the New York Times. You can follow her making them on Youtube.    My only feedback is that perhaps the flour makes it slightly more sponge like but it's so yummy and that it serves far more than 4.  I filled 4 ramekins and could have easily filled 4 more!   I've very slightly tweaked the recipe below.  But only very slightly! Pr ..read more

I hadn't even heard of a Cacaotini let alone tried one until I went on an adventure to Nuttaya and Paniti's chocolate shop Kad Kokoa in Bangkok earlier this year. And wow!  The most phenomenal chocolate drink ever.  Created entirely from cocoa and chocolate - nothing else.  As soon as I took a sip I was transported back to the cacao farms we had visited earlier that week and the heaven of eating the white pulp which nestles itself around the beans. So if you are visiting Bangkok any time soon you must pop Kad Kokoa on your destination list.  They have just opened another s ..read more

Have you ever had the chance to drop into family owned Chocolaterie Spegelaere in Ezelstraat 94, Bruges?  If not pop it on your 'must visit' list! Ezelstraat is in the Historic district and dates back to the 1200's.  The chocolaterie is discreetly placed in the street and near to the canal. And if you are interested in churches and monasteries you will discover quite a few in this street. So ... back to our chocolate chat. Chocolaterie Spegelaere was created back in 1954 by Fernand Spegelaere  as a patisserie/bakery.  There is a rather sweet romantic story attached to the c ..read more

Have you visited Dominque Persoon's chocolate shop, The Chocolate Line in Bruges? I discovered his store on my last visit to Bruges in 2018 and it was on my list to drop into again for this trip. It's right in the hub of Bruges and with smart chocolate and gold exterior not easy to miss.  Walk inside and you will be confronted by his iconic gold Landrover, well half to be precise, which is attached to the wall on the left, with his chocolate makers straight  creating chocolates behind a glass screen.  On the right hand side is his bean to bar chocolate kitchen where he makes hi ..read more

Our latest guest on chocolate chats /insta live was Emily Stone, Co-Founder of Uncommon Cacao. Emily and her fellow founder, Alex Whitemore (Chocolate maker and Founder of TAZA chocolate) created Uncommon Cacao back in 2010.  Their mission - to source and distribute top quality cacao beans whilst trading with total transparency.  With 5,000 producers/farmers in 14 countries growing cacao for them they supply chocolate makers across the globe. Hop on this link to hear more about: what led Emily to co-founding Uncommon Cacao the importance of trading transparently what B Corp bring to ..read more

Our latest guest on chocolate chats in insta live was Ama Clarke, Lucocoa, London's award-winning first bean to bar chocolate maker. I met Ama in Wholefoods when we were both doing tastings for our chocolate bars and we got chatting ... naturally!  Ama was also a guest on Series 1 of Hope & Patience. Inspired by a chat with Duffy of Duffy's chocolate Ama set up her business literally in her house.  Now she has her own chocolate production unit under the arches in Bermondsey and creates not just bars but also hot chocolate, cocoa husk tea, gluten free brownies, Bourbon biscuits, c ..read more

Our latest guest in chocolate chats on insta live was Mikkel Friis-Holm, Founder of multi award-winning Friis Holm Chocolate. For me Mikkel's trademark is not only his experimentation with chocolate-making but also his leather apron! Inspired by the chocolate duo Scharffenberger and Steinberg when chefing in the US Mikkel began his life in chocolate.   Hop on this link to hear more about: what Mikkel was doing before chocolate (it may surprise you) why Mikkel uses mainly Nicaraguan cacao beans the importance of genetics  the importance of quality how he creates new recipes top s ..read more

Did you get to see the November issue of the Food and Travel Magazine?  If you did you will have come across insights into chocolate recommendations from chefs, chocolatiers and me!  And if you didn't my contribution is below. Our task?  The Editor wanted to know our favourite chocolate to cook with and eat! You can imagine it was challenging for me to name only a few as I adore so many chocolate bars.  My decision was to opt for the first craft bean to bar chocolate bar I ever ate which as you will see below was the legendary Duffy's (Duffy's Chocolate) sublime Honduras In ..read more

Our latest chocolate cha on insta live was Claire Burnet, Co-Founder of multi award-winning Dorset based Chococo. Claire and her husband, Andy, set up Chococo over 19 years ago and have notched up over 100 international and national food awards since they began creating their chocolates.   Now with 4 stores and selling a variety of chocolate goodies including chocolate bars, handmade chocolates, seasonal chocolate, baked goodies and hot chocolate they are an example of how to survive the economic and political cycles and still grow a business. Hop on this link to hear more about: wh ..read more

Have you ever visited A La Mere de Famille  in 35 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre?  If the answer is no make it top of your list on your next chocolate adventure in Paris.   Why? Firstly it's the oldest chocolate and confectionery shop in Paris.  A La Mere de Famille was created back in 1761 by Pierre Jean-Bernard.  Originally from Coulommiers he headed to Paris after acquiring his grocers diploma.  There he not only built his delicatessen but also bore fruit with having a young family, three daughters, one of whom with her husband took on running the shop. The s ..read more