Launch of Thornton's Metropolitan Chocolate Box

I'm waaaay behind with this blog. So busy doing things, no time to write about them! I did catch up on a few words on a recent plane journey, now just need to add some pictures and put them up here. So here goes with the first of these...



A few weeks ago I was invited to the Thornton’s launch of their new Metropolitan box, held, coincidentally, at the Metropolitan Hotel. I’d had a sneak preview of some of the chocolates early in the Summer when I’d been invited with a small selection of other chocolate fiends to taste the products in their development and offer feedback. I was pretty keen to see what the final selection looked like.

Still recovering from food poisoning, I dragged myself from bed to see what they had to say. I couldn’t really eat anything on the night, nor indulge in the free champagne and cocktails, but fortunately (along with the other guests) I was given a box to take home. I should say up front, I’m not a regular Thornton’s customer. When I have such easy access to amazing chocolates, Thornton’s doesn’t really get a look in (though I did buy their toffee-chocs pretty regularly when I first moved back to the UK, and still enjoy them now). I was intrigued when they hired Keith Hurdman, formerly of Melt, and before that many other chocolate companies and schools, to be their head of development. Keith and I had some interesting conversations about the need to stay relevant to your core customers while keeping up with new trends and the change in the market place. I understand it took a while to convince Thornton's to launch a chilli bar, but its success paved the way for more freedom in his designs. Some of his other new bars I was involved in giving bronze awards at the Academy of Chocolate Awards earlier this year (all anonymously in blind tastings).



There are some great chocolates in this box. I understand they have lost some of their magic in the transfer from the development kitchen to the production line, but the literally melt-in-the-mouth Manhattan Melts and Midnight Melts and the praline are both good for a Thornton’s box. (The production line is itself a pretty magical place, it’s like being in Willy Wonka’s factory, but that’s another story for another blog post!)

If you’re a real chocolate aficionado you won’t be blown over by the Metropolitan box, but it is strides ahead of most of their other offerings. And, if you have a grandmother like mine, who still thinks Thornton’s is the ultimate in expensive, quality chocolate you might help to introduce her to the new world of more interesting chocolates through a brand she trusts and understands.

Melt arrive at Selfridges

OK, so I took this three weeks ago but am clearly having a productive evening from an e-commerce perspective (read: procrastinating overhauling the shopping cart system) so here you go!

Melt opened a concession in Selfridges just before Valentine's Day (brave souls!). It's very pretty (as well as having fabulous chocolate). Go and check it out. While you're there pop in to Artisan du Chocolat's concession as well. It's great having great chocolate sold centrally.

If anyone can teach me how to upload pictures straight from my BlackBerry to Blogger I will be sure to update this blog more regularly!

If anyone can tell me how to send pictures straight from my BlackBerry to Blogger then I will be sure to update this blog more frequently!

Surprisingly Vegan Chocolate truffles at Wholefoods

Yesterday I went by Melt and Wholefoods. I bought only 4 chocolates in Melt: Kalamansi, Sea Salt Praline, Passionfruit and a Passionfruit and Mango cube. They were all divine but I had barely left the shop by the time I had finished them all so as the bus home went past Wholefoods I thought I would go in and perhaps get another chocolate. In the collection downstairs there are some of Melt's chocolates, amongst others. There was a coconut ganache I hadn't seen in the Notting Hill store so I asked the woman behind the counter if I could try it. She cut one in half for me and waited for my reaction. It was very mildly coconuty. She suggested I also try the vegan chocolate truffles (rolled in coconut) which she told me she made with coconut cream instead of regular cream. I asked her what chocolate she used and as soon as she told me Valrhona Manjari I asked to buy four. She then offered for me to try one first. Smart move as then I decided to get a few more. You would never have known they were vegan, or made with coconut cream. You couldn't tell at all because the fruitiness of the Manjari was stronger. Knowing how much better for you coconut oil is than dairy (in fact recommended as part of a weight-loss diet!) I think I might have to have these more often when I want truffles! They were really well made, and cheaper than any other chocolate truffles made with Valrhona in London. All the other house made chocolates were made with Callebaut. We had a further chat about chocolate and discussed other possiblities. I might have to pop in again to see what she's come up with. Quite a cool perk to the job to be able to play around with flavours and then get them straight to such a wide market. It made me want to go home and play with chocolate, but knowing I'd eat them all straight away,as well as the ones I'd just bought, I thought I might wait for now.

Oh, Willie's Wonky Chocolate Factory is back on TV again. I think this is the episode I'm in.