"that story thing"

This is what my mum refers to Facebook as. (She hasn't used it, yet.) To be fair, she did make this reference during a Skype conference call we had last night, her somewhere in the backend of nowhere in Oz and my brother similarly outplaced in Serbia and me in this soggy London flat.

Facebook. Ah, facebook. The first note on my wall was welcoming me to "the biggest timewaster ever". Hmmm. Its existence has meant I am in touch now with people I haven't heard from in years. While it's nice to be able to hear how people are doing, it's slightly disturbing that they, in return, get to learn all about you. Particularly as with just two clicks you get to this blog. Ironic that I should be concerned about this, why have a blog in the first place then? My cousin recently commented on the irony of when we were at school and girls kept diaries, and god forbid anyone dare read a page, they would face eternal wrath of the bearer; to this: an emptying of thoughts accessible by anyone with a pc and connection to the world wide web.

I was registered with the doctor on Tuesday morning, about time as I have been here five months now. When the nurse took my vitals it was revealed I have lost precisely 1.2kg since my pre-operation appointment a week and a half ago at the hospital. So I have taken it upon myself to chocolate-load, to make sure I don't cause any confusion when I arrive for my operation tomorrow morning. I assume this is, at least in part, due to my forced day and a half of fasting, and purging, on the weekend. Ick. I could never be bulimic. Sunday marked the fifth time I have ever thrown up, since I was about five. Two earlier encounters with food poisoning, a bout of gastro and the aftermath of my one-and-only general anaesthetic, when they put the screws, that they are about to take out, into my knee. Great. Looks like I have another healthy weekend to look forward to! :-)

I'm going to go to Borough Market today and get a Flour Power City brownie. I've got some catching up to do before the weekend!

what a week... (My website is down, in case you are trying to get to it.)

1. Last Tuesday Jonny had food poisoning.
2. On Friday the flat flooded.
3. Saturday night I got food poisoning (from an expensive meal).
4. My website is down, which means my email address doesn't work either.

There are lots of niggly details that make all of these things even more annoying than they might at first glance, but, hey, my life is certainly a million times better than lots of other people's. I have chocolate, for one (and now I feel well enough to eat it again). Fingers crossed the website will be up again soon.

a true chocolate master

My intention was to write yesterday about the launch of the L'Artisan du Chocolat range of chocolate bars that they create straight from cocoa liquor (roasted and squished cocoa beans, in a sense). They are divine. And also I had planned to write about how delightful it was to discuss chocolate with Gerard Coleman, the chief chocolatier at L'Artisan and the chocolate master I was referring to in the title. It was a thrill to be in a room with so many people who were passionate about chocolate, and knew criollo from forastero.

Unfortunately before I got around to writing all of this the rains came. I sat inside our little flat on my day when I do my own things at home and thought I'll pop out to run errands when the rain lessens. Sitting at the kitchen table under the skylight and quite enjoying the look and sound of the cascades. Then I touched my feet to the floor and water seeped through my socks. I looked around and there were giant puddles on the floor. Confused, I got up to see where the leak was. Under the front and back doors apparently. Rivers of water were entering and spreading across the floor, pooling in the slightly lowered and carpeted bedroom. Unfortunately I was half way through cleaning the house which meant that the down duvet was on the floor, so were the suede couch cushions, lots of books, clothes, hairdryer, hair straightener, Jonny's laptop, two computers and many power boards... Joy. Only having the one level I quickly ran out of higher ground to transfer things to and quickly realised I needed to switch off the mains before I got electrocuted wading around in ankle-deep water that covered plugs I couldn't reach to switch off.

It was knee high outside the door so I was trapped. (Well, unless I wanted to experience a rush of water into the flat.) Within an hour the sun came out and the water outside subsided. Thus began the sweeping of the silt and water back outside the house. Carpet in the bedroom is a lost cause. It's messy but it has brought us to talk to our neighbours which is nice. And right now I'm safe and dry in Mal Maison in Oxford while our flat probably sweats into a greater stench. Mmmm. Nice bithday present for the man!

I hope everyone else is ok!

People who eat chocolate are happier

I read yesterday, courtesy of my fabulous friend Holly, that people whose mothers ate lots of chocolate while pregnant with them were on average happier. Scientific fact, that is. I think it must also be true for people who eat chocolate themselves too. The people who come on the chocolate tours are always so lovely. They make it such a pleasure (and that's saying something because it's difficult to find a way to make trying delicious, high quality chocolate and wandering around gorgeous London more pleasurable!).

I am still alive. Healthy (and happy) too. I will post more tomorrow. It's been a very busy few weeks! Off to a wedding party on a boat - hooray!

Taste London Festival

I'm just about able to move again. A long rest was required after a day of concerted eating (and drinking). Soup, fish, beer, wine, port, sherry, cheese, beef, potatoes, scallops, ice cream, chutney, oil, bread, fruit, chocolate, juice and more. A delicious day.

I have the nicest man in the world. Despite my insistence that I was ok with going on my own, he magnanimously accompanied me in this feast of culinary delights.

My absolute favourite dish we tried was the Seared scallop, black polenta emulsion from Club Gascon.

The most delicate salmon I've ever tasted came from One-O-One in their "Confit of Norwegian salmon and scallop mi-cuit truffle potato mousseline, foie gras jus roti". Delicious.

Cocoa Loco were here too so I got to pick up some of their white chocolate brownies. I don't think I'll be trying them today though!

Sorry for the lack of pictures! (Next year...)

I love Turtle bags

Does anyone else ever feel like their brain starts to turn to mush when they start wading through Outlook?

I was talking to a friend today and he has now (on the advice of someone else) made it a rule not to check his email until after 12noon. A pretty good plan, I think. I doubt I could do it. But I do think I should perhaps shut Outlook completely between 10 and 12, or something like that. And Gmail, Yahoo, Facebook... All of these glorious "timesavers".

What are turtle bags, you ask? My friend bought me two for Christmas and they are fabulous. Though it seems that I always forget them on the days the staff member on checkout remembers to ask if I have brought my own bags and I am certain that each bag counts as two of the plastic ones for all their capacity - I want green clubcard points.

I'm researching suppliers for some environmentally friendly bags to give people who come on the tour. I know they don't look so luxurious but it's nice to be able to do our bit when we can. Any recommendations welcome!

Still hoping to make the Taste festival this weekend. My poor, equally food fanatical friend was ill today so we cancelled our adventure. Fingers crossed to go on Sunday...

Whole Foods Chocolate Department

Valrhona, Pralus, Dagoba, Michel Cluizel, El Rey and more. Heaven. Whole Foods is my new favourite place.



I actually took these pictures the Friday after it opened, nearly two weeks ago now. But it's been an interesting ten days so this is the first opportunity I've made to post them. I spent over an hour (and a lot of money) in there Friday and again on Saturday.

They also have a big range of raw chocolate bars, which I have now tried three of. I went back on Friday last week because I just had to have more of the ciabatta which is the best version of the bread I have ever tried. When I went to the super food aisle to buy more of my preferred bar they were all out - I guess the raw food chocolate bar (Valfonte?) is everybody's favourite.

It'll be great when everything is priced properly (!). Other must-buys are cheese (some of my market favourites are available here, the 5 year old gouda is treacly and an addictve chocolate alternative); fig balsamic vinegar; the four cheese bread; and any of the bulk buy foods - they all work out cheaper than buying them pre-packaged (even cheaper than Tesco and others). All the pastry products (brownies etc) are made with either Valrhona or Callebaut. Hooray, another place to buy quality treats and one that's open 8am to 10pm Mon-Sat and less than that on Sunday.

The chocolate counter:







This is the best value chocolate you will find in a store for large quantities, a little awkward for eating but perfectly tasty for doing so!

Chocolate chunk cookies

I had a craving for chocolate cookies all day on Monday so I stopped at M&S on my way home to get some eggs (forgot them in the big shop on Sunday) and started creating when I got home.

Ingredients
100g butter
75g sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
220g flour
1 tbs cocoa
100g dark chocolate (good quality)
100g white chocolate (good quality)

Put oven on to pre-heat at 180 C

I melted the dark choc and butter in a bowl above a saucepan of simmering water (not touching the water).

Whilst that was melting I whisked up the egg with the sugar and vanilla.

I poured the melted chocolate into the egg (it had been off the heat for a while before I did this) and stirred till completely mixed together. I sifted in the flour and cocoa and stirred until it was properly combined, then added the chopped white chocolate so it looked like this:



I spooned the chocolate mixture onto a greased and lined tray and baked for ten minutes. They were very chocolatey, but a little dry. I think they really would have benefited from a spoonful of milk. But still delicious!

More chocolate discoveries - Choc Star and Cocoa Loco

After wandering around the flat in something of a daze, speaking simultaneously to my brothers and father via Skype and a mobile on speakerphone (the wonders of technology) I finally showered and decided to head to Clapham to have lunch with the brother that lives in London. After we were fed delicious, wholesome organic food at Breads Etc, we went to the Common to sit. On this day the sun remembered again that it was Spring in London and bathed us in gorgeous warmth that quickly dried any tears and its glow made it easier to be grateful for his life.

Leaving Stephen I decided to do what I love most, and what I knew would distract, if not cheer me, for a while. Earlier in the morning I'd flicked open the paper to read about a food festival in East London. Not sure how I hadn't heard of it earlier. Already being on the Northern line I decided to lose myself in sights and smells and tastes of fresh, local produce.

Fortunately for my bank account my retail therapy is always food, rather than clothes. I spent so long meandering and chatting to stall-holders that most of the stalls had closed by the time I reached the end. Sadly dropped a bottle of oak-smoked olive oil I bought from Casa de 'Oli and its thin neck snapped. Whilst I cried quite a lot on Friday, it was a day I really wasn't going to cry over spilt oil.



I was delighted to encounter the van Choc Star and its fabulous owner, Petra. I had been meaning to get to Brick Lane for months to check out her van, and was so pleased to discover her here. Always fun to talk chocolate with fellow chocolate lovers. Petra treated me to one of her chocolate guiness cupcakes, slathered with addictive cream cheese frosting which really was the icing on this cake (sorry, terrible, terrible puns in this post - I'm sorry. I would say I will stop being cheesy but I realise this just adds to my pathetic prose).

Absolutely spoilt this Friday by also managing to catch Rory from Cocoa Loco, just before he completely packed up. I'm sure I slowed him down but he was very gracious about it and kindly discounted his brownies for me which I have since eaten (and gone to heaven over) and gave me some truffles which he said has suffered a bit in the warmth but they still looked and tasted fantastic to me! I chose the deeply dark brownies, now I know I must also try all their other treats. I thought I might go back again during the weekend but time slipped away from me. Fortunately I had enough chocolate to get me through!

The Cocoa Loco brownie at home later:




Mmm... chocolate truffle from Cocoa Loco

My Uncle Claude

Claude in 1963




The two of us in 2005.



This is Claude and my cousin Nicci, just a few weeks ago. He could walk fine by himself but having no daughters of his own and no nieces either, I think he enjoyed our affection. We all loved him very much. None of us grew up in the UK, so only came to know him as adults. I remember being shocked at how witty and aware he was of everything going on in the world. He was still overseeing the business every day. He was a truly remarkable man and I am glad to have known him.

chocolate that melts in your mouth

My uncle died yesterday. My great uncle, actually. I still... don't really believe it's true. I was planning on visiting him tomorrow. I called and spoke to him yesterday morning, to ask if he fancied visitors. He said "not this Saturday if you don't mind". He hasn't been well and said he was lying down most of the time so he didn't feel up to having company. A proper English gentleman. You could never visit Uncle Claude unless he was ready with tea and cake, and he always wore a jacket and tie.



(the view from Uncle Claude's house, usually filled with birds of varying descriptions)

The last time we went to visit him I took a few chocolate mendiants we picked up on the way from Miette. He was so pleased that when I learnt the next day it was his birthday I posted him a box of chocolates from L'Artisan du Chocolat. He called me a week later to say thank you. The first thing he said after hello was "I've heard of chocolates that melt in your mouth, but I had never experienced it until now.". I was planning on going there again today to buy another box to post to him.

I'm not really sure what to do with myself now.

I miss him.

chocolate therapy

I read today about a woman who uses chocolate as part her therapy for people, Julie Pech. She also lectures about the health benefits. She spent eighteen months eating chocolate daily as part of her research and continues to do so. The article explains just how good chocolate can be for you: twice the antioxidants of a glass of wed wine, two to three times as much as green tea. Sounds great to me. Perhaps I don't need to bother with my two chocolate-free days a month after all? I'm coping ok so far though (50 hours since I last ate chocolate!). Like a true addict, if I wasn't going to ingest it I would get my fix some way, and I slathered cocoa butter moisturiser into my skin last night before bed. I smelt delicious!

When the cat is away, the mouse will... eat chocolate.

Growing up on a farm, you quickly learn that mice actually prefer chocolate to cheese. Any stale chocolate in our house went on the traps (sorry, you live on a farm and you kind of get used to animals being killed, or you don’t and become a vegetarian at the age of 8). Unfortunately for the mice, most of the chocolate in our house was stale because mum would hide it and then forget about it. I remember in 1998 finding a bar with a best before of August 1991. Ick.

I didn’t actually mean to write about mice. The dear man (who does prefer cheese, though is now also very partial to chocolate) is away mountain biking and I decided to stay home and “work” (seeing as I don’t have a bike that could handle the hills and am petrified of hurtling down slopes on two wheels given I managed to crack ribs coasting down a gentle gradient of a tarred road many years ago). So, “work”: I have been shopping (new dress, new shirt - hooray! The first time I’ve bought new clothes in MONTHS) and watched “Down With Love” with Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger. I never knew that the feminist protaganist (played by RZ) recommends chocolate as a subsitute for love. What a great film (I'm so biased). This reminded me that I have a bar of Manjari that had been put aside for truffles I bought on the tour that needed to be eaten first. (See, I’m not turning into my mother, I remembered the chocolate while it was still fresh!)

People often ask me what my favourite chocolate is. While it does change regularly, if I did have to choose just one (please don’t ever make me!) might be Valrhona Manjari. This is what’s currently left of the bar, sitting on the bed covers – yep, decadence all the way. I LOVE it. It’s unbelievable how fruity chocolate can be, with no added flavours.



Time for me to have a bubble bath. And yes, I have managed to fit in cleaning, washing and working to my hectic schedule of chocolate and films.

I hope you’re enjoying the long weekend!

Chocolat

I've been rereading Chocolat. It's been years since I read it the first time and I forgot how enchanting it was. I am completely enthralled in Vianne's world. I feel like the book was written just for me. It is so eloquently written and so timeless. I feel I have a kindred spirit in Vianne, though I have no patience for decorating chocolates I share the passion for real chocolate.

If you haven't read it yet, you must.



I was surprised to hear a few months ago that she was releasing a sequel. Having reread the book I cannot wait, and yesterday waiting for the tube saw it had been released. All my grand plans for the weekend may disappear within the pages of this novel: Lollipop Shoes.

Mars takes the meat out of chocolate

Mars have reversed their decision, on some products. So now vegetarians can eat Mars bars again. Hooray! Ahem. I was hoping it might make people realise this isn’t real chocolate, and convert them to something better. You don’t see real chocolate with rennet, vegetarian or otherwise.

Apparently they haven't changed the ingredients in Maltesers, but they have in Mars; not in Twix but they have in Snickers. Confused? Me, too. But I don't really care because I stopped eating all of these a long time ago. I used to love Twix but everytime I see any of these all I think of it all the unnecessary vegetable fats and excess sugar and worse that go into them, and any desire is completely gone.

a raw food lunch (with raw chocolate!)

I went to a raw lunch yesterday. It felt like a wise move, to balance out the full day chocolate tour on Saturday. Before you think “ick”, let me say the food was actually really good. Peter has spent time working in professional kitchens, before deciding to try his hand as a raw chef, and you can tell. None of the “wholesome” (read: gritty) sauces and over-complex spiced salads, Peter’s specialty is replicating cooked foods that people crave. He makes incredible “corn chips” from flax seed. After spending two days studying with Barry Callebaut last week I expect his range of raw chocolate treats will only get more delicious. These are the light lasagnes with sundried tomato and pesto that we had as a main on Sunday, before they were plated with a spinach, olive and pine nut salad and brought out to us.

Unfortunately I have no picture of the "maple pecan icecream with chocolate sauce". But it was smooth and cold like icecream and the chocolate sauce thick and solidified on contact. Incredibly sweet and creamy. I'm not so certain that this was the best antidote to yesterday afterall! (But delicious and fun, nonetheless. If you are interested in trying these raw food experiences (I swear, even hard-core meat and veg people will like them) go to www.rawfoodparty.com and sign up for Peter's newsletter and you'll get information of the meals as he schedules them. Each meal has a theme, this one being Italian. I'm sorry I missed the raw Indian (or maybe that one is still to come... hmm...).

I left armed with supplies for my almost guilt-free chocolate treats, which, after all I've eaten lately, might be a good way towards weaning myself into having some days with less chocolate.

chocolate-d out

Even me, who has been in training my whole life for days like these, could have visited one or two less stores somewhere along the way and perhaps not missed it. Though every store has it's own unique style and chocolate specialties. Which would you not go to? It would be so hard to choose. A completely wonderful, decadent day. A fabulous group of people and a delight for the taste buds at every stop. What I like most is walking through old alleys in Mayfair and wandering through the Rose Garden in Hyde Park, and past so many of London's incredible buildings.

More later, time to rest my feet now (and eat some salad!).

chocolate delights and Napket snob food

I'm so excited about the tour tomorrow. I've been visiting some of the stores in anticipation, to make sure everything is ready for our arrival. We are going to have an extraordinary day, filled with such incredible chocolate - and more!

I also came across Napket. Seeing the tag line "snob food" I had to go in. Delicious muffin loaves lined the walls, gourmet salads on the bench top below. Such itnensity of colour, and the food combinations: pomegrante, artichoke. The breads were the most intriguing. I struggled to decide between feta, mint and spinach; basil, tomato and mozzeralla; olive and more, but finally selected the mozzerella, gorgonzola and parmesan that looked moist and just divine. I asked for assistance and felt like Harry in Love Actually when purchasing the necklace from Rowan Atkinson.



Layers upon layers of ornate packaging for one slice of bread. Only to be unwrapped and uncovered and devoured (delightfully) at the bus stop just outside. Despite the rather outrageous pricing, it was worth it. I'm going back. My love of food could not deny me.

Galler Kaori

I just had one of the most unique chocolate experiences I have had for some time. Like dining at a fine restaurant. Galler sell a chocolate package that includes six chocolate sticks, with different centres (strawberry and balsamic, ginger and more) that come with three little pots. A syrup and two dips, like oil and dukkah for bread. Read below for instructions:
So much fun! And delicious, too. A great variety in the flavours and the dips were a perfect complement. What truly surprised me was the cardamom stick. It had grains of what appeared to be space rock, or popping candy. So surreal. Back to childhood in a gourmet chocolate.

Chocolate, Date and Coconut milk bread pudding

I stepped out at lunch today and walked past a Fishworks. Having recently been introduced to their taramasalata it was impossible to walk past. Treasure in hand I remembered the local grocers stocks Pouillaine sourdough bread. Alas! There was none on the shelves. Just in case, I decided to ask the shop assistant. She very sweetly went out the back and brought back a loaf and said, we have this, it's old but - feel it - it's still ok. Because it's old I can't sell it to you but I can give it to you.

Ok. Works for me!

There was enough bread there to host the taramasalata plus extra that was just begging to be made into a bread pudding. This was enough to make two large ramekins like the one you can see here. It's dairy-free, too.

Ingredients:

2 large slices of sourdough bread
coconut oil
1/2 can coconut milk
5 dates
1 egg
splash of water
1 1/2 tablespoons of chocolate chips (I just chopped up some Lindt and callebaut)
1 tbs agave syrup (but you could use maple)
sprinkle of sugar for the top

I buttered the bread the coconut oil, cut it into smaller pieces and filled the ramekins halfway. Then I put in half of the chopped dates and chocolate chips and repeated the layer of bread and dates and chocolate.

I whisked up the egg with the syrup and coconut milk and added a squeeze of lime juice and a splash of water (probably 50ml or so). Upon tasting it a half-teaspoon of vanilla extract would have been very welcome, and next time I may consider adding some spices.

Pour the egg and coconut mixture over the ramekin full of bread, sprinkle with sugar (looks pretty, tastes good) and bake for 25-30mins in an oven pre-heated to 180 C.

This is such a great way of using up store cupboard ingredients. Nothing fresh requried (though I am certain some fruit - bananas or apricot - might have also made it more tasty). As well as a pudding this makes a decadent breakfast, heated up.