A tasting of chocolate

So, we’re still stuck in lockdown. But vaccines are hopefully on the way!

But in the meantime, and following the success of our “Zoom” Cheese & Wine tasting back in December, we’ve decided to hold another one – but this time on “chocolate” once again in the comfort of your own home.

Leading our tasting we are delighted to have Chantal Coady OBE, an internationally renowned chocolate expert, author and business woman who has lived and worked in London since the mid-1970s. 

In 1983 Chantal founded Rococo Chocolates on the King's Road, which built an international reputation for quality and still continues to win some of the industry's most prestigious awards. In June 2014 she  was made an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours "for services to chocolate making". But in 2019 she broke away, and now styles herself the "Chocolate Detective". Chantal wants to bring us chocolate that is 100% transparent about its origin and which supports the people at the start of the value chain. She has invested in a small cocoa farm in Grenada which donates all the beans to the Grenada Chocolate Co, and they make wonderful farm to bar chocolate and Chantal is totally committed to supporting them through these exceptionally challenging pandemic times. 

The format of the evening is as follows. Chantal will lead a tasting of five types of chocolate, each paired with an alcoholic drink of some sort. The chocolates, which will be posted to each participant beforehand, will be numbered 1-5.  On the evening she will select one of the five drinks she has suggested  (listed below) and only then will she tell you which numbered chocolate to choose to pair with which drink.  She will then talk about the chocolate and why she thinks it goes well with that particular drink. It is up to the attendees to provide their own drinks.

A Gewurztraminer from Alsace, on the dry side preferably, or perhaps a Muscat Beaumes de Venise/ Moscato Asti/ Sauternes

B Tawny Port/ Australian Sparkling Syrah\ Spanish Muscatel

C Vintage Port/ PX Sherry/ Rum/ Bas Armagnac

D Banyuls/ Argentina full body Malbec/Beaujolais Village

E PX Sherry 

The chocolate tasting packs will be posted to your home prior to the tasting.

Each of the five packs contains two or three slices of this exceptional chocolate – so it can be shared by two people (or more for yourself if just one).

Naturally a Zoom link will be provided prior to the event.

Please note because of various current delays in the postal system, the cut off date for bookings will be the close of 27th January - in order to ensure the chocolates get to you in good time.