It's CHOCOLATE WEEK 2011 in London!
Yesterday and today (starting at 11 AM) you can stuff yourself full of London's finest artisanal chockies as well as Italian, Ecuadorian, oh world wide choice tidbits. You must march right over to Vinopolis (a quick sprint up Winchester Street from Borough Market) to partake of all the fun. 
I'd read about Paul A. Young's perfect brownies on David Lebovitz so natch made a bee line for those first. More fudgy-ganachie than cake-like. Basically luscious. There are limited edition flavours-of-the-month like 'Bonfire' on right now - with black cardamom, stem ginger and dark muscovado sugar. Who knew? 
Swedish Akesson's exquisite packaging drew me in and the taste was superb.
Exquisiteness right and left. These from Budapest. 
More from Szanto Tibor - they are NOT salamis! 
Italian Amadei was present - a super duper chocolate. 
Write your name in chocolate on the graffiti wall... 
Or drink yourself silly with Tempranillo chocolate-infused wine... 
Tastes, tastes, tastes! So much to taste. 
British traditional chocolate maker Charbonel was there - the champagne truffles...sigh
Lots of chocolate covered nibs... 
I bought these chrunchy munchy seeds (nibs really). She could have easily sold me the Brooklyn bridge as well... 
More very fine Italian chocolate...
Salted caramel lollies...mon dieu 
Anything popcorn wins the day for me... 
The idea is you buy small boxes of handmade artisinal chocolates, like these from William Curley. Then you eat them quickly. No keeping for a month or two like in the old days. My parents 'hid' chocolates in the bottom drawer in the living room - they never lasted a month. We had hungry elves in the house you know... 
Rococo's packaging is to die for... 
As is the chocolate made by Chantal Coady...
Paul A Young makes sure his chocolate is as delicious as to be expected... 
Everyone else is making sure as well... 
So many samples in Paul's chocolate lecture. So many illegible notes. Must remember not to eat the foil. These are too good. The foil is left slightly open so Paul's chockies can breath. Don't miss Paul on Twitter for lots of insider choc tips.. 
Chocolat Hotel has chocolate pasta - not sweet I'm told bien sur... 
How to make chocolate ice cream with just a bowl of ice + salt 
And a TON of spinning. This is the best chocolate ice cream I've ever tasted! Thank you Ecuadorian Chocolate Counsel. I could go on and on but if you're in London, hop over to Chocolate Week at Vinopolis and see for yourself. 
I had to end the day with some meringue right? 
I've never tasted a Pavlova before, but it turns out to be mostly whipped creme, not a favorite of mine. Don't scold Lester Please. I picked off the fruit and left the rest. Chalk it up to too much chocolate.Can you ever have too much chocolate?
BONJOUR Chocolate Week 2011!
One word....NO! xv
ReplyDeleteI'm with Vicki there. And now I'm super-sorry I couldn't join you for the chocolate stuff! It was the chocolate ice cream wot dunnit. So glad we met up and can't wait to see pics of Borough market :)
ReplyDeleteyou live
ReplyDeleteThe Best Life!
:-)
chocolate-infused wine!!
GET OUT!!
{{ well,
those thingies
DID look like salamis...}}
now all i wanna do is--->
eat
the
foil....
wait
ReplyDeletewait
wait.....
WHAT?
---->
Can you ever have
too much chocolate?
hahahahaaaaaa....
as if!
Chocolate salamis are following me: I noticed several pasticcerie in Venice carry smaller versions of it. In Austria, a Schokoladesalami is a winter treat, often mailed to students from their loving grandmothers.
ReplyDeleteI have had Pavlovas that had only enough cream to bed the fruit just so, emphasis was on the meringue.
Be careful and avoid chocolate coma!
Hugs,
M.
.... [shakes head ruefully with Pavlovian sorrow] ;o)
ReplyDeleteLester,
ReplyDeleteWould that be as in 'Pavlov's dogs?
Or Anna Pavlova..?
Hmmm...
Left wondering who I have offended :O
Or is it 'whom'?
Boy, you are Very Lucky!!
ReplyDeleteYou should start a tour company - I think you'd make a fortune - just me sure everyone has medical coverage :)
I love chocolate - I love your photos of chocolate!
It all looks good1
you can NEVER have too much chocolate!
ReplyDelete... looks like great fun ... just for a day .. then I'm "NO" too ... did have choco wine once, it was pretty darn good ... (p.s. I have had great pavlovas that look nothing like this and are fab, bites only though) ... xo
ReplyDeleteOh why am I missing out on the choc fair at Perugia this week?
ReplyDeleteMy staid conventionality cannot cope with your idiosyncrasies. First tarts without pastry, now Pavlova without cream. Whatever next? Macarons minus the shells? Madeleines sans beurre?? Zut alors!!
ReplyDeleteAt least we can agree on "whom". Thank God for the rules of grammar.
I have put lemon curd on my pavlova to bed strawberries, so there is one answer to your crust quandary, Carol!
ReplyDeleteI am in a stupor from just looking at the chocolate show offerings!!!! but some chocolate wine might just be the hair the dog cure, right?
Oh, like Nikkon, I would book a tour if you ever decide to change careers!
I can hardly stand reading the post! And just imagine how happy everyone must be!!
ReplyDeleteEn admirant l'ensemble de vos photos j'ai pris un tour de taille!
ReplyDeletegros bisous
Never have toooooo much chocolate?
ReplyDeleteI think I just did, on your post.
Wonderful, Carol.
You had me at Chocolate, but Chocolate wine? How do I get there. :))
ReplyDeleteI share your love of Paris and have always ogled French windows. My photog skills are not good, but I spend hours snapping shots and walking for hours in Paris each day.
ReplyDeleteAre you ever in LA?
Best,
Margie
I'll bite. Yes, one can have too much chocolate - at one time. In one sitting or day. I have horrible memories of over-indulgence. But as a theoretical proposition? Non.
ReplyDeletePavlovas can be lovely, Carol. But if you're in a choco-haze, then I think it would be underwhelming. As seems to have happened. And meringue is more the key (imo) so...
Will go find Paul on the tweeter.
xoxo/Susan
Such mouthwatering photos, I can almost taste the yummy items!! Sad to say, however, I have such an allergy to chocolate (it gives me debilitating migraines) that I haven't had any in over ten years. Glad you're there to record things, as the smell alone would cause a headache for me, and besides, you're a *much* better photographer. :)
ReplyDeleteOh how sensational. So much great stuff. Almost too much! How to try everything all at once? I'm sorry your pavlova experience suffered at the end there. You'll have to try it again on a day with slightly less chocolate. And it should have a higher pav to cream ratio. As Jerri-Ann said lemon curd does also work rather delightfully on your pav too.
ReplyDeletePB - Inspired by your Lemon Tarte posts, having grown up in Australia (that along with New Zealand claims to be the home of Pavlova), and having a lemon tree that doesn't quit - I have created the PB Pavlova in your honor SANS Creme! I'll send you pics! The ultimate Lemon Meringue.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is so perfect! I loved reading about Chocolate week and the photos are terrific! I was at the Chelsea Market today and happily sampled chocolates:))I bought some Beligian chocolates, soo good. HOpe you are having a terrific time. How can you not surrounded by all that chocolate LOL!
ReplyDeleteAhh it all looks so amazing! You are making me drool! :P
ReplyDeleteOh, heaven, I want to go to Chocolate Week.
ReplyDeleteMendota Heights Personal Trainer
ReplyDeleteHi Author, Hello, i think that i saw you visited my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to enhance my site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
Carol, hi!! It's amazing!! Delicious days!! xx
ReplyDeletepavlova is amazing if it's made well. it should be mostly soft meringue in the centre, hard meringue on the shell and a bit of whipped cream and fruit on the top. passionfruit is essential.
ReplyDeleteThere's no such thing as too much chocolate! What a perfectly timed trip you planned, Carol.
ReplyDeleteYou mean you did another chocolate salon? You are so organised and disciplined. Well, scrap that since you ordered pavlova ;-)
ReplyDeleteHope you're ready for more chocolate again soon in Paris! Goody goody...
Beyond jealous.
ReplyDeleteThe chocolate which was from Budapest is Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé, not Szanto Tibor.
ReplyDeleteI just pics of my chocolate heaven
ReplyDeleteI just had my first ChocoWine this past weekend. I liked it a lot, and so did about 4 of 5 others at the dinner. It had more of a alcohol bite than I expected, but not to an unpleasant level. Our bottle was 14% alcohol. You could just tell it had a bit of a kick.
ReplyDelete