Chocolate Boutique

Just back from our first hotel break in the Marriott, Ashbourne … yes we went ‘all the way’ to Co. Meath for a mini break. On the way we stopped in Chez Emily’s Chocolate Boutique.

It is simply chocolate heaven. A sizable shop/cafe with floor to ceiling shelves stacked with decorated chocolate bars, molded chocolate, candies, nougat, biscuits, accessories, presentation boxes and truffles galore. They also sold quality chocolate buttons by weight including 2.5kg bags of Callebaut 70% buttons.

HoneyB was in her element deciding which lollipop to buy … a rabbit, a duck or a football. She nibbed while I sipped a very sweet hot chocolate and Himself had a rather glorious Mocha. To flick-thru, there is a leaflet about ‘how chocolate is made’ and scrap book filled with photos and reviews.

Of the truffles we bought, I would go back again for the Black Beauty, a thinly coated dark chocolate ganache.

Feliz Navidad

The run-up to Christmas has been busy and I will mostly remember it for Dora, Boots and Santa singing ‘Feliz Navidad’ while Honeyb looks on in wonderous joy. And chocolate santa lollipops (the one below from Chez Emily). And that awful Milk and Spiced Fruit bar from Green & Black’s. Actually let me explain that: I do not like the ‘taste’ of Christmas i.e. mince pies, plum pudding or Christmas cake but Himself does. He enjoyed the bar although he never quite got to break off a square cleanly.

Here’s wishing all a Happy Christmas full of joy and some chocolate!

Treats at the National Crafts Fair

The National Crafts Fair is held each December in the RDS and has become for many a traditional day out. It is shopping with a difference; the stalls here are crammed full of designer crafts. Last year I was lucky enough that Himself bought me a necklace from Pol. This year I went on my own because it is really not the place for Honeyb to be foot loose.

I was looking forward to visiting the Food Emporium which was bigger and better this time around. I came home with a pain in my tummy after tasting so many great chutneys, relishes, jams, meats, cheeses and of course chocolate. The irish chocolatiers were out in force: Wilde Irish Chocolates, Co Couture, Cocoa Bean, Skelligs, Chez Emily, Lorge, Fosters, Adam Chocolates for Men and Garden of Ireland Chocolate.

First stop was Wilde Irish Chocolate for some White Chocolate Hazelnut spread for my nephews, a bar of Super Chocolate (80%) topped with nibs pour moi and a special gift of a chocolate bunny lollipop for HoneyB. I would highly recommend the Super Bar, it is a bar to nibble and savour.

Co Couture made my visit to the fair astounding. This chocolatier’s brother and father happily (and proudly) manned the stand while she was at home making more truffles for the show. I tasted a 70% caramel truffle which was a bold strong caramel (not a gooey sweet substance). Wowed by that one, I tasted the next truffle and only when I had it in my mouth was I told it was a Black Bush whiskey truffle. Surprise! I could not believe that a whisky truffle could taste so divine, smooth subtle malty flavor. A thin layer of chocolate surrounded the truffle and a sprinkling of gold dust finished it elegantly.

Cocoa Bean (who have joined forces with Skellig Chcolates) lured me to their stand with their funky, energetic packaging. And their chocolate matches this, the Gin & Tonic 70% bar is full of flavour and a little giddiness that goes with G&T.

I love these fairs because I get to meet the faces behind the products and chat to them about their passion. And the Cooks Academy were no different. Maybe if I am good Santa will send me off on their courses, the chocolate one I hope.

Temple Bar’s Chocolate Festival

On 25th – 27th July Temple Bar had a Chocolate Festival with talks, workshops and a fair (market) dedicated to Irish artisan chocolate makers. What sounded like the most interesting talk ‘Sensory Analysis and Tasting of Chocolate’ was booked out over a month in advance. But I did get a seat at ‘The Chocolate Revolution’ talk given by Natasha of Living Foods.

She talked about history, health benefits and how to get the best from cacao without any roasting, cooking or sugar. As she talked the audience nibbled on unroasted cacao nibs. She was a full of life and buzzed through the presentation jumping from historical fact to health benefit. Many of the audience questions centered on “I get headaches when I eat chocolate, what can I do?’ ‘I am allergic to cow’s milk and take goat’s milk instead, is there a chocolate alternative?’ All the answers were the same, its not the cacao that gives the allergic reaction, headaches, migraine; its all the other ingredients used in chocolate bars today.  Natasha’s solution: munch cacao nibs or indulge in her pure chocolate sweets. The latter are made from cacao nibs, guava to sweeten, and a range of other spices. She had a chocolate making kit for sale 35 euro only.

Drum roll … introducing a market dedicated to artisan chocolate makers of Ireland. Woohoo! This happened on a very special day (birthdays all round!) so we popped into it. After much skirting around the city, we managed to find a way to drive from Stephen’s Green to Fleet Street car park. I suppose that is the downside to car free city centre. Anyhow, we arrived at the fair at 12:10 thinking we’ll get there early so we can use the pushchair for Honeyb. Ha, the place was jammers and no way to get the pushchair near the stands. So with Honeyb in arms, we tackled the crowds and chatted to the makers.

The lovely woman (who always has me green with envy because she is living her dream .. and mine) from Wilde Irish Chocolates was the first port of call. We have fond memories of Wilde factory in Tuamgraney Co. Clare and from Chocolat in Ennis. She has been very busy making her flavoured bars, organic range, spreads that she hasn’t had the chance to do ‘bean to bar’. I really hope she does though. Much to our disappointment, she had no chocolate bunnies but Honeyb got a big handful of buttons to keep her smiling instead.

Next we ‘called’ (I really mean queued) at O’Conaills who had a very impressive stand; half displaying their range of chocolate, the other half dedicated to chocolate moulds. Oh my lordie, these were definitely the highlight of the fair. It is so obvious that Lola O’Conaill is passionate about chocolate and has kept the moulds in great nick. Cats, elephants, bunnies of all shapes and sizes, bars, sweets, teddy bears, santas … all metal moulds some dating from 1900s. Her dad was a German chocolatier and taught her the trade; no prizes for guessing where their chocolate couverture comes from so.

 

Chez Emily from Ashbourne had some lovely chocolate characters, very glossy and ideal for a kids pressie. They also had little samples of output from each stage of the chocolate production: beans, nibs, shells, powder and butter. Their 60% Madagascar buttons were probably the nicest chocolate samples at the fair. We might pay a visit to Ashbourne some day …

Lorge, the French man from Kerry, was run off his feet such was the demand for his pretty boxes of truffles. I was dying to taste them considering he uses Valrhona for the centres (Callebaut everything else). Actually Chez Emily also use Callebaut. And some interesting flavours, himself was a little disappointed that the Whisky and Paprika truffle had only a subtle hint of whisky … maybe he needed a stiffer hit what with the highs and then lows of the hurling match.

Others there included Aine, Glenstal Abbey, Natasha Living Foods, Skellig Chocolate Co, Cocoa Bean Chocolates, Gallweys, Chocolate Garden, Amnesty with Fair Trade chocolates. Where were Danucci??

Here is my wish list for the next festival (fingers crossed there is one):

• Several Tasting workshops so that the group size can remain small and that everyone can attend one. I am sure that people wouldn’t mind paying a few euro to cover the cost of chocolate samples for the tasting session.
• A Market where the stalls are big and spacious. I suppose this is not so possible if there is only one person manning the stall (but then again its my wish list … and we do have a pushchair).
• Open air demos like they have in the Ideal Homes Exhibitions! Like ’How to make the perfect Easter Egg’, or ‘How to dip truffles’. Kitchen Compliments did it at Easter this year and it was pretty good considering that their basement is teeny tiny.
•  A market where there is not just chocolatiers, but all things chocolate:  pairing wine and chocolate, savoury chocolate dishes, chocolate art.