19 August 2016
What’s “in” right now and what’s the “flavour” of this city?
With these questions in mind, hubby and I pedalled in pursuit of more of London’s top chocolate shops, in the second instalment of our English Chocolates adventure.
A special shout out to hubby for navigating us around busy London, with one eye on the road and the other on the mobile phone GPS. A few squabbles along the way, about the safest versus shortest routes, but we got there in the end☺️
Our first stop takes us to the very well heeled district of Belgravia. The “older of the new”, established in the early 80s, Rococo is regarded as a pioneer of fine English chocolates. The shop exudes country charm. There’s a retail section out front, of shelves and a large glass counter brimming with chocolates, and a cozy cafe to the back, serving teas, hot chocolate and cakes. I’m immediately drawn to the hand-made beauties, in particular the painted sardines. Almost too beautiful to consume.
The kalamansi lime caramel grabs my interest and I give it a go. On the outside, it’s dark chocolate decorated with splashes of green cocoa butter. I take my first bite and my tastebuds are immediately shipped away to a tropical paradise. The shell, thin and well tempered, releases bursts of sweet and tangy kalamansi-infused caramel to create a refreshing taste sensation on the palate.
Next up, the rose, lychee and raspberry ganache. The raspberry features prominently in the ganache and, as it melts away, is replaced by the lingering, sweet flavours of lychee. For me, the rose was missing, possibly overpowered by other flavours in the combination. The Academy of Chocolate’s 2016 Awards List is out and I note with interest that Rococo features prominently on it. The must tries for next time are the award winning Honey and Sea Salt Caramel, Mojito, Clementine Ganache, Madagascar Milk Chocolate Ganache, and Pistachio and Rose.
Next, we make our way to cosmopolitan and trendy Notting Hill, passing many a kebab shops and middle eastern eateries along the way, until we arrive at Melt. By London standards, Melt, can be considered a newcomer to the chocolate scene. The deco reflects this, with a contemporary and bright interior that oozes style and openness. From the entrance, I can see right through to the kitchen at the back, where their chocolates are meticulously hand-crafted. On this day, they are making caramel, which hubby and I have the pleasure of sampling. You can’t walk past the “Wall of Chocolate”, without pausing to examine it. It’s actually a plain shelf, but decorated with eye-catching, vibrant coloured chocolate bars of multiple varieties.
Hubby and I both hone in on the “Smoke” 64% dark chocolate bar. We ask to sample it and the lady serving us obliges. It has a toasty, earthy nose. As it melts on my tongue, the texture is smooth and velvety. I taste a hint of initial caramel, which gives way to more earthy flavours. Then, the ever so mild bitterness of charcoal, which lingers on the palate after all the chocolate has melted away. We read from the packaging that the bar is made from Criollo cocoa beans, grown in the volcanic islands of Sao Tome.
We follow through with the “Wild” 68% dark chocolate bar, named after the wild Bolivian criollo cocoa beans that have gone into its production. The nose is rather interesting – I smell bursts of chestnuts, interspersed with hints of mushroom. The texture on my tongue is even smoother than the “Smoke” bar. The taste brings back fond memories of Amedei. It starts with sweetened lemons, is quickly replaced by aniseed and finishes off with a lingering flavour that I can only describe as being that of mild flavoured mushrooms. The larger than bite size pralines and ganaches are also delectable. I recommend the textural pleasure of the salted praline cup and the fresh flavours of the passion and mango (gel) square.
Still within Notting Hill is yet another renowned chocolate shop, famous for its No. 1 liquid sea salt caramels which were created for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. This is THE chocolate to try at Artisan du Chocolat. The gentleman serving us kindly offers us a sample, and we oblige. The taste is amazing – oozy, smooth caramel, sweet and lightly salted, enveloped in a rich, crisp dark chocolate shell and dusted with cocoa powder. Despite the French name, Irish born owner and chocolate maker Gerard Coleman actually honed his chocolate skills in London, after a training stint at Pierre Marcolini in Belgium.
Apart from the sea salt caramels, there’s also a wide variety of indulgences to suit all tastes, from truffles, seasonal pralines and ganaches, through to specialty chocolates for those with specific dietary requirements. We are told that the chocolates are made from bean to bar, rather than using coverture.
The last stop on this adventure is a visit to, in my opinion, perhaps the most bold and inventive of the lot. We head to the gentrified district of Soho, in search of multi award winning chocolatier, Paul A Young. You can’t miss the shop. It’s painted bright purple; perhaps the first glimpse into Paul’s personality? A large, round wooden table sits in the middle of the shop, and, on the day that we are there, the chocolates are presented on radially arranged trays.
F
ancy a salted caramel or banoffee pie? Maybe a kalamansi truffle? Or peanut butter and raspberry jelly for those who enjoy the combination in a sandwich? There’s no end to the creativity and flavour combinations born from Paul’s imagination. I find the flavour combinations to be exciting and atypical, yet complimentary. Every selection is aesthetically pleasing; a true work of art. The sweetness levels, however, could be toned down a little.
So, what have I discovered on this English Chocolates adventure?
Well, firstly, the London chocolate scene is alive and vibrant, with old but refreshed and contemporary chocolate shops providing much variety and consuming passion for chocoholics, connoisseurs, aficionados and the likes. What’s “in” right now are chocolates with a twist of tropical and exotic flavours, aligning with the season and perhaps a reflection of the increasingly adventurous tastes of the Londoners. As for the “flavour” of the city, if you haven’t already guessed it, it’s salted caramel?
Next time you are asked about your knowledge of English chocolates, throw a few of these names around and you will most certainly raise eyebrows!
