The Booja-Booja CompanyBrooke, Norfolk NR15 1HJ, 01508 558888boojabooja.comWinner of 28 awards, including Best Organic Product 2007 for its newly launched Stuff in a Tub ice cream, the Booja-Booja company and its 100% organic chocolate and ice cream is going from strength to strength. The range of delicacies (with some wheat-, dairy- or gluten-free varieties) includes cognac-flambéd banana truffles and Keep Smiling Vanilla M'Gorilla ice cream.Organic/Mail order
Calbourne ClassicsThree Gates Farm, Shalfleet, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 4NA, 07050 688204calbourneclassics.co.ukUsing milk from its award-winning dairy herd, Calbourne Classics produces luxurious clotted cream ice cream in flavours like honeycomb, strawberry and mint chocolate, as well as its scrumptious-sounding, award-winning ginger nut cheesecake and raspberry meringue roulade. Available at farmers' markets and via deliveries in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
ChoCaidchocaid.comA unique online gourmet chocolate gift shop that helps fight world hunger. Customers choose from a selection of Swiss-made organic, Fairtrade chocolate including chocolate orange truffles, chocolate dippers, globes and slabs, with a donation to Save the Children included in the price tag. Also available at John Lewis and Tesco stores. Organic/Mail order
The Chocolate AlchemistUnit 1 & 2, Langham Stables, Lodsworth, West Sussex GU28 9BU, 01798 860995thechocolatealchemist.co.ukThe Chocolate Alchemist is a tiny organic chocolatier using cocoa beans from the Dominican Republican whose products include sun-dried organic mango smothered in dark chocolate and nutmeg, and drinking chocolates infused with spices such as chilli and cardamom. Latest innovations have included fruit bars encased with lime and raspberry pieces and beautifully sculpted stars with peppermint fondant, champagne and peanut butter fillings. Mail order"The Chocolate Alchemist makes the finest hand-made organic chocolate products, manufactured with love and stylishly packaged. Our aim is to move chocolate into the 21st century incorporating the environmentally friendly ideals of today."
Chocolate Craft La Chocolaterie, Unit 1b, Upton Park Farm, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9EB, 01962 732731chocolatecraft.co.ukOffering a unique fusion of taste and style, this award-winning chocolatier in the heart of Hampshire produces hand-rolled truffles in vibrant stripy pink boxes. The watercress and lime truffle is a current favourite; made with Belgian couverture, Hampshire cream, locally grown watercress and essential lime oil, is has a distinct peppery flavour. You can even learn how to do it yourself at one of their chocolate-making courses. Mail order
The Chocolate Society0845 230 8868, chocolate.co.ukShops at: 36 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9NZ, 020-7259 922232-34 Shepherd Market, London W1J 7QN, 020-7495 0302Run by chocolate purists, the Chocolate Society was invented to satisfy the needs of all bona fide chocoholics. Home-made thick chocolate brownies are very popular, sold beside fresh champagne, raspberry and dark chocolate truffles. Valrhona, one of the finest and most expensive chocolate brands in the world, is used to produce a sumptuous array of hand-made chocolates and high cocoa content bars (including those from single-origin cocoa plantations such as Venezuela and Madagascar). Both shops have small cafes, so you while away the time by sampling their heavenly hot chocolate made with 40g of pure chocolate. Mail order
Chocolate Trading CompanyThe Old Stables, Chorley Hall Lane, Alderley Edge, Cheshire SK9 7EU, 01625 592808chocolatetradingco.comThe largest online chocolate shop in the UK: popular options include 70% chocolate squares made from cocoa beans from Chuao in Venezuela, and the long-established British chocolate company Charbonnel et Walker. Dietary options include chocs made free of sugar, wheat, gluten, soya lecithin, or dairy. Mail order
Cocoa Locococoaloco.co.uk01403 713130This green-minded online chocolatier produces delicious organic goodies complete with recyclable packaging. Hand-made organic chilli brownies are a real speciality - made with Peruvian hot chilli paste, they are good served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Hand-made white chocolate coconut truffles are melt-in-the-mouth, not forgetting the dark chocolate-covered organic crystallised ginger. Look online for the full range of hand-made chocolate and gift boxes. Free delivery. Organic/Mail order
Coco Chocolate 174 Bruntsfield Place, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh EH10 4ER, 0131 228 4526cocochocolate.co.ukSpecialists in fine organic chocolate, Coco was founded by members of the very particular Chocolate Society. Delicacies include a rose and black pepper-infused chocolate bar, white chocolate and lemongrass hot chocolate, and cognac-soaked raisins dipped in almond paste and enrobed in chocolate. Goods come with a range of delicate designs hand-drawn by local artists. Coco runs chocolate schools, and has tasting evenings where rare, single-origin chocolates are sampled accompanied by a glass of Banyuls dessert wine. It's all aimed at serious connoisseurs.
The Country Fudge CompanyNewhouse Farm, Wormbridge, Herefordshire HR2 9EA, 01981 570644countryfudge.comThe range includes orange and mango, banana and pecan, vanilla and cranberry, and chocolate chilli fudge with a warm but subtle aftertaste (Good Housekeeping Favourite New Product 2007, runner-up). Many of the current inventions have risen out of public requests - the popular lavender fudge made for a nearby lavender farm, for example, or the moccachino fudge produced for restaurants. Mail order
Cream O'Galloway Dairy CoRainton, Gatehouse of Fleet, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway DG7 2DR, 01557 814040creamogalloway.co.ukA delicious range of fully organic ice cream and frozen yoghurt using some Fairtrade ingredients such as sugar, cocoa beans and vanilla pods are home-made at Rainton Farm with milk from the farm's dairy herds. Flavours include honey and ginger fruit frozen yoghurt and cappuchino ice cream. Buy direct from their Rainton shop. Organic
Delvaux Coronation House, Gogmore Lane, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9AP, 01932 571180, 0800 371428delvaux.co.ukOrganic chocolate luxury Belgian truffles are available with flavours such as passion fruit, Baileys, cherry marnier and champagne. Orders can be placed by phone or via the website. Organic
The Devonshire Chocolate Co9 Lacy Road, Preston, Paignton, Devon TQ3 1BU, 01803 665454This unique family-run chocolate shop uses its own back garden to grow produce for chocolate flavouring. Home-grown ingredients such as rose pettles, quince, lavender, blueberries, chilli and lime are blended with fine quality Belgian couverture, producing a natural and fully traceable variety of chocolate. Hand-made delicacies include chocolate bars, praline, a selection of hand-sculpted shapes and truffles made using a recipe that dates back to 1831.
Divine Chocolate4 Gainsford Street, London SE1 2NE, 020 7378 6550divinechocolate.comA pioneering model in the world of fair trading, Divine Chocolate was set up in 1998 by Kuapa Kokoo, a Ghanaian farmers' cooperative. The chocolate is 100% certified Fairtrade and made with pure cocoa butter and real vanilla ensuring a "truly divine" taste. Drinking chocolate and cocoa is sold beside dried mangoes enrobed in dark chocolate and 12 varieties of bar, with dark chocolate fruit and nut a recent addition. You can purchase products at many UK store and major supermarkets or buy online.
Granny Gothard's Ice CreamThe Old Dairy, Slough Court, Stoke St Gregory, Taunton, Somerset, 01823 491591Dairy farmers Anthony Gothard and Natasha Ellis are aiming for a "Somerset taste sensation" with their new brand of ice creams and sorbets launched 18 months ago. Home-made using milk from the farm's friesian herd, the ice cream is flavoured with local ingredients where possible, to cut food miles: flavours include Sedgemoor honey, lavender blossom, Somerset strawberry and cider apple as well as cider brandy. Buy at the farm itself or in local shops, hotels and restaurants.
Green & Blacks2 Valentine Place, London SE1 8QH, 020-7633 5900greenandblacks.comFor most people Green & Blacks is the brand name for organic chocolate; set up in 1990, its produce can now be found everywhere and includes a huge range of organic chocolate, ice cream, powdered drinking chocolate and chocolate spread. Sourcing from plantations in Belize and Dominican Republic, the company has built up a reputation for good ethical practice, though Maya Gold remains its only Fairtrade-certified brand of chocolate. This autumn will see the launch of an after-dinner collection and an assortment of different flavoured and textured classic truffles. Organic
Jude's Ice CreamThe Farmyard, Easton, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 1EQ, 01962 779878judes.co.ukJude's "ice cream with soul" strives for a positive impact on the community, choosing local suppliers to reduce food miles and donating 10% of its annual profits to charity. It uses milk from Hampshire cows and flavours include Ginger Spice, flavoured with crystallised stem ginger, or Chunky Choc, with real pieces of Belgian chocolate. Seasonal specials include Peach and Champagne Sorbet and a Winter Warmer made with Christmas pudding. Local delivery.
Kennedys Fine Chocolates Ltd The Old School, Orton, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3RU, 015396 24781kennedyschocolates.co.ukEstablished in 1991, Kennedys produces fine quality hand-made chocolates from its small factory based in the village of Orton, Cumbria. Using fine quality Belgian couverture and local ingredients where possible, delicacies include passion fruit and Galliano heart shapes, white chocolate whisky and ginger truffles, and dark chocolate-enrobed ginger pieces. Visitors to the shop can watch the chocolatiers at work or drop by the coffee shop to sample divine chocolate cake served warm with home-made vanilla ice cream.
Les Chocolats Belges45 The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1AH, 01394 386302chocolatsbelges.comChocolate-dipped cerisettes, strawberry and pink champagne truffles and other luxury Belgian chocolates are individually selected and beautifully presented. Luxurious chocolate brands are available here include Montezuma's organic chocolate bars, Fairtrade Divine bars sourced from cocoa growers in Ghana, and Charbonnel et Walker's original drinking chocolate made from pure grated flakes. Any combination of these and more can be ordered in the shop or online, exquisitely gift wrapped with flowers and ribbons and delivered on a worldwide basis. Mail order
Lola's on Icelolasonice.com
Montezuma Chocolates12 Peascod Street, Windsor SL4 1DU, 01753 621 947100 Northbrook Street, Newbury RG14 1AA, 01635 3176415 Duke Street, Brighton BN1 1AH, 01273 324 97929 East Street, Chichester PO19 1HS, 01243 53738551 Brushfield Street, London E1 6AA, 020-7539 920841 High Street, Winchester SO23 9BL, 01962 840 96147 Bore Street, Lichfield, Staffs WS13 6NB, 01543 251233Set up in 2000 by ex-lawyers turned chocolate entrepeneurs, Montezuma is famed for its ingenious range of carefully sourced chocolate. Around 40 types of truffle are custom-made to "Monty's way", using a mixture of butter and cream ganache and blends of organic chocolate within a crisp outer shell. Experimental inventions include air-dried mango strips dipped in white chocolate, lime and chilli. All chocolate is made using organic cocoa beans and there is also a vegan range of truffles available. Mail order
Morwick FarmAcklington, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 9DG, 01665 711210royaldouble.comAiming to recreate the true experience of farmhouse dairy ice cream, Morwick Farm's Royal Double range is made using fresh full-cream milk (from their award-winning herd of dairy cows), blended with cream, sugar and fresh ingredients. Inspired by Italian recipes, a range of more than 30 flavours of ice cream include honeycomb, blackcurrant, mango yoghurt and turkish delight.
Paul A Young Fine Chocolates33 Camden Passage, London N1 8EA, 020-7424 5750payoung.netFilled with the aroma of melted chocolate, the shop offers free tasters for all its fine hand-made chocolate, which you can watch being made at the back of the shop. The owner is a chocolate purist, insisting that ingredients are stripped down to a fine minimum - Valrhona and Amadei couverture with sugar and seasonal flavouring. Award-winning hand-made truffles are sold beside gooey, dark chocolate brownies, home-made ice cream, hot chocolate and exotic concoctions such as the Roasted Pepper Masala bar. Winner of the Best New Chocolate Shop 2007 (Academy of Chocolate Awards) with a second shop to open shortly. Weekly tastings and workshops available.
Plamil FoodsFolkestone, Kent CT19 6PQ, 01303 850588plamilfoods.co.ukPlamil Foods specialises in chocolate suitable for vegans, including a range of non-dairy, soya-free and organic bars: try the hazelnut carob bar or the smooth, rich orange-flavoured organic chocolate spread or the organic mint chocolate, made with 60% cocoa and organic mint oil. Mail order
Primrose Cafe Ice Cream1 Boyces Avenue, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4AA, 0117 9466577primrosecafe.co.ukIce creams, sorbets and frozen yoghurts, hand-made on the premises using fresh, local ingredients and organic milk from Manor Farm in Dorset, with the most wonderful flavours: caramel and maple fudge, lemon cheesecake and chocolate and chilli. All products sold on site from the cafe.
Rococo Chocolates321 King's Road, London SW3 5EP, 020-7352 585745 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5HG, 020-7935 7780rococochocolates.comRococo's owner Chantal Choady began a revolution in 1983, transforming her love of chocolate into an exquisite art form. Who could resist the fresh cream cardomom and saffron truffles coated in white chocolate, or some traditional English lavender and geranium fondants? The list of original delicacies on offer here seems never-ending and is topped off by Rococo's chic-as-hell hallmark packaging. Sugar-free, vegan and organic options available.
Roskilly's of Cornwall Tregallast Barton, St Keverne, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6NX, 01326 280479roskillys.co.ukStem ginger fudge, redcurrant sorbet, frozen gooseberry yoghurt and homemade mascarpone and orange ice-cream are just a few of the delicacies on offer at Roskilly's. The mostly organic range is home-made using milk and cream from the farm's organic Jersey cows. Spring water from the farm is also used in the sorbets and frozen yoghurts. Ice cream can be custom-made and the farm offers free visits and tastings."Cornish organics made from the richest jersey milk. Products include organic and farmhouse ice cream, organic fudge, whole and semi-skimmed organic jersey milk, organic pro-biotic yoghurt and organic conserves."
September Organic Dairy Unit 5, Whitehill Park, Weobley, Herefordshire HR4 8QE, 01544 312910september-organic.co.ukHighest quality organic milk and free-range eggs are blended with thick organic cream and local organic ingredients to produce a wonderful variety of home-made ice-cream. The brown bread flavour is a favourite, fusing brown sugar and breadcrumbs for a unique caramel aftertaste. Ginger and honey ice cream is another delicacy, sold beside smooth elderflower cream with a hint of lemon, and butterscotch crunch with golden nuggets of real butterscotch. Ice cream can be purchased by mail order of via a range of UK retailers. Organic/Mail order
Slattery's Patissier and Chocolatier197 Bury New Road, Whitefield, Manchester M45 6GE, 0161-767 9303slattery.co.ukSet up in 1967, this family-run enterprise hand-makes its luxurious and imaginative range of truffles, bars and figurines on the premises using Belgian couverture. Available are custom-made wedding cakes and such goodies as strawberry and champagne mousse, Baileys after-dinner dessert and a collection of mini eclairs, choux balls and meringues. You could even take a course on chocolate, sugar modeling or cake making. Mail order worldwide"Much more than just a cake shop! The "naughty-but-oh-so-nice" food emporium in Whitefield is truly one of a kind and attracts visitors from far and wide."
S Luca of Musselburgh32-38 High Street, Musselburgh EH21 7AG, 0131-665 223716 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4DB, 0131-446 0233lucasicecream.co.ukEstablished in 1908, this family-run ice cream company, suppliers to Harvey Nichols, is in its third generation of owners. Ice cream is freshly made on the premises every day and a 1923-model Rolls Royce ice cream van attends events across the Lothians. Flavours can be custom-made to order, with more unusual requests including bloody mary, chocolate and chilli, gin and tonic and even tomato and basil. A mouth-watering array of home-made strawberry, vanilla and chocolate ice cream cakes are also available, although the bestseller remains - what else - the classic vanilla cone.
Theobroma Cacao43 Turnham Green Terrace, London W4 1RG, 020-8996 0431theobroma-cacao.co.ukMini shards of dark chocolate blended with geranium oil and finished with crystallised violets; rosemary and bergamot-flavoured chocolate bars, made with 75% chocolate; a large rose-painted stiletto shoe and a gold theatrical mask made entirely of chocolate - Theobroma translates as "food of the gods" and this is precisely what they're aiming to create. There are also chilli chocolate sticks made with sweet red Mexican chillis as well as body massage bars with lemongrass and ylang ylang - not for eating! Mail order
The Toffee Shop7 Brunswick Road, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 7LU, 01768 862008thetoffeeshop.co.ukRunning since 1910, the Toffee Shop says proudly that people come from all over the world to taste their mouth-watering fudge and toffee, which has been made to the same recipe for the past 90 years. Everything is additive-free and hand-made on the premises - step into the shop and you are overwhelmed by the rich, sweet aroma of melting butter and boiling sugar. Flavours include butter fudge and mint toffee. Mail order
Trenance ChocolateMullion Meadows, Mullion, Nr Helston TR12 7HB, 01326 241499trenancechocolate.co.ukPart of Taste of the West and the Made in Cornwall scheme, Trenance Chocolate offers a luxury assortment of chocolate hand-made using natural ingredients where possible. Belgian couverture is tempered and moulded to make chocolate shapes such as dinosaurs and butterflies, as well as sumptuous hand-rolled truffles, including a Williams pear variety. Rose-scented turkish delight, hand-dipped pink marshmallows and cranberry and brazil nut bars are also available, alongside fudge and shortbread handmade from Rodda's Cornish clotted cream. Go to the shop and see the chocolate being made or order online.
The Velvet Bean ChocolatesChurch Lane, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1DH, 01531 634744Constantly changing the range of hand-made produce, delicacies include chilli and tequila cocoa-dusted truffles, traditional English rose and violet fondant creams, and fresh cream truffles with whisky and ginger. They are also famed for their delicious hand-sculpted figurines, which cover everything from animals and stiletto shoes to erotic novelties.
No comments:
Post a Comment