This week is Chocolate Week, pretty much the best excuse you’re going to get to stuff your face with chocolate for an entire week! But what’s happening where? Here is an overview of events happening far and wide to help you get the best out of this week. If you know of any others happening in your area, do let us know.
LONDON
Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel hosts the ultimate chocolate experience
Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel has created the Joy of Chocolate experience to celebrate Chocolate Week and melt every chocoholic’s heart. Book your stay for this weekend and receive an indulgent experience, including a chocolate themed afternoon tea (including chocolate opera cake, chocolate pecan brownies and scones with clotted cream and Nutella) and a Chocolate Ecstasy Tour – visiting Rococo, William Curley and Pierre Hermé.To top off the choc-tastic day, guests will enjoy a night’s accommodation at the boutique Belgravia hotel, including an English breakfast for two the following morning. Packages start from £330 per room per night.
Chocolate and tea pairing with William Curley
Cocoa specialist William Curley has thought up a new and exceptionally British way to celebrate Chocolate Week. The chocolatier has collaborated with tea specialist JING to create the ultimate chocolate and tea pairing. The Wuyi Collection pairs William Curley’s award-winning chocolates with JING Wuyi Oolong – a decadent tea with notes of chocolate, roasted nuts and smooth muscovado. The limited-edition set launches on 13 October and will be available at William Curley boutiques, including the flagship store on Ebury Street in Belgravia, until Christmas.
Chocolate writing and perfumery with Rococo
Rococo Chocolates is going all out for Chocolate Week with some amazing events. Visit the Belgravia store on Motcomb Street on 15 October to witness a special collaboration with neighbouring perfumery Annick Goutal. For one day only, the duo promises to showcase a scent-sensational and palate-pleasing perfume & chocolate coupling. If you’re more interested in flavour than perfume, the chocolatier will be running another pairing session, on 16 October, at Rococo’s Moxon Street store in Marylebone. Stop by to try a selection of weird and wonderful flavour unions, which pair chocolate with a series of cheeses, wines and beers. Or how about leaving a message in your chocolate – why not head to Rococo’s chocolate calligraphy session at the Belgravia boutique on 18 October. Interested families can drop in throughout the day to master the art of writing in chocolate (and probably caking themselves in it too).
Chocolate Show, London
This fantastic show returns to London from 17-19 October, bringing with it a host of big-name chocolatiers and chefs, as well as demonstrations and exhibitors from around the world. For more info, check out our post here.
SCOTLAND
Try out the luxury chocolate menu at the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland is situated in a picturesque setting on the banks of Loch Earn, with twelve bedrooms, six chalets and a holiday apartment. The Four Seasons Hotel’s two AA Rosette award winning fine dining restaurant, Meall Reamhar, serves contemporary Scottish cuisine with a twist, with a range of imaginative dishes as well as the more traditional. For one week only, the Four Seasons Hotel has created a luxurious menu of chocolate inspired dishes, including: Roast Perthshire Partridge with puy lentils in a chocolate and hazelnut dressing and candied chicory; Seared Medallion of Glen Lyon Venison with belotta pigs cheeks cooked in sherry vinegar, chilli, chocolate and spices, fennel, salsify and sweet potato fondant; and Baked Crottin Goat’s Cheese, spiced chocolate scented fruit chutney, honey and salt roasted pistachio nuts.
Sip cocktails at The Queen’s Arms
The Queens Arms is an Edinburgh gem. The local pub is situated just off of George Street, in Edinburgh’s bustling new town. A favourite with both locals and tourists, The Queens Arms is a quirky pub with a homely feel. They are celebrating Chocolate Week with the “Much too good for children” cocktails, click here to find out how to make it at home if you can’t find your way to Edinburgh.
SUSSEX
Get away to Sussex chocolic heaven at The Wensledyale Heifer
The Wensledyale Heifer is a unique venue which has 14 individually themed, unique bedrooms for guests to enjoy and two of them are chocolate-themed:
- The Chocolate Heaven room is a deluxe double bedroom and boasts chocolate-themed décor, a chocolate version of the Sistine on the ceiling above the bath and as much chocolate you can eat! (please find attached photos)
- The Chocolate Room is a deluxe double and boasts a super king size four posted bed, chocolate leather chairs and accessories, homemade chocolate brownies in your room on arrival and, most importantly, as much chocolate you can eat (please find attached photos)
Rates for the room (based on 2 people sharing) are from: Sun-Thurs £180 and Fri & Sat £230.
YORK
York is a great place for chocoholics during Chocolate week, check out what’s on offer at the birthplace of the KitKat, Smarties and Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
Chocolate make-over for Yorkshire’s favourite flavours
In a one-week taste experience not to be missed, Yorkshire’s finest flavours, including ginger parkin, rhubarb and Wensleydale cheese, will be given a chocolate makeover by the chocolatiers at York’s CHOCOLATE Story, where visitors can also discover chocolate’s origins, how to make it, how to taste like an expert and make their own chocolate creation to take home.
Meet the chocolate experts and sample their wares
How do chocolatiers make chocolates taste and look so sublime? Learn the tricks of the trade at the ‘Meet Our Chocolate Expert’ events being hosted by world-famous Bettys at their celebrated Café Tea Rooms at Stonegate, Sunday 20 October (from 11.00am-12.00pm). Experts from their Chocolate Team will be talking about how they craft their delicious chocolates and answering questions. Throughout National Chocolate Week Bettys will also be offering chocolate samples, including Champagne Truffles, Vanilla Caramel Hearts and Piedmont Hazelnut Pralines, and a Chocolate Tasting Plate, consisting of a tasting-size Hot Chocolate, Bettys’ rich Cru Sauvage Truffle made with rare Bolivian cocoa, a dainty Chocolate Macaroon and a miniature handmade Chocolate Brownie (available between 6- 19 October).
Tales of Terrys, the Chocolate Factory and more
As well as telling the story of the Terry family and the confectionary they made in their famous chocolate factory, Goddard’s (home to Noel Terry and his family from 1927-1980) will be holding blindfolded taste tests of chocolates, chocolate box design competitions and offering chocolate trails for families.
The forgotten art of hand dipping – remembered!
Witness the traditional skills of chocolate making in the production kitchen at York’s CHOCOLATE Story as the team of chocolatiers demonstrate the forgotten art of hand-dipping chocolate – the technique used before machines aided chocolate manufacturing. At its peak, over 14,000 people worked in York’s chocolate factories.
Learn the skill of chocolate making
Book on a free workshop at the York Cocoa House and find out about the chocolate making process, from grinding cocoa beans to making a chocolate bar. Places for the one-hour workshops (Monday 13 to Friday 17, 5.00pm-6.00pm) must be booked in advance.
For more information about the many different ways to enjoy chocolate in York or to book a delicious chocolate break in York, go to visityork.org/chocolate
COUNTRYWIDE
Mercure Hotels present ultimate chocolate getaways across the country
To celebrate National Chocolate Week, Mercure hotels are offering the ultimate getaway until 28 October, designed to satisfy all coco cravings.The brand new Mercure Chocolate Unwrapped package includes a sensational spa treatment, a calming chocolate foot massage, a delectable three-course chocolicous meal, plus an overnight stay with breakfast – all from just £194 per couple. This is available at:
- Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel and Spa
- Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa
- Mercure Bolton Last Drop Village Hotel and Spa
- Mercure Brandon Hall Hotel And Spa Warwickshire
- Mercure Bristol Holland House and Spa
- Mercure Cardiff Holland House and Spa
- Mercure Manchester Norton Grange Hotel and Spa
- Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel and Spa
- Mercure Shrewsbury Albrighton Hall and Spa
- Mercure Hythe Imperial Hotel & Spa
OUT TO SEA
Cruise Nation has a fantastic deal on offer for chocoholics, whilst this isn’t happening during Chocolate Week (it’s next Easter), if you book this month then you’ll save £500pp and get some extras for free too. Their ten-night ‘Chocolate Journeys’ cruise will travel the Mexican Riviera, calling at Cabo San Lucas, Loreto, Pa Paz, Puerto Vallarta, allowing guests to sample Mexico’s famous dark chocolate, “chocolate de mesa”, flavoured with cinnamon, almond and vanilla. There will also be chocolate-themed pleasures on board with a variety of delicious creations crafted by the world’s foremost experts in chocolate. With mouth-watering chocolate tasting sessions, cooking demonstrations and a unique chocolate drink menu, even those with the sweetest of teeth will be satisfied. Cruises start from £1,499pp.