D127 R

33 K60 S38 016989

The Chocolate Tasting Club is unique in so many ways – and with the closing date passed, we can now reveal that our Chocolate Bonds have joined the list of exciting, successful innovations.

We’re delighted to announce that we have raised £3.7 million of funds from the issue of our Chocolate Bonds. We’re quite naturally thrilled that this ground-breaking scheme has been taken up so enthusiastically and there’s only one group of people to thank for that – you, our members. However, we shouldn’t really be surprised at this remarkable level of support…

The new format for Club News is finally here, sorry for keeping you in suspense for the last two months, we just wanted everything to be spot on. So please have a good flick through and we hope you like what you see – do let us know what you think!

The New Look is here!

News

3.7 MILLION Thank Yous To Make!

See page 7

The new truck for Ghana is proving to be worth its weight in gold, or should that be cocoa? And we’ve had some whopping donations from members – find out how much we’ve raised!

Keep On Trucking

See page 6

A decade of champions went head to head… but really, there could only ever be one champion. Find out who – the No 1 Collection results are now in.

REVEALED – the Champion of Champions!

The Monthly news letter from the Tasting Club

Issue 127

continued on page 8...

Angus presents Club member, Mrs Mary Townsend, with one of the first Chocolate Bonds

2

Send your letters to The Chocolate Tasting Club, Mint House, Royston SG8 5HL, or simply email me on simon@hotelchocolat.co.uk We are waiting to hear from you!

Don’t forget your Fortified – last orders on page 4

welcome to your latest edition of Club News and the first in our much-trailed brand new

look to go with the new menu. I do hope you think it’s worth the wait and my apologies for keeping you waiting for a couple of months – we wanted to make sure the new format was absolutely perfect before we unleashed it.

Quite clearly, the main news this month is the successful issue of our Chocolate Bonds. Being able to raise £3.7 million of funds in such an innovative way really is proof that we have the best members in the world, who not only ‘get’ what we are trying do, but want to support us in doing it. It’s a huge vote of confidence.

edITorLetter from the

Being able to raise £3.7 million of funds really is proof that we have the best members in the world.“

”elsewhere in this new format there are lots of exciting, new things to discover, including the chocolate knowledge feature on the facing page. And don’t forget that you can contribute too – whether it’s a burning question you need answering or an answer you think we should feature. Just send them in!

And finally, there’s just space to say thank you for all of your limericks, they were most entertaining! see if you won on page 15.

Until next month, happy tasting!

simon Thirlwell Club News editor

EdiTor

GIANdUJAImprove your chocolate knowledge

There are quite a few legends about the creation of gianduja (pronounced jan-doo-yah), a super smooth

blend of hazelnuts and chocolate. The most promising talks of desperate Italian chocolate makers in the Piedmont region of

Italy, hit by soaring taxes on cocoa in the 1860s. so, in order to make their chocolate go further they added a local ingredient that they had in abundance, hazelnuts, ground into a super fine paste. And 150 years later, we’re so glad they did!

Necessity is the delicious mother of invention…

4

doN’T forGeT – score by post or online at www.chocs.co.uk and you’ll be automatically entered into the prize draw

winnersThis month’s Prize Draw

There’s no doubt that something very special happens when

premium liqueurs and alcohols meet good chocolate – it’s a marriage made in heaven. which probably explains why the renowned fortified Collections have been some of the highest rated specials we’ve ever created.

And this year’s fortified 5-star Collection is set to continue that trend with 18 boozy recipes brimming with 5-star wines, spirits and liqueurs – including peaty speyside malt whisky, oak-aged Navy rum and golden rum from a boutique saint Lucian distillery, five star Metaxa, Tuscan grappa, smoky Laphroaig whisky, marc de champagne and more.

So if you’re partial to chocolates with a real kick, please make sure you reserve yours as soon as possible – if you haven’t already that is!

Order online at www.chocs.co.uk/fortified5or call us on 08444 933 933

LAsT CALL For

fortified!

s35 Elements prize draw winner is Mrs E Swan from Radstock who wins a Banoffee Giant Slab.

Next month’s prize is a White & Caramel Cookies Giant Slab.

K57 dark selection prize draw winner is Mrs K Scott from Leicester who wins a Fruit & Nut Dark Giant Slab.

Next month’s prize is a selection of Dark Adventure Slabs.

d124 Classic selection prize draw winner is Mrs D Hannaford from Woking who wins a Sleekster White & Light Selection.

Next month’s prize is a Sleekster Cocktail Selection.

Excellence is our annual collection of the very best of the best. It’s your chance to savour, or discover for the first time, the true chocolate masterpieces of the year.

From Best Leading Chocolate and Fruity Creation to Most More-ish and a stunning Members’ Choice, there’s something in every Excellence category to delight… So get out the glad rags and prepare for a dazzling display of chocolatier flair – this is not one to miss!

The Chocolate ‘Oscars’ – Coming Soon!

5

6

The Champion of all Champions

The No.1 Collection

But this wasn’t just a delicious trip down memory lane! Armed with the traditional scorecard, members were able to vote for their favourite chocolate of all time. We thought you might like to hear what the result was…

The winner, by a decisive margin, was a champion of 2004 that held the record for the highest scoring chocolate for 2 years, Griotte Deluxe. This was the chocolate that also won the first No.1 Collection four years ago and, incredibly, has even managed to increase its winning score from 8.91 last time, to 8.99 this time!

Thank you to all of you for your scores and comments for the No.1 Collection. Just to remind you, this was an extra special selection featuring 18 golden greats that have all been voted No 1 by members over 10 sensational years of the Tasting Club.

Scooping up second place is a chocolate that is arguably the best example of its kind, first made in 2004, Blueberry Bombe. And staggering into third place, by a whisker, came Drunken Raspberry, which first featured in 2005. And that completes a very fruity top three.

1. Griotte Deluxe by E desmet 8.99 (52% scored it 10/10)2. Blueberry Bombe by o Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.79 (44% scored it 10/10)3. Drunken Raspberry by W roelandts 8.76 (37% scored it 10/10)4. Pomegranate Truffle by o Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.71 (39% scored it 10/10)5. Raspberry Liqueur Truffle by M Meier 8.71 (39% scored it 10/10)6. Florentina by E desmet 8.69 (39% scored 10/10)7. Poire Belle William by E desmet 8.67 (33% scored it 10/10)8. Elegance by JC Vandenberghe 8.67 (35% scored it 10/10)9. Champagne Truffle by M Meier 8.64 (34% scored it 10/10)10. Florentine Dream by K Kalenko 8.61 (32% scored it 10/10)

7

The Champion of all Champions

Truck update

Our truck is proving essential in reaching the remote cocoa farming areas of the Osuben Basin – including many that we’ve never been able to reach before

But the donations have just kept on coming and we’re thrilled to say you have raised a whopping £15,543! So we’d like to say an enormous thank you for your incredible generosity and for your unflinching support of our Engaged Ethics programme. We’d also like to add extra special thanks to those members who donated substantial sums to this project – which, especially in straightened economic times, is truly heart warming.

A few months ago we revealed that this year’s big project, a truck for our partners in Ghana, had arrived and was already making a huge difference.

We’re delighted that you’ve exceeded the total we needed. The last time members helped us with an appeal we had enough left over to sink a borehole. So, watch this space because, once again, we can think about an additional exciting project. And with our visit to Ghana this autumn, we’ll be perfectly placed to see what we can do.

9

After all, from the monthly exchanges of scores and comments and the open-minded willingness to try experimental chocolate recipes, to our unique programme of engaged ethics – Tasting Club members have always embraced innovation with wonderful enthusiasm.

further more, as Club founder, Angus Thirlwell, himself tells us, the idea for Chocolate Bonds was prompted by members asking how they could get more involved, “It all started at an event we hosted to thank the first 100 members who had received 100 tasting boxes. I spent a very enjoyable day at our Huntingdon factory talking to them, but what impressed me most was their eagerness to become even more involved with the company. So, we found a way of inviting them to invest in our development plans in exchange for a return paid in chocolate and we have been bowled over by the response.”

What now?well, with the funds raised we can now get on with the exciting plans for development that were outlined in the Chocolate Bonds Invitation document. Here in the UK we’ll be expanding our facilities at our chocolate factory in Huntingdon, where we aim to create up to

250 new jobs. we’re also planning to add to the portfolio of Hotel Chocolat shops across the country, which will create up to 150 new jobs.

In saint Lucia we’re looking forward to pushing forward with the building of an eco chocolate factory on the rabot estate. It’s certainly a bold idea, but it is completely in tune with our programme of engaged ethics. It will not only continue the revival of cocoa growing on the island, provide local jobs and use local ingredients, but it will also mean that value will be added in the cocoa growing region, rather than back in europe as is usually the case and that will benefit the saint Lucian economy.

elsewhere overseas, we’ll continue to fly the flag for British chocolate with the expansion of international Hotel Chocolat stores and the further expansion of The Chocolate Tasting Club abroad. As you’ll see in this issue, with Germany, sweden and Norway successfully launched, they’ll soon be saying ‘The British are coming’ once again in the UsA as the Tasting Club goes stateside.

But let’s leave the final words to Angus, “It’s not often that I’m lost for words, but this massive vote of confidence for what we’re doing, shown by the success of our Chocolate Bonds, very nearly succeeded! All I can say is thank you, a few million times over!”

continued from page 3

We are thrilled with the phenomenal response from Tasting Club members to this innovative form of fund raising. The remarkable support

we have received is testament to the strength of the relationships we have been fortunate to enjoy with our customers since the establishment

of The Chocolate Tasting Club 12 years ago.

“”Angus Thirlwell, Club Founder.

3.7 MILLION Thank Yous To Make!

10

scores

Classic SELECTIoN – D124 1. Redcurrant Rocket by o Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.49 (34% scored it 10/10)2. Flame on the Iceberg by E desmet 8.40 (31% scored it 10/10)3. Mousse au Chocolat by G Pereira 8.35 (26% scored it 10/10)4. Summer Wine by M Meier 8.32 (29% scored it 10/10)5. Costa Rica Blend Milk Tasting Batons 8.28 (19% scored it 10/10)6. Caramel Melters by r Macfadyen 8.22 (31% scored 10/10)7. Brandy Bonanza by K Kalenko 8.21 (35% scored it 10/10)8. Lush Lemon by E desmet 8.20 (26% scored it 10/10)9. Billionaire Shortbread by o Nicod 8.19 (31% scored it 10/10)10. Classic Belgian Milk Tasting Batons 8.17 (22% scored it 10/10)11. Jamaican Spice by M Meier 8.11 (25% scored it 10/10)12. Crisp Crêpes by K Kalenko 8.06 (29% scored it 10/10)13. Hazelnut Bliss by o Nicod 8.03 (19% scored it 10/10)14. Averna Buttercream by JC Vandenberghe 8.01 (24% scored it 10/10)15. Florentine Bite by r Macfadyen 7.74 (19% scored it 10/10)

dark SELECTIoN – K571. Flame on the Iceberg by E desmet 8.56 (33% scored it 10/10)2. Crisp Crêpes by K Kalenko 8.47 (18% scored it 10/10)3. Brandy Bonanza by K Kalenko 8.38 (42% scored it 10/10)4. Mousse au Chocolat by G Pereira 8.30 (24% scored it 10/10)5. Jamaican Spice by M Meier 8.26 (37% scored it 10/10)6. Classic Belgian Dark Tasting Batons 8.25 (15% scored it 10/10)7. Lush Lemon by E desmet 8.20 (24% scored it 10/10)8. Caramel Melters by r Macfadyen 8.18 (29% scored 10/10)9. Billionaire Shortbread by o Nicod 8.15 (23% scored it 10/10)10. Redcurrant Rocket by o Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.10 (32% scored it 10/10)11. Salted 70% Dark Tasting Batons 8.09 (19% scored it 10/10)12. Hazelnut Bliss by o Nicod 8.05 (20% scored it 10/10)13. Summer Wine by M Meier 8.02 (18% scored it 10/10)14. Florentine Bite by r Macfadyen 7.66 (13% scored it 10/10)15. Averna Buttercream by JC Vandenberghe 7.66 (13% scored it 10/10)

Elements – S351. Classic Belgian Milk Chocolate 8.41 (35% scored it 10/10)2. Costa Rica Blend Milk Tasting Batons 8.30 (26% scored it 10/10)3. Billionaire Shortbread by o Nicod 8.22 (20% scored it 10/10)4. Crisp Crêpes by K Kalenko 8.13 (29% scored it 10/10)5. Mousse au Chocolat by G Pereira 8.13 (22% scored it 10/10)6. orange & Almond Slab 8.13 (20% scored it 10/10)7. Pecan Passion by r Macfadyen 7.85 (17% scored 10/10)8. Caramel Melters by r Macfadyen 7.80 (24% scored 10/10)9. Florentine Bite by r Macfadyen 7.72 (15% scored it 10/10)10. Classic Belgian Dark Tasting Batons 7.67 (18% scored it 10/10)

11

In The Postbag…

Dear Simon

I come from a line of Hotel Chocolat fans and have noticed that with each generation there are distinct styles when it comes to consumption. My Grandfather was the one to discover you, he died at the grand old age of 95 in February. My Father likes your chocolates so much he doesn’t bother with a menu – he gobbles half a dozen or more, absentmindedly but steadily, until my Mother catches him at it and prises the box away as fast as she can to conserve what’s left!

However, my husband prefers a more theatrical approach. He carefully selects two per night from the menu. It is a very merry ritual with a lot of thought and delicious discussion! If our toddler could reach the box, we know for sure that his technique would be to lick them all quickly and then stealthily make a sticky pile behind the sofa!

It is important to note that none of them could be safely left alone with an opened box and instructions not to touch, which makes me think it’s not an age thing after all!

Emma Dalrymple

feedback

Bouquet Redcurrant Rocket – Dark “I was rocketed to another planet.”

Valerie Williamson, Newport Pagnell

Brickbat Lush Lemon – Classic“This was quite awful... almost no lemon to taste at all, just odd textured cream. Sorry!”

Gabriela McGreevy, Warrington

Brickbat Florentine Bite – Dark“Felt short-changed by this one, it was as if the filling was missing and the cornflakes on top were stale.”

Anne Hayward, stowmarket

Brickbat Crisp Crêpes – Elements“Like eating sand, yuck.”

Marie Halstead, durham

Bouquet Crisp Crêpes – Classic“I love the choccies with crêpes in, yummy nibbly bits that make a noise in your head whilst you are munching!”

Helen Grover, Burgess Hill

Bouquet Caramel Melters – Classic“Absolute belters, nailed all 4 of them, the girlfriend wasn’t happy…”

Andrew shaw, Bolton

Bouquet Mousse au Chocolat – Classic“This was like sinking into a chocolate bed!”

Valerie reilly, Johnstone

Bouquet Brandy Bonanza – Dark“Mmm… Lovely – let me just get up off the floor now...”

sean Conlin, Walderton

Bouquet Costa Rica Blend Tasting Batons – Elements“Don’t think I’ve ever given a 10 before. These are divine! An explosion of tastes that linger... mmmm. Irresistible.”

sally Matthews, Potters Bar

Have Your say!

12

preview

Undercover Christmas

Could it be that they had secretly started on the Christmas Collection? Given my

recent indiscretions, especially with this year’s Easter Collection, it wasn’t going to be easy getting into the development kitchen again. However, even chocolatiers need to have lunch, which is when I seized my chance. And there, laid out on marble topped tables in front of me, were the prototypes for this year’s Christmas Collection.

So what do we have in store for us? First impressions are that this year’s chocolates are even more festive than usual, with lots of greens and reds, sparkling gold and stars. Bearing in mind that I could be discovered at any moment, I quickly surveyed the chocolates for hints of flavours – so I can definitely report that the classic Rum & Raisin is making a festive comeback and I could swear I also got the spicy aromas of Mulled Wine too. Also in the traditionally Christmas category I found a Gingerbread Truffle, a boozy Eggnog and a recipe that was labelled Brandy Butter.

Pushing my luck even further I tasted one or two test recipes that had already been cut in half. To my delight the first was an elegant Champagne Truffle, the second was an earthy Walnut & Coffee chocolate with a gorgeously cake-like texture, the third turned out to be a velvety smooth Pistachio & Honey praline and the fourth… well that’s when I had to leave. Rather quickly.

Can you believe that Christmas is on the way? I certainly couldn’t until, that is, I heard Club chocolatier Olivier whistling Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer…

It really is on the way – The Christmas Collection 2010

Caught in the act again... Olivier proved to be very protective of his Christmas Collection

By simon Thirlwell

updates

osuben is the base for our Engaged Ethics activities in Ghana and the home of our main seedling nursery.

it’s a fairly remote cocoa-growing area that is reached by an often treacherous, unpaved road. Water is gathered from wells and there is no electricity, but the latter could change in the very near future.

reports are that the new government has revived a decade-old plan to spread electricity into rural areas. To great disappointment, it looked like these plans had been completely abandoned, but recently work has re-started beginning with the erection of wooden electricity poles.

The elders of osuben are particularly delighted as it has rekindled the voluntary spirit of the village that seemed to be dwindling – their call to the youths of the village to help the contractors was met with enormous enthusiasm. And thanks to that help, all of the poles have been erected in double quick time! We’ll keep you updated on all the latest progress.

is ELECTriCiTY coming to osuben?We’ve just heard some exciting news from our partners in Ghana that has got the people of Osuben Village really excited.

The erratum – that little piece of paper that you sometimes find in your monthly menu. It’s there to let you know of a change in plan that has happened so late in the day, that it can’t be included in the printed menu. But, as the title asks, why is that we sometimes get it wrong?

The answer is that many of the recipes we’re creating are not only brand new, but, by

the very nature of the Tasting Club, they’re also made to very short deadlines. Which means that, occasionally, a chocolate might develop a problem very close to the time it’s due to be packed and sent. recently these sorts of problems have included a chocolate that started to leak and one whose nut content was so high that it started to bloom (turn white as the nut oils reached the chocolate shell).

Needless to say, we have to swing into action very quickly, otherwise we’d have some very angry members wondering where their tasting boxes are! And for just such emergencies, there are a number of reserve recipes that we can call on that can be freshly made in a relatively short space of time.

so, although they’re annoying, we do hope you see the need for the occasional erratum.

iF YoU’rE so Good…

13

… THEN HoW CoME YoU KEEP GETTiNG iT WroNG?

14

and finally

News froM dUBAI

How very CosmopolitanIf you’ve been following the news about The Chocolate Tasting Club’s international adventures, then you’ll know that Germany, Sweden and Norway are all now part of The Chocolate Tasting Club family. And what’s more, there are imminent launches planned for both Denmark and the USA too.

so, although our chocolates can cross borders, more often than not each country

requires a different box for their tasting selections, including both lids and bases. However, that’s all about to change with our brand new international base, which carries all the information needed for each country – meaning you’ll also be able to keep track of the other members of our tasting family! They’ll be gradually phased in over the autumn as stocks of our current bases run out.

founder Peter Harris’ son, Daniel, outside the store in Mirdiff City Centre Mall.

Stephen is one our 100 Club Members (the first 100 members to receive 100 tasting boxes) and is currently working in Dubai. Daniel was completing the last leg of his gap year travels with Stephen’s son Leo and could not resist visiting the Hotel Chocolat shop.

former Tasting Club Manager, Lynn Cunningham, opened the first of Hotel Chocolat’s international franchises in

Bahrain, Kuwait and Dubai earlier this year. But it’s not Lynn who was recently spotted in the stylish looking Dubai shop…It was Tasting Club member Stephen York (left) pictured with Hotel Chocolat Co-

15

competition results

Limerick Competition RESULTS

There was Club member of long standing Whose appetites were most demanding

But one day as feared Her chocolates disappeared

As her dog was grinning from the landing

From J A Porter, Ramsgate

There once was a Club member from York To his tasting box he would talk

And although he’d confide It never replied

So he wrote it a letter in chalk

From Beryl Blackburn

However, we are doing our homework thoroughly,

because there are some clear differences to overcome. And if you’ve ever tasted America’s leading brand of chocolate, Hershey’s, then you’ll know that our tastes can differ somewhat.

THE BriTisH ArE CoMiNG!George Bernard Shaw may well have had it spot on when he said, “England and America are two nations separated by a common language”. But with the Tasting Club heading stateside this autumn, we think we’ll be united in our love of chocolate!

incidentally, it’s said that its unique flavour came about because its founder, Milton Hershey, preferred to formulate his own recipe for chocolate, rather than follow the European lead in the late 1800s. The only problem being his penchant for

cigars, which may have impaired his taste buds…

However, the chocolate market in America is changing and changing rapidly. The popularity of boutique chocolatiers is growing and in some ways, America is leading the charge. So, we’re going to begin with a test in New England, which seems like the best place to start! We’ll also be sending over both Classic and Dark Introductory Selections, because we’re told that Americans prefer dark chocolate. It will be fascinating to compare our scores with theirs.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to help us out with our unfinished limericks. We really were spoiled for choice, but there can be only one winner – well actually that’s not true as we’ve chosen two!

Congratulations to you both and enjoy your Sleekster Hand Piped Selections that are on the way.

Write to us at: The Chocolate Tasting Club, Mint House, Royston, SG8 5HL Email: simon@hotelchocolat.co.uk or via our website: www.chocs.co.uk Club News: Editor: Simon Thirlwell; Contributors: Simon Thirlwell, Terry Waters.© The Chocolate Tasting Club plc 2010

www.thehotelchocolat.com