We are very pleased to launch our new bar made from Vietnamese cocoa beans, conched and refined in our atelier in Kent. If you also process Vietnamese beans, i would be interested to swap a few bars to compare.

That's it; i could not longer resists and order 3 samples of perfume (enough for 2 applications each) at $20(!) for the 3 from Mandy After. I am too curious about the cocoa perfume she has. i've heard great things about her but never tried any of her products and my meager income will not stretch to actually buy the products. So samples it will be. Has anyone of you ever worked on a chocolate fine perfume? We have a couple of times with a perfume house and always ended up with something too sweet (Angel type) or more smelling like air freshener. We could not manage to create a fine fragrance that someone would like to wear that was noticeable of cacao. I can't wait for the samples to arrive...

Check this out.http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/19/top-food-gadgetsEven more rewarding as every other chocolatier in UK has copied our caramels but ours still rock!

A couple of months ago, one of our regular transatlantic customers paid for a large order of our dark chocolate coated candied gingers. I am proud to say that they are now traveling with her in space. Apparently food tastes less in zero gravity so the intense ginger and chocolate combination seem to be a favourite with her and the rest of the crew. How cool is that?

I was in the South West of France for a few days and of course paid a visit to the local chocolate shops. All of them a great disapointment selling same things as 10 years ago (mostly pralines)and regional or house specialties bought in from Francois Doucet (potatoes, quail eggs, chocolate in shape of beans, olives etc etc). Most people used Barry Callebaut which did not help. Quality of the bonbons was poor and marshmallows were like bike tyres. Makes me wonder if French chocolates (apart from a few- Roger, hevin, maison, etc) are not terribly overrated?Let me know what you think

Here is the menu for our new Artisan du chocolat chocolateria at 81 Westbourne Grove in London, Notting Hill. We were lucky that one of our long term customer, Nick Strangeway, is also one of the best cocktail makers in the world and he really helped us to make some fresh cocktails that are fabulous and have one compoment of chocolate (pulp or infusion or creamy cold drink) The ice cream is made with our Costa Rica conched cocoa mass. The salted caramel tart is simple but very very good. So far response of customers has been fantastic and already several proposal to franchise to which we kindly said no... cause we prefer to grow ourselves slowly and steadily and be proud of what we do. WestbourneMenuNew_300dpi.pdf

We managed a successful press opening and everyone love the shop, the products and the new chocolate cocktails. Summer coctails are cocoa pulp Bellini, Cupuacu Margarita, chocolate martini and the fab white chocolate and matcha New Orleans gin Fizz. It took us a year to get the design and the chocolateria menu right but it was well worth it. On the first day the shop was already full. Very pleased but very very tired.Come and say hello at 81 Westbourne Grove London W2

We are finally opening our shop in notting hill (81 Westbourne grove to be precise) on Friday June 5th.Come and try our theobroma cacao and theobroma grandiflorum pulp juices as well as our chocolate summer cocktails based on chocolate or cacao pulp including cacao pulp bellini, cupuacu and tonka Margarita, chocolate martini and matcha and white chocolate New Orleans gin fizz.Sit under our 4m wide panoramic plantation light whilst listening to sounds of the rainforest and tucking into some chocolates, warm fondants, chocolate mousse, chocolate ice cream. Everything on the menu is chocolate based, all drinks and all foods (apart from the water We are equally excited and mildly scared by the opening...Gerard Coleman