Two weeks ago, April 8-10th, I visited The Chocolate Festival in London. The first day I helped out in the Original Beans stall. Besides the delicious bars, we sold beautiful chocolates made by the Belgian chocolatier Geert Vercruysse (of course with our couverture!).

My other favourites at the festival: Paul Wayne Gregory's salted caramel lollipops with popping candy, Damian Allsops waterbased ganaches and the lovely pralines of Baruzzo.

I enjoyed the presentation and tasting of Raffaella Baruzzo, the entertaining tasting of the seventypercent guys Martin and Steve (eating chocolate very slowly and very quickly and experiencing the difference...) and of courseOriginal Beans' Philipp Kauffmanns presentation.

I also didsome shopping in the cityand found a few bars I didn't taste before. At the chocolate departments of John Lewis (Zotter Labooko and Mitzi Blue, Willie's), Selfridges (Amelia Rope, Melt) and Wholefoods (Demarquette's Ben Tr, Enric Rovira's Sao Tom). At Hotel Chocolat I bought bars made of cacao from Saint Lucia (96 and 120 hour conch) and at Rococo homemade chocolates and flower flavoured bars. I have a lot of tasting to do....