El Pedregal is a rarity in another way – a cacao plantation actually owned by a chocolate maker. Despite the impression some companies may give, you could actually count the number of these in the world on a few fingers. Most cacao is bought from traders, cooperatives, exporters and occasionally big organised producers.

The original Del Pedregal box

Although Valrhona have owned this plantation for twenty years, their first version of Pedregal came out only in 2005/2006. This was perhaps though too soon. The chocolate was interesting, but didn’t quite live up to the hype or match up to the standard of the current Valrhona vintages.

For this reason, perhaps, the chocolate was only available in very fancy pentagonal boxes, with two layers of moulded chocolate, laid out in the shape of a cacao flower. This was all very fancy, but unsurprisingly not sustainable as a product.

Back now in a standard bar format, El Pedregal begins to live up to the hype, replacing the former Venezuelan offering in the Vintage bar range, Palmira.

‘Slow Chocolate’ is whole new approach to eating chocolate and the the art of chocolate appreciation.

Fine chocolate is fast becoming as sophisticated as wine, yet we are conditioned to eat chocolate as a sweet snack with little chance of noticing its finer points.

‘Slow Chocolate’ will help to unravel all those years of chocolate snacking by working through each of our chocolate senses one by one.

Rather than tell you what chocolate you should like, ‘Slow Chocolate’ gives you the tools to start you on your own journey towards becoming a chocolate connoisseur.

Through our courses and workshops we explore the gastranomic senses with a series of interactive modules, awakening and educating our palates along the way.

Day course – A workshop of the senses

Our six hour day course is suitable for beginners and connoisseurs alike. Using fun and engaging games and taste experiments we will awaken your chocolate senses. Our superb modern London venue will put you in the right mood and help us take you on a journey of the senses.

We’ll show you the important steps you need to understand chocolate and to eat it correctly. Most of us eat chocolate in completely the wrong way, which is fine if your eating candy of chocolate confectionery, but not really suitable for the new world of fine and origin chocolate. You’ve paid a lot for your origin plantation chocolate, don’t waste that hard earned cash – get the most out of your chocolate by learning a whole new way to taste.

You will come away with a new view on the true taste of chocolate and with simple steps you can use at any time to quickly tell a good chocolate from a bad one. By the end of the day you will be well on the way to becoming a connoisseur.

Includes a light lunch that will keep your palate clean, and refreshments. For your own benefit and that of fellow workshop members, avoid wearing strong perfumes or aftershaves. It is also best to have a light breakfast without strong flavours.

Info

Book your tickets through PayPal – no account needed, all major cards accepted. Bookings made through Micrograde.com Ltd, our holding company.

Gift certificates: If you are buying tickets for a gift or present, you can download a printable certificate here. Proof of purchase required.

£100 per person

11.00am-4.30pm, Thurs 16 Feb 2012
Adam Street Club
9 Adam St
London
WC2N 6AA
UK

Find on Google Maps

For enquiries email us at events@seventypercent.com or call 0870 446 0770.

N

ew for 2012, an inspiring season of tasting events exploring the many flavour notes of fine chocolate. Each month we pick a classic flavour group, like citrus, spice or forest fruits and explore the flavours and nuances of each group in detail.

The Marylebone Pub

In the relaxed comfort of a quiet room in The Marylebone pub, London, we take you through a chocolate tasting and flavour experience.

With a little history, sample flavours in their natural and try special treats and cover all the flavour nuances while enlivening and educating the palate.

We’ll start each tasting with a specially flavoured hot chocolate, with an optional dash of rum or liquor for those seeking an extra hit, and finish off with a specially created cocktail, in both alcoholic and ‘virgin’ variations.

Chocolate Flavours is both fun and educational and makes a great early evening treat for couples, connoisseurs or the merely indulgent.

Dates and tickets

Chocolate Flavours events take place on the 3rd or 4th Tuesday of everything month at The Marylebone Pub, London. Book your tickets through PayPal – no account needed, all major cards accepted. Tickets are sold in the name of our holding company, Micrograde.com Ltd. Please print out your pay Pal receipt as your ticket.

Gift certificate

Forest

Tropical

Spice

Citrus

Floral

Info

The Marylebone
93 Marylebone High Street
London
W1U 4RE
UK
www.themarylebonelondon.com

Find on Google Maps

For enquiries email us at events@seventypercent.com or call 0870 446 0770.

We’ve partnered with established specialist UK travel company Arena Travel and have created a range of chocolate and cacao tours exploring some of the finest producers and locations in the world.

For our 2012 programme, we visit Lyon, the heart of French chocolate making, explore the Tuscan Chocolate Valley and journey to the Upper Amazon source of cacao in Ecuador.

Chocolate Masters of the Lower Rhône

France is the home of tradition and of innovation in fine chocolate, leading the world in the origin chocolate revolution. The region around Lyon is a centre of excellence for chocolate produced directly from cacao, now a rare craft. Here we explore some of the great and famous names of fine chocolate, both chocolate makers and chocolatiers.

Includes factory visits to Bonnat, Pralus and Morin.

Booking and full details

Chocolatiers of Florence & Tuscany

Luca Mannori

The ‘Tuscan chocolate valley’ is famous for the number and quality of its fine craft chocolatiers, with a chocolate maker or two thrown in for good measure.

We’ve chosen the very best Tuscany has to offer, based around the region’s historical heart, Florence, with the unique combination of chocolate, local cuisine, history and scenery making for an unforgettable experience.

With visits to famous chocolatiers Luca Mannori and Andrea Bianchani.

Booking and full details

Ecuadorian Chocolate Odyssey

Bagging dried cacao, Ecuador

When the Spanish arrived in Ecuador, they discovered a ‘sea’ of wild ancient cacao. This was Nacional, Ecuador’s heritage variety.

Now the largest producer of fine cacao in the world, Ecuador is a land of beauty and contrasts, which we explore from its coastal cacao heartland to the original source of cacao in the Upper Amazon.

Taking in Ecuador’s emerging chocolate producers along the way, this is a truly authentic trip that goes right to the heart of the chocolate experience.

Booking and full details

Plenty of time for upgrades and surprises though in what’s looking like a pretty exciting season in development.

It was picking by email this time – post qualifying on a gentleman’s agreement. Duffy’s turn for first choice with Vettel, Martin taking a gamble on Hamilton being the one to catch him, despite having no new tyres.

Race about to start!