It has been a while since my last update so here is a brief summary of some of the highlights of the last 5 months! For full details and pictures of all previous events see the Meetup website at http://www.meetup.com/london-chocolate-meetup-group/. 

Chocolate and wine tasting evening – 21 May

In May, twelve of us from the group attended this fantastic chocolate and wine tasted evening hosted by Seventypercent.  Swedish wine expert Maja Berthas introduced us to the finer points of chocolate and wine matching, whilst providing insights into her (sometime very humourous) visits to cacao plantations around the world.

Chocolate Party – 13 June 

In June we held the group’s very first chocolate party to celebrate the group’s 1st birthday.  There was a great turnout with over 60 people attending, with everyone enjoying selection of chocolate cake, fine chocolate and truffles.

Chocolate in the Park! – 13 July

Twenty members of the group braved the British summer in July to spend a very chocolatey afternoon in Hyde Park, involving chocolate cake, brownies and a selection of fine chocolate.  We also had a tasting challenge to identify some unusual flavours of chocolates by Rococo, and finished off with a game of frisbee by which time the sun made a very welcome appearance!

Bruges trip – 29-31 August

Following our fantastic visit to Brussels in 2007, this year ten members of the group took on Bruges!  Unfortunately I was unable to make it but all those that went enjoyed exploring the many chocolate opportunities this historic town has to offer.

Chocolate in the Chilterns – 28 September

In late September we took advantage of the last of the summer sun and went on a countryside jaunt to the Chilterns, where we embarked upon a 7 mile hike from Great Missenden to Wendover.  We finished up at Rumsey’s Chocolaterie where we refuelled with a selection of delicious chocolate offerings! 

Chocolate Week Chocolate Party – 17 October

Following on from the success of our chocolate birthday party in June, we thought it only fitting to mark this year’s Chocolate Week with another party!  This time there was an even greater turnout with 130 attending, and a wider selection of chocolate goodies including a large chocolate fountain, decadent chocolate cake, brownies, ad handmade fine chocolates and truffles.  Comments and pictures about the event can be seen at http://www.meetup.com/london-chocolate-meetup-group/calendar/8701932/

So it has been an action packed year so far!  Our next meetup will be held at Bar Chocolate in Soho on 27 November – details are at http://www.meetup.com/london-chocolate-meetup-group/calendar/8994979/.   Lots of things in the pipeline for 2009 so watch this space!

Beth 

On Saturday fifteen of us from the group embarked upon a walking tour taking in several of the best chocolate shops in the Chelsea area.

We set off from Green Park and the first stop was Rococo’s Motcomb Street Store. There we were provided with a fascinating introduction to chocolate and were challenged to do a blind tasting of several chocolates including cardamom and earl grey tea flavours.

From Rococo we headed west along Fulham Road to Marc Demarquette’s shop where Marc introduced us to the UK’s first ever wild chocolate produced from cocoa trees from the Amazon region of Bolivia.

After a pit stop at Maison Blanc we then headed back towards the heart of Chelsea to our final stop at L’Artisan du Chocolat. Once again we were provided with a range of samples to try, the most popular of which were the moroccan mint chocoaltes and the famous liquid salted caramels.

Overall it was a fantastic afternoon and hopefully the first of many chocolate walks we run!

Pictures and comments from those who attended the walk can be seen on the group’s website at http://chocolate.meetup.com/51/calendar/7876307/

The next meetup will be a Chocolate and Wine tasting hosted by Seventypercent on 21st May – details are at http://chocolate.meetup.com/51/calendar/7868736/.