I can't remember how long it's been since I was last on here, but I know it's quite a while. Of course, I've spent the time indulging in my favourite pastime - chocolate! So, what have I found out on my travels...
Duffy's Venezuela "Ocumare" 55% Milk is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best milk chocolate in the universe. It's made from Venezuelan Criollo beans, which are some of the rarest in the world. The taste is something else. Anyone who thinks Cadbury's DM is the epitome of milk chocolate would be in for a shock!
Duffy's Venezuela "Ocumare" 72% is THE. BEST. DARK. CHOCOLATE. EVER! Don't let anyone tell you any different. The flavours of red fruit, currants, orange, with a slight but not overpowering bitterness is just amazing. Duffy is God! FACT!
I've also finished reading a book by Deborah Cadbury (one of the Cadbury clan) called
Chocolate Wars.
It traces the origins of British chocolate and the industry surrounding it, including Cadbury, Fry's, Rowntree and Mackintosh, amongst others. It made me proud and angry simultaneously. Proud that we had an enviable chocolate empire once, before it all got floated on the stock market, and angry at how Nestle and Kraft slowly took it apart. It has lots of stories, like the one about Forrest Mars, who came to England with the idea for a new bar (you know which one). He was looking for a type of chocolate to use with it and Cadbury let him borrow theirs. What I'd give to have tasted a Mars bar covered in Cadbury's chocolate! I heartily recommend you read it if you can.
Maybe, with all the knowledge I've gained since I was last on here, we could actually have discussions about chocolate for a change!
