I strongly suggest you try the amazing artisan chocolates from Eat Your Hat. These (organic) chocolates are all sourced from smallholder farmers in various South American countries. Their products only contain natural ingredients (no nasty emulsifiers) and they have some fabulous unusual flavours. My favourite was turmeric and black pepper (sadly you would need to eat an awful lot to benefit from the anti-cancer properties of turmeric – but it would be fun trying, as the bars taste delicious). Other novel flavours include cardamom, and Brazilian mandarin – yum.
… And they sell organic coffee too …
Whilst we are on the chocolate – I have to recommend Thomas Fudge’s salted caramel Florentines – they are truly delicious (and lots of thick caramel-chocolate) – a classic with a modern twist from this hundred year old Dorset bakery. A really special treat if you are inviting friends around (although I recommend you don’t let your friends eat them all – they are just too good). Available from Waitrose, Ocado, Booths, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and ASDA.
And another naughty treat – Bonne Maman strawberry conserve, prepared with 50% fruit – what’s not to like?
Finally, Joe&Seph’s handmade gourmet popcorn is truly to die for – caramel, chocolate and … chilli. First the sweet deliciousness, then a kick at the end. As they say on the packet, ‘If you don’t love this popcorn … I’ll eat my hats’ – oh? That’s how I started this article … Time to continue my chocolate ‘research’ I think.
By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows