Chocolate Alchemy!

Chocolate - thick, creamy, wickedly sensual - melting on the tongue until its solidity disappears, leaving only its lingering taste and a memory... Have I caught your attention?

Chocolate has been the mainstay of my adult life. Seriously, I kid you not. Men have come and gone but chocolate has remained my constant companion, always there when I needed a moment of comfort, a little bit of escapism. That was why I was intrigued when I attended a workshop on chocolate making last week.

Let me be perfectly honest, I eat chocolate every single day. I don't eat cakes [unless someone gives me one], I don't eat biscuits or sweets or desserts of any form. But chocolate, now that's a different matter.

Up until the workshop I consumed chocolate with abandon. Dark, milk, somewhere in between - all of it tasted good and the differences between them remained a mystery. Until Chocolate Alchemy and its knowledgeable chocolatier, Isaac, came into my world. Alchemy, the medieval forerunner of chemistry, was concerned with the transforming of matter, in particular with attempts to convert base metals into gold. It was half science, half wizardry. Perhaps because of that, it is a particularly apt name, for Isaac takes dull, bitter cocoa beans and almost magically transforms them into chocolate concoctions which have a depth of flavour I hadn't previously encountered.

Isaac educated me in the geography and history of chocolate, explaining where the different cocoa beans were grown and the distinct individual flavours they produced. He showed me cocoa pods the size of small coconuts and produced samples of chocolate made from single varieties of beans to try and then samples of chocolate from different combinations of beans. If you haven't tried this before you may be sceptical - chocolate is chocolate right? I can tell you now that the chocolate from some of the beans packed a real punch, whilst others were more subtle and they were all different.

But in watching Isaac, whose face lit up when he spoke of making chocolate, I realised something else too. Here was a young man who was passionate about what he did, who strove to create chocolate perfection which was not just delicious but aesthetically pleasing too. I saw in him what I feel every time I begin a new chapter, or introduce a new character into my books, that longing to create and blend and strive for my creation to be the best it can possibly be, the most enlivened, entertaining and downright engaging I can make it for its intended audience.

And that, I think, sums up the whole essence of Chocolate Alchemy. Perhaps it could be no other way due to the people who remain largely behind the scenes, ex-professional athletes and big names in the world of athletics. These are people who are intrinsically dedicated and determined, who are never, ever, satisfied with sitting on their laurels but who continue to push forward with relentless enthusiasm.

Having only recently taken over the company, its directors are now intent on expanding from the small original venue to a national scale. And they are achieving their goal! Not just rapidly but with a surefootedness that took my breath away. Able to produce bespoke creations in an eye blink, they are looking to bigger markets whilst also maintaining that individual quality which sets them apart. Their chocolate remains hand made, produced by the clever Isaac himself and whatever your preferred taste, it can be created for you. And they are not greedy either - it is not their intent to fleece you of your hard earned cash. Indeed their products are very reasonably priced, especially when you consider the care and quality of them. And you do know how I love a bargain!

I was lucky enough to be able to partake in the truffle making workshop and the very next day I sat down and wrote a new chapter as I nibbled on the truffles. Ok maybe there wasn't much nibbling going on, it was more of a devouring thing really, but what the heck, they were  great!

So if like me, chocolate is an enduring passion, here is their website.  www.chocolate-alchemy.co.uk

In the meantime I will keep you up to date with my writing and with all the various new things I get to experience in my research. How I love this job!

Until then,

Happy Reading!

Macdonald Burlington Hotel

A few days ago, I was invited to an evening event at the Macdonald Burlington hotel, which I accepted with alacrity.

This was actually my second visit to this exquisite hotel and yet I was as entranced by the venue as I had been on my previous visit.

The Burlington is truly a sight to behold; polished marbled walls and floors lead the eye towards towering marble pillars which support high ceilings decorated with sparkling chandeliers, whilst gleaming dark wooden balustrades lead upwards to the equally sumptuous floors above.

At the vestibule entrance, the legend 'Macdonald Burlington Hotel' is picked out in shining brass letters and the hotel's emblem is proudly displayed. It is this same pride in their establishment which is reflected in the attitude of the staff,  who seem to take pains to provide everything their guests could possible require, in both a courteous and timely fashion.

I was welcomed with canapés of feta cheese squares in dark chocolate baskets. It may sound a strange combination but the blended flavours worked really well, the sweetness of the chocolate offset just a little by the sharp tanginess of the cheese. The chocolate martini I was served alongside it, did an excellent job of warming my throat and getting me into the mood and by this time I was beginning to see a theme. Chocolate! The entire menu was infused with elements of chocolate!

For your delectation I shall list the menu here and my thoughts on it.

Starter : Pan seared wood pigeon with celeriac puree finished with white chocolate, balsamic and port reduction and roasted shallots.

Now I had a real dilemma with this course. As you may know, I rescue injured pigeons. And now there was one on my plate! I wrestled with the moral dilemma for a while and it was only resolved when I  thought about the hens I used to have as pets. I loved these birds and cared deeply for them but I still went to the supermarket every week and bought a fresh chicken to roast. 

You may think me a hypocrite, but for me, the swaying point was also that the pigeons were not battery reared or force fed but instead had lived a very natural life. Conversely, it would have been hypocritical of me, I believe, to have turned my nose up at the meat and then gone on to eat pheasant or some other bird. Had I been presented with veal or pate foie gras I would have refused as I consider these to be cruelly produced, but neither of these were on the menu.

The dish was beautifully presented, everything laid out so precisely it was almost a work of art. The meat was juicy and tender and the  sauce was truly divine. I enjoyed every morsel. So far, so good. 

And so onto the main course: Roast loin of venison with pickled red cabbage, roasted baby beetroot, sprouting tender stem broccoli with roasting liquor jus finished with 70% cocoa.

Now this course was sublime! I could have eaten two or three helpings. Each bite was different, the combination of ingredients contrasting and complimenting each other beautifully; each forkful tender and delicious, a crazy,  heady fusion of flavours which  pirouetted and danced an arabesque around my tongue!

Lastly the dessert : A taste of chocolate to include chocolate brownie, chocolate crème Brulee and vanilla ice cream.

The ice cream was tantalisingly smooth, whilst the brownie was sweet, warm and deliciously moist. I did not care for the Brulee but then it was made of white chocolate, which I don't enjoy. Technically I can state however, that the Brulee was well made, rich and creamy.

Although by now I was pretty full, coffee and little chocolates followed.

But the Burlington experience was not yet done. Having sated my appetite, it now teased my brain, treating me to a chocolate tasting session where a learned chocolatier informed me where the different cocoa beans come from and how they are used [more on this in another post]. Finally, I was shown how to make my own little chocolate truffles and given these in a bag to take home. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

So what impressed me the most? The beautiful surroundings of the hotel itself? The warm effusive welcome from the staff? Or the exquisite food? In truth it was all of the above. It seems that its all just part of the Burlington experience. 

Sitting right in the centre of the city, literally across the street from the train station, the Burlington is exceptionally well placed. This beautiful old hotel is steeped in history and I was informed that Winston Churchill once stayed there. Indeed it was easy to imagine his heavy footfalls as he ascended the magnificent staircase, perhaps thinking about his time in the War Cabinet Rooms or pondering decisions that had had to be made in times of duress.

Since those days, the fine traditional architecture has been updated with modern soft furnishings and fashionable décor but the building has lost none of its charm and this is reflected in how people react to it.

I looked wondrously at the people around me. In truth many of the guests seemed oblivious to the splendour of their surroundings, but what I did notice was that none of them seemed unaffected by the influence of the place - voices were softly raised in laughter and conversation was muted, as if a little of that old-time elegance had rubbed off after all. It was not hard to imagine ladies in flapper dresses and gents in tuxedos in these rooms, 'making eyes' at one another and perhaps because of this, an essence of olde worlde romanticism almost imbues the atmosphere with a sense guilty pleasure.

I never got to see the bedrooms but I gather these are equally sumptuous with all the modern conveniences we seem to require nowadays. Perhaps its just as well I never saw these rooms - as a writer my days are spent shaping characters and chapters into exciting circumstances - who could say where my fevered imagination might have led...

Even now, days later, a warm smile plays on my lips when I think back to that exceptionally enjoyable evening.

So should you decide to check in to the Macdonald Burlington Hotel, be sure to tell them Carmen sent you. 

Until then - Happy Reading!

Today I am writing. And as usual when I am writing, I am eating chocolate. But this time it's not just any old chocolate, it's a very special chocolate that came from the wonderful MacDonald Burlington Hotel, which I attended for an event last night [more to follow later].

So here is a little peak at what I have just written :-

It seemed to take a long time before they got to the edge of the trees and with every step his heart thudded harder in his chest, obscenely loud in the quiet night.

They entered the dense undergrowth which grew below the soaring trees, full of trepidation and without a real plan, bunching close together, wary of ambush.

The forest seemed unnaturally quiet. No owls hooted or birds cooed. The only sounds were the brittle cracks of unseen twigs which littered the forest floor.

The almost preternatural silence was deafening. A solid wall of muteness seemed to surround them, so that the only noises were the ones they made themselves.

Taylor wished with all his heart that he had somehow made Matilda stay behind, that he had managed to convince her that the risk of their people losing her was too great… But to Matilda’s ears they would merely have been words and words could be no substitute for action.

 

These characters are heading for trouble and Matilda is destined to be in the thick of it. Why won't that woman ever listen? Now who is it she reminds me of...

 

Happy Reading!

 

Carmen.