CHOCaholic Newsletter - February 2011

It’s been a fabulous February so far! We were all loved up for Valentine’s Day with demos in John Lewis Oxford Street, Blue water and Whole Foods Market in Camden and have spent the later part of the month trying out wonderful new recipes and preparing for Mother’s Day and Easter.

Despite the economic gloom, we are absolutely delighted with the continued growth of CHOC Chick. Our on line sales have grown by 30% since this time last year and our retail sales continue to expand. John Lewis Food Halls (one of our favourite stockists) will now be stocking CHOC Chick Starter and CHOC Chick Master Kits all year round and our Kits and ingredients can also be found at Planet Organic, The Haelan Centre, Whole Foods Market in High Street Kensington, Camden and coming soon to Whole Foods in Clapham and Stoke Newington (do please ask your local health food and organic retailer to stock our Kits and raw cacao ingredients if they don’t and let us know if you can’t find them at a stockist near you).

We are extremely grateful to our wonderful customers, who not only support us through sales but take the time to email regularly with recipes, new chocolate making tips and photos of their CHOC creations. This month we would like to thank in particular the very lovely Brenda Sinnamon and Matthew Horton, who regularly brighten my day with great emails, chats and fantastic photos of their chocolate creation.

Amor y chocolates!

CHOC Chick X

CHOC News

We’ve had some more fantastic reviews from Food Bloggers this month. Choclette from the Chocolate Log Blog who tried out our CHOC Chick Starter Kit and made THE most amazing Golden Ticket!!

http://choclogblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/cardamom-raw-chocolates.html

Chocolate Review also had a chance to try out our CHOC Chick Starter Kit and we are delighted with their amazing step by step review and recommendation.

http://www.chocolatereviews.co.uk/choc-chick-kit/

CHOC Recipes

This month we have a new and an old favourite recipe to share! We’ve been inspired by the amazing Elana’s Pantry website (www.elanaspantry.com) to create a dairy free version of her easy to make Gluten Free Chocolate Cake.
Super Simple Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
This is such an incredibly simple and wonderfully moist cake that it’s become a firm favourite.

Another favourite of mine of course are Whiskey and Walnut Raw Chocolates. They are also incredibly quick and easy to make and have impressed many friends and family as an after dinner raw chocolate treat (although I do confess to making them when I feel like a slightly naughty treat for myself!).
Hope you enjoy!

Here also are the CHOCtastic  images send by Brenda and Matthew

Brenda Sinnamon’s raw chocolates (Left)
Matthew Horton’s divine chocolate truffles (Centre & Right)

CHOC Mate of the Month

Caroline Ahern founder of SugarGrain is my wonderful CHOCMate of the month. I met Caroline at several trade shows and events last year and always had the joy of sampling her amazing vegetarian marshmallows and fabulous gluten free cakes and creations. I’m delighted that SugarGrain has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Free From Awards for her Zesty Lemon Polenta, Spiced Carrot Cake and Fresh Raspberry & White Chocolate Brownies.  Her gluten free baking is outstandingly creative and delicious and she really deserves to win! Good luck Caroline!

www.sugargrain.com