<h4>You're browser does not support iFrames - here is an exerpt of the content</h4> <a href="http://nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/christmas-come-early-2/">Click here to read the article in full</a> <p><span style="color:#008080;"><strong>“A new British survey has revealed that 9 out of 10 people like Chocolate.<br /> The tenth lies.” <span style="font-weight:normal;">- Robert Paul</span></strong></span></p> <p>Compared to my dear husband I’m good at resisting the temptation of sweet treats but when someone offers you a WHOLE box of chocolates to try it’s a no brainer isn’t it? For the love of George (cough cough) and scoring ‘best wife’ points I didn’t need to be asked twice by the lovely folk at <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/" >Hotel Chocolat</a>. I conducted a little survey of my own while I waited for our goodies to arrive – 9 out of 10 people obtain chocolate for their own consumption. The tenth lies. Hmmm, my sugar-free halo has well and truly slipped!<br /> <a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/sleekster-chocolates.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4331" title="Sleekster chocolates" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/sleekster-chocolates.jpg?w=455&h=249" alt="" width="455" height="249" /></a></p> <p>Sampling a box of chocolates as divine as these is serious business and even George admitted tackling <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/christmas-chocolate-P260474/" >The Sleekster </a>on our own was a little risky! Our friends Fran and Jenny nobly stepped in and earned their place at the top of our ‘<em>people who can be relied upon in times of need</em>‘ list. <a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/chocolate-tasting-4b1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4365" title="chocolate tasting 4B" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/chocolate-tasting-4b1.jpg?w=455&h=630" alt="" width="455" height="630" /></a></p> <p>The contents of our Christmas inspired box of chocolates was described as <em>‘beautifully wide-ranging recipes that really capture the season, finished with festive colour and sparkle – with melt-away pralines, liquid caramels and creamy ganaches, cinnamon, almonds and clementine, warming mulled wine, whisky and rum, cranberries, gingerbread and more’</em>.<a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolate-tasting-4b.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4398" title="Hotel chocolat tasting 4B" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolate-tasting-4b.jpg?w=455&h=283" alt="" width="455" height="283" /></a></p> <p>We nibbled and shared each and every one and at the risk of sounding boring they were all delicious (not a coffee cream in sight!). What we particularly liked was the satisfying snap of the chocolate as we bit into them and the fine balance of individual flavours especially when more than one winter spice had been used. I’m sure I’ll make you sick with envy if I give you a blow by blow account of each scrummy chocolate so here’s our unanimous top 5 so you know which ones to snaffle if a box comes your way.<br /> <a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-tasting-cranberry-and-apple-4b.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4374" title="Hotel Chocolat tasting - cranberry and apple 4B" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-tasting-cranberry-and-apple-4b.jpg?w=455&h=418" alt="" width="455" height="418" /></a></p> <p><strong><a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolate-cranberry-and-apple.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4377" title="hotel chocolate - cranberry and apple" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolate-cranberry-and-apple.jpg?w=55&h=40" alt="" width="55" height="40" /></a>cranberry and apple</strong> – a frisky cranberry compote whose tart flavours are balanced by a creamy apple ganache. Winner of the top spot for all 4 of us – ‘<em>wow</em>‘ was all we could say (after several mmmm’s)</p> <p><strong><a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-champagne-star.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4379" title="Hotel chocolat - champagne star" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-champagne-star.jpg?w=55&h=45" alt="" width="55" height="45" /></a>champagne star</strong> – milk chocolate and cream ganache with a good dash of marc de champagne, encased in a creamy white star sprinkled with edible gold. <em>‘I don’t like white chocolate’ </em>said Jen <em>‘but I love that!’ </em></p> <p><strong><a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-mulled-wine.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4380" title="Hotel Chocolat - mulled wine" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-mulled-wine.jpg?w=52&h=44" alt="" width="52" height="44" /></a>mulled wine</strong> – traditional winter spice flavours of cinnamon, clove and bitter orange in a light ganache, fortified with a generous splash of warming ruby red port. Mmmmm. Again.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-florentine.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4381" title="Hotel Chocolat - florentine" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-florentine.jpg?w=56&h=44" alt="" width="56" height="44" /></a>florentine dream</strong> – a praline filled cup with honey and almond florentine. Yummy, squidgy, nutty topping – <em>‘like an upmarket crunchy’</em></p> <p><strong><a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-dark-liquid-caramel.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4382" title="Hotel Chocolat - dark liquid caramel" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-dark-liquid-caramel.jpg?w=46&h=36" alt="" width="46" height="36" /></a>dark liquid caramel</strong> – slightly salted oozingly soft caramel, paired with a domed shell of dark chocolate. Buttery and smooth – <em>‘like melted down Werthers’.</em></p> <p>Hotel Chocolat have all sorts of delicious <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/christmas-gifts-CHcoxmas/">Christmas gifts</a> to choose from including <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/luxury-crackers-CHCcrackers/">luxury crackers</a> and <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/christmas-stocking-CHCSTOCKING/">stocking fillers</a>. I can vouch for the <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/unique-chocolate-gift-P300135/">Festive Wreath</a> if you prefer something more solid to get your teeth into. Delicious 40% milk chocolate mixed together with hand cut caramel florentines, chunks of white chocolate and nibbly cocoa biscuits (yes through it not just sprinkled on top!). <a href="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-caramel-wreath.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4395" title="Hotel Chocolat - caramel wreath" src="http://nipitinthebud.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/hotel-chocolat-caramel-wreath.jpg?w=455&h=483" alt="" width="455" height="483" /></a></p> <p>As if the chocolate wasn’t tempting enough there are number of great offers available online to tempt you to start your Christmas shopping: 10% off orders over £30 (enter VCSNOW when you reach the checkout, valid until 23/12/10); a free gift box with orders over £60; a £10 voucher when you spend £100 or more.</p> <p>If you like to know who you’re buying from <a onclick="return mugicPopWin(this,event);" oncontextmenu="mugicRightClick(this);" href="http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/The-Story-of-Hotel-Chocolat-Athestory/" >the story of Hotel Chocolat </a>is well worth a look and a listen. A British company trading ethically to produce authentic chocolate from their own cocoa beans. Everyone’s a winner!</p> <p> </p> <br />Filed under: <a href='http://nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/category/home-life/'>home life</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/godelicious/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/delicious/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gofacebook/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/facebook/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gotwitter/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/twitter/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gostumble/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/stumble/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/godigg/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/digg/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/goreddit/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/reddit/nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/4330/" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=nipitinthebud.wordpress.com&blog=8362095&post=4330&subd=nipitinthebud&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />
