LEARNING MORE ABOUT CHOCOLATE
In her lectures and workshops, Sara talks about the history of cocoa and chocolate and how the cocoa bean is transformed into the chocolate that we know and love. Sara enthuses that she adores chocolate BUT not the sort of chocolate that we have all grown up with – on which she believes we have been tastewashed because of the high sugar content. Sugar is not only addictive but also ‘murders’ the taste of real chocolate. We have a great deal of discovering still to do. Sara also compares different chocolates made with different varieties of beans grown across the cocoa growing world. This demonstrates that properly tutored tastings with a range of like for like products, i.e. 70% chocolate, are not only enormous fun but a point of discovery and a marvellous way of training the tastebuds. This is also a valuable journey to tell the difference between ‘real’ chocolate and chocolate confectionery.
Sara has been lecturing since 1997 and her audiences have spanned 5 to 500 participants. They have included:
- The Royal Institution (Dover Street, London)
- the Royal Academy of Arts
- the Eden Project (Cornwall)
- the Arts Club (Dover Street)
- Divine
- Firmenich (London)
- the Food Development Association (Heathrow)
- Guild of Food Writers
- the Ideal Home Exhibition (Earl’s Court)
- Harvey Nichols
- London Wine Trade Fair
- Manchester Restaurant Show
- the Restaurant Show (Olympia)
- Speciality & Fine Food Fair (Olympia)
- Spirit of Christmas (Olympia)
- Soil Association Organic Food Fair (Bristol)
- the Savoy Hotel
- Taste of London (Museum of London)
- Unilever (HQ Crawley)
- Waitrose
- The Abergavenny Food Festival
- Salon du chocolat
- Cake and Bake
- Canning House
- Caprice Mount Street Deli
- CH&Co
- Curzon Ladies
- Docklands Museum
- Harting Society
- Divertimenti
- FDA Conference
- MAD at Waddesdon
- Jesmond Dene Food Festival
- Chocolate Unwrapped
- London Food Festival
- Royal College of Physicians
- V&A
- Weald & Downland
- The Wine Guild
- The Point at Eastleigh
- York Festival
- The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle