Looking for that extra special Valentine’s Day Gift - what could be more appropriate for your Valentine than Rococo’s gorgeous new hand-painted heart design, portraying two love birds?

In ancient folklore birds chose their mate for the year on February 14. Since doves, as well as other birds, mate for life, they symbolize loyalty, fidelity and love.

The Hearts come in an attracive gift box with a clear lid, also containing 3 Ganaches – one each and one to share!
The Hearts retail at: £22.50.

The Hand-Painted Baby Chocolate Hearts; 8 Halves in gift box is also available. The ultimate gift for Valentine’s Day. Impress your loved one with one of Rococo’s most popular chocolate art pieces.

Hand-Painted Baby Chocolate Heart Halves in a beautifully ornate gift box - not available elswhere.
Priced at: .£11.95.

About Rococo Chocolates
In 1983, a young woman followed her dream - to share her love for chocolate with others.

Determined to change the way fine chocolate was perceived and presented, Chantal Coady transformed the stuffy, conservative, commercial norm of chocolate retailing, to the inspiring engagement of the senses that such a delectable delight deserved, and through it, has spread the beauty and joy of chocolate far and wide - starting with London.

To view the extensive ranges of delectable Rococo Chocolates, please visit the website.

Prestat the chocolatier to Her Majesty The Queen, has launched a clutch of five exquisite Easter Eggs.

The Easter Parade Collection comes in extravagant packaging, designed by the renowned artist and illustrator Kitty Arden - Prestat’s trademark gold swirls and bright pink run riot – while each gold-foiled egg nestles on a bed of fuchsia tissue:

The Rose and Violet Crème Easter Egg is crafted from the finest dark chocolate (71%) and filled with Prestat’s legendary Rose and Violet Cremès, which it has been making for more than 100 years.

Billy Tallon, the Queen Mother’s steward, said that Her Majesty had a lifelong love of Rose and Violet Cremès. It was a fondness that led Her Majesty to award Prestat Her Royal Warrant.

The Milk Chocolate Easter Egg and The Dark Chocolate Easter Egg pictured here, are both filled with The Finest Ganache Truffle – and if anyone knows about truffles it’s Prestat. Antoine Dufour, who founded the company, created the first truffle in 1895.

The Sea Salt Caramel Easter Egg is a new recipe that is already taking chocolate fans by storm. The softest sweet caramel infused with a hint of sea salt fills the finest dark chocolate (71%) – resulting in an explosion of taste.

The Marc de Champagne Easter Egg is made from velvety milk chocolate and filled with Marc de Champagne Truffles. They are not only among the most popular truffles sold in Britain they are also regularly chosen for state banquets and first nights.

All five of the new eggs are made with a selection of cocoa beans from Sao Thome, Tanzania and Ghana all of which are part of Prestat’s Trading Fairly ESOKO initiative.

Prestat’s chocolates are all handmade in England and are served at every major state banquet. Everyone from the Queen Mother to Roald Dahl regarded them as a favourite treat.

Stocked at the Prestat shop (020 7494 3372), 14 Princes Arcade, Piccadilly, London SW1Y 6DS. Also available in Harrods, Liberty, and Selfridges.

To View or purchase Prestat’s mouth watering chocolate products, please visit the website.

Tel: (0800) 0213 023

Rococo’s ‘prof du choc’  Laurent Couchaux, has created a range of 37 ganaches and pralines in the kitchen of their flagship store in Motcomb Street London using fresh cream, butter and fine chocolate couvertures.

This includes organic chocolate from the Grenada Chocolate Company, made from Trinitario beans grown at Rococo’s own Grococo farm.
 
Rococo likes to use fresh ingredients, so their  seasonal ranges  are only available for two months.
 
The menu in our picture, designed by Chantal Coady, shows the delicious range and these are the flavours:
 
1 D Sour Cherry.
2 M ‘P’tit punch’ - Lime & Grenada Rum.
3 D Toasted Coconut.
4 D Almond, Coffee & Cardamom Marzipan.
5 D Madagascar House Truffle.
6 D Rose & Cocoa Nib.
7 D Grenadian & Islay Single Malt Ganache.
8 D Crunchy Hazelnut Praline.
9 M Orange Mango & Passion Fruit.
10 D Pistachio, Hazelnut & Almond Praline.
11 M Popping Champagne Truffle.
12 D ‘Plan Bee’ - London Honey Ganache.
13 D Raspberry Madagascar.
14 D Grenada Dark Ganache.
15 M Plain Milk Chocolate Ganache.
16 M Lime & Sesame.
17 D Rose, Lychee & Raspberry.
18 D Jasmine Green Tea.
19 D Blackcurrant & Violet.
20 M Crushed Lemon Praline.
21 M Anglesey Sea Salt Caramel Ganache.
Sping
22 D Yuzu, Lemon & Ginger.
23 D Arbequina Olive Ganache.
24 M ‘Mara des Bois’ Wild Strawberry Caramel.
Summer
25 M Lemon, Basil & Olive Oil.
26 M Apricot & Almond.
27 D Ceylon Earl Grey Tea.
28 M MaRococo: Pistachio, Saffron & Cardamom.
Autumn
29 D Hazelnut Coffee Praline.
30 M Walnut and Pear.
31 M Fig & Walnut Praline.
32 D Apple Tarte Tatin.
Winter
33 M Christmas Gianduja, Lemon & Pecan.
34 M Caramelised Pumpkin & Lebküchen Spice.
35 D Quince & Honey.
36 M Lychee, Chestnut & Rum.
37 D Perigord Black Truffe au Truffe!

To see this alluring collection of Rococo ganaches and praline chocolates, please visit the website.
 
Tel:   (020) 8761 8456

Spring into action with John Lewis’s delightful ideas for Easter. Have fun decorating your home with charming decorations and be tempted with delicious chocolate gifts.

For example:

Portmeirion - Portmeirion has created the colourful Secret Garden range of porcelain tableware exclusively for John Lewis.
Secret Garden Cake Stand, Dia.21cm. Beautifully decorated with birds, plants and flowers. A choice of 11 useful pieces. £29.50.

Rabbit Easter Basket Decoration with Foiled Chocolate Eggs - This charming Easter hanging basket contains yummy milk chocolate foiled egg treats. £6.

Booja-Booja Kashmir Luxury Champagne Truffle Egg - A truly luxurious Easter present; each stunning, velvet-lined egg contains 12 Champagne truffles, all completely organic, dairy-free, gluten free and utterly delicious.

Each Booja-Booja egg is handmade and hand-painted by artists in Kashmir, using traditional methods and local materials. Designs may vary. The organic chocolate truffles are handmade in Norfolk, England. £20.

The Easter Basket - A fantastic Easter selection of mouth-watering treats, presented in style with a bunny keep sake.
Contents:
· Jellycat Slackajack Bunny.
· Bunny Face Cookie.
· Sweet Boutique Clotted Cream Fudge, 150g.
· Net of Easter Coins 50g.
· Shortbread House Stem Ginger Mini Biscuits, 200g.
· Foiled Easter Egg, 120g.
· Foiled Easter Egg, 100g. £60.

Egg Cup Milk Chocolate Set, 207g. - This sweet China egg-cup with chicks feet, is filled with foiled milk chocolate eggs and comes complete with a spoon. Egg-cellent! £8.

And many more Easter goodies!

Visit the John Lewis website to view the whole colourful collection.

Looking for alternative gifts this Easter? Whether it’s sweet treats for the little ones or tempting delights for grown ups, John Lewis has something to satisfy every taste and budget this year.

Wanting a twist on the traditional Easter egg? A slab bar is ideal; hand crafted and decorated using only traditional methods select from Belgian white or milk chocolate, £5.

If chocolate isn’t your preference the dipped gingerbread slab is just right, covered in dreamy white chocolate and decorated with pink chocolate buttons, £2.75.

Spruce up your home décor this Easter with edible creations. Watch out for wandering hands, as the eye-catching Beehive cookie jar contains a selection of tasty bee shaped biscuits, £12.

Say it with chocolate, the farmyard box contains milk and white chocolate farmyard animals and a Happy Easter message, £12.

Choose from lots of other alternatives online now:

Web: http://www.johnlewis.com

Rococo Chocolates and The Gluttonous Gardener (Chantal and Ned, have been plotting and come up with some wonderful ideas for sumptuous gifts.

Rococo Chocolates is loved by people who appreciate good quality, real chocolate and who want to enjoy life’s little luxuries, while The Gluttonous Gardener has become well known for their imaginative range of gifts that combine high quality edibles and growables, all beautifully hand packed in wooden crates and delivered next day nationwide.

A Selection:

Rococo Rose Crate
Never promise them a rose garden, but perhaps more modestly opt for this crate of fragrant delights - a beautiful scented old fashioned pink shrub rose, ready to plant with a box of Rococo’s handmade organic milk chocolate Rose wafers.
RRP £48 + delivery.

Rococo Lavender Crate
A beautiful crate containing a healthy potted lavender plant, together with a box of Rococo’s delicious handmade organic dark chocolate Lavender wafers.

RRP £48 + delivery.

Rococo Vineyard
Anyone can own a vineyard with this crate. A red and white grapevine, selected to thrive in the English climate with full planting and care instructions, packed in a crate with a bag of delicious Rococo chocolate “Grapes” to munch whilst you plant. RRP £50 + delivery.

Rococo Italian Coffee break
Ignore the depressing exchange rate and transport yourself to Italy with this gorgeous crate, containing a healthy potted coffee plant, a bag of best Italian coffee and a wedge of mouth-watering soft coffee nougat.
RRP £50 + delivery.

The above are only available from - http://www.glut.co.uk/prodlist.asp?a=srch
Tel: (020) 7627 0800

Web: http://www.rococochocolates.com

Make Mum feel extra special this Mother’s Day; rather than reaching for the usual flowers or chocolates, take a look at Sendathought’s attractive new website, which has elegant, as well as tongue-in-cheek gift ideas that are beautifully wrapped and sent on your behalf.

They won’t break the bank but they’ll mean the world to Mum.

Favourite gifts include:

•‘You’re blooming marvellous’ Thank You Garden - say Thanks to Mum for being the best, with an abundant mass of tightly quilled Pomponette daisies.she just cuts the bag open, adds the seeds, water and let it grow. Priced at £7.00.

•‘Put your feet up and indulge’ Chocolate Tea and Cake Trio - this chocolate tea cup and cakes trio is handmade in Somerset using the finest Belgian chocolate. Priced at £6.50.

•‘You deserve flowers and chocolates’ A box of chocolate flowers – includes 9 handmade white chocolate flowers with sparkly glitter. Priced at £8.00.

•Photo Thoughts – send a framed photo. Simply go onto sendathought’s website and choose a frame, attach a photo at check out and it will be printed, framed and beautifully wrapped. Prices start at just £13.50.

•Box of Happiness – a signature sendathought green box filled to the brim with happy thoughts! Contents include a blend of Happiness Tea, a True Grace candle, scented with uplifting grapefruit and a trio of chocolate flowers handmade in Somerset with the finest Belgian chocolate. Priced at £30.00.

•Box of Relaxation (pictured here), a sendathought box filled with relaxing thoughts. Contents include a blend of Sleepy Tea, a True Grace candle, scented with relaxing English lavender and a relaxing pocket garden, which when watered will grow into a therapeutic lavender plant. Priced at £30.00. (or create your own, price dependent on selected contents.)

Web: http://www.sendathought.co.uk
Tel: (020) 8623 9386

Finding themselves in a festive mood, Rococo Chocolates’ resident chocolatiers created a brand new popping Champagne Truffle.

These unique truffles, made from Valrhona Jivara milk chocolate and fine champagne brandy, are coated with captive bubbles that will literally burst in your mouth….
The oval gift box featured here, retails at £13.95, or they can be bought loose for £8.95 per 100g.

The new truffles complement delightfully, the traditional flavours of Christmas already in the three Christmas Artisan Bars; these are available in a special selection:
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, Christmas Pudding, and Cranberry & Nutmeg, which is the perfect accompaniment, to those long winter evenings and fire side gatherings.
The bars are £4.25 each or £13.50 for the gift box.

As part of a new bespoke range being launched at Rococo, the popping Champagne Truffles will also be available as a special order made with your favourite brand of Champagne (price on application).

Last guaranteed date for standard delivery of a Christmas mail-order is 18th December.

Web: http://www.rococochocolates.com
Tel: (020) 8761 8456

It’s Halloween at the end of the month and Rococo Chocolates has got some devilishly tasty tricks up its sleeve, with chocolate pumpkins, witches’ cats and ghoulish wafers; that‘s not all, there are spiders, ghosts and pumpkins all wrapped in foil – ideal for trick and treat.

Here are just a few tasty temptations:

Pumpkin painted (dark & white chocolate) boxed - £13.50, without the box - £9.50.
Spooky wafers (4 types 2 dark 2 milk) - £2.50 each.
Black cat in Rococo box with clear lid - £12.50.
Spiders, ghosts and pumpkin foils, all - 70p.
Confite pumpkins packed in bags of 100g, retail at - £4.50.

All you need to make your Halloween the sweetest and the scariest!

Available in all three shops and online at:

Web: http://www.rococochocolates.com

Tel: (020) 7352 5857

Special Edition biscuit tins are the height of good taste this spring - McVitie’s Victoria Assortments, the delectable chocolate biscuit selection, has been teamed with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen the flamboyant interior designer, to create a range of special edition biscuit tins.

Available from mid-February until April, the collectable tins come in three colours - blue, green and pink - each featuring an intricate pattern designed by the flamboyant designer.

Laurence – who is famed for fusing contemporary design with dramatic old school glamour – explains; “The tins’ design, known as Jaisamand, mingles traditional organic forms with a bold and modern sense of scale; I thought this perfect to evoke a sense of occasion for the Victoria assortment tins and the ritual of tea time treats.”

Each fully recyclable tin contains five varieties of irresistible foil wrapped chocolate biscuits: Milk Chocolate Oat Crunch, Milk Chocolate Shortcake, Milk Chocolate Cream Crumble, Dark Chocolate Orange Crumble and Dark Chocolate Shortcake.

Once the biscuits have been enjoyed, the label can be easily removed from the tin, making it an ideal decorative storage solution, for use in the kitchen or throughout the home – whether your look is modern or traditional.

The biscuit tins would make great gifts for Easter, or just to say thank-you.

The McVitie’s Victoria Assortments Special Edition tins will be available in Tesco until April, priced at £4.99.