Just after I’d had my second baby, in amongst the inevitable presents for her, a family member gave me four bars – different varieties – of my favourite chocolate (back then: Green & Blacks). They were presented with little ceremony, no extraneous wrapping, just a small ribbon holding them together. As a breastfeeding mother needing 12,000 extra calories a day (true scientific fact) they were so welcome. But, also, I loved that every part of the present was so thoughtfully for me.
I remembered this as I pondered on chocolate presents for adults at Christmas. What is the point of a box of assortments if not all of them are loved? What is nicer than a pile of favourite bars? For children (more on them next week) it’s different, but for adults I eskew all specially packaged Christmas chocolates just as Valentine chocolates are ruthlessly ignored. (Easter eggs are different as the bunny brings them.)
If you don’t know what your loved ones like, well then, maybe that tells you something. But here are a few suggestions: Solkiki has the most beautiful wrappers with some truly insane flavours (try the Elvis 59 – peanut and banana – or the Yirgacheffe Coffee). Vanini has three new flavours: mango and passion fruit (don’t usually like fruit and chocolate, but love this); figs and almonds and amaretto biscuit. All of them are top notch, but the amaretto one is my favourite.
If you want to give a year-long, present, then think of a chocolate subscription. Loads of places do these, but my favourite is from Cocoa Runners (£19.95 a month) for its sheer diversity.
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