Voracious Advent Calendar: Dec 10

Dec 10: L'Artisan du Chocolat Spiced Fig Salted Caramels

A tweet from Juliet Kinsman, editor of Mr and Mrs Smith, reminded me how L'Artisan du Chocolat leads the way on salted caramels. The original salted caramel was fashioned for Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, and they haven't really looked back since. Their limited edition fig flavour, spiced with ginger, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon is a festive special and one that should be taken advantage of.


If you're not a big fig fan, maybe you can make dogs and cats happy by snapping up this Battersea Dogs and Cats Home 150th Anniversary bar infused with terribly festive mandarin and mulled spices. The bar is £2.75, and £1 of that goes to the charity.


More information here:

Spiced Fig Salted Caramels £11.99 for 25 salted caramels

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home 150th Anniversary bar £2.75 for 45g

Voracious Advent Calendar: Dec 7

Dec 7: The Etiquette Collection from Liberty


During my amble in Liberty’s off Regent Street yesterday (I had to duck in from the unforgiving cold), I came across these gems from the ‘Etiquette’ series - Etiquette for Wine Lovers, Chocolate Lovers and Recipes for an English Tea.

Of course they are as necessary as Debretts, containing handy hints such as ‘A Guide for the Butler’ (who will know ‘that the condition of his glass and decanter is as necessary for fine wines as the brightness of his boots is for the morning appearance of a gentleman’.) The recipes for an English tea have the delights of Marrow Jam and Parkin, and I know quite a few tea-lovers who would love to brush up their marrow-jam making skills.

But most of all, they have pretty pictures.

In the ‘Etiquette’ series, there are also booklets for coffee-lovers, gentlemen (apparently sold out, I’m guessing as many want to be gentleman, or want their men to be gentlemen), and politeness.

At £4.95 a pop, I don’t think that’s a bad deal for a life-changing stocking filler...


For more detail go to Liberty, or Amazon. If sold out online, Liberty have plenty in-store.

Voracious Advent Calendar: Dec 5

Dec 5: Cool Yule Chocolate Slab


A visit from Santa is in order, and begging to be unearthed from a Christmas day stocking is this chocolate slab - a glorious mix of milk chocolate, caramel and white chocolate. I used to work near the King’s Road near Hotel Chocolat, and would amble a few too many times past to try whatever they had out that day. I'd love a nibble of this cute thing.

For more info, go to Hotel Chocolat: Cool Yule Chocolate Slab

It's £13.50 which may seem steep but it's a big slab of a lotta choca.

Their tasting kits are also fantastic. I’ve been giving them as gifts for the last seven years, they’re a treat and a half for anyone. Prices start from £49 for a subscription for three months.
Tasting Kits