News & Reviews
NEW FOR EASTER 2010
Pretty chocolate hens for Easter - made to order- £4.00. I think they are really cute.
Patterned chocolate shards in a 'hand tied bouquet' - makes a lovely little gift and, again, something a bit different, for just £4.00
Spring 2010
No sooner have I finished making chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day, it's worth reminding you that Mother's Day is on Sunday 14 March, closely followed my Easter Sunday on 4 April.
I am planning pretty ballotin boxes in cream or cinnamon, containing four different types of truffle, finished with a ribbon and flower decor. A classy present for those lovely mums. 16 delicious fresh cream truffles for £8.00.
For Easter, there will be the cute ducklings, and, of course, Easter eggs which will be packaged in bundles of 2's, 3's or 5.'s Also, for Spring little cream boxes containing 2 chocs with a flower docor.
Easter bunnies will be made to order
Do let me know if you want to make an order for any of these items.
Staffordshire Life February 2009 issue
A fantastic article and photographs by Dave Hancock about my chocolates for Valentine's Day. Dave spent a couple of hours with me and showed much interest in the process of making and moulding chocolates. He also quite enjoyed the compulsory tastings.
To quote 'If you want to make your love's heart melt with a bespoke gift on February 14 then call on..... The Chocolate Tailor'
I knew it -Chocolate IS good for your health!
According to The Daily Telegraph 'Train your Brain' - January 2009
'Dark chocolate boosts your brain while protecting you from heart disease and cancer. Eating approximately 20 - 150g a day of dark chocolate can improve your learning and your memory. Improved blood flow carried more oxygen to the brain, enabling you to think quicker for longer. Your blood vessels relax, reducing blood pressure, brain damageand risk of heart disease'
Maybe the Court of Montezuma were right centuries ago when they used their chocolate drink as a medication and a brain stimulant. High in antioxidents, dark chocolate has more flavenoids than green tea. A study by Prof Berg of Harvard of people in Panama who daily drink dark chocolate found that rates of heart disease were lower by 1280%, cancer was lower by 680% and incidence of diabetes and strokes were also considrably lower.
The magnesium in dark chocolate decreases the coagulation of your blood while the MAOs (don't ask) in dark chocolate allow the levels of seratonin and dopamine to remain higher for longer, alleviating depression and producing feelings of well-being.
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidents, called flavenols, which mop up the free radicals which can attack and oxidise the DNA in your brain, creating growth points for tumours.
Wow - that's impressive. But do have good dark chocolate (mine is 53.5% cocoa solids and contains less sugar than milk chocolate) and try my single origin Tanzanie (at 75% cocoa solids) for a deliciously wicked but healthy treat,
Staffordshire Life Magazine -December 2008 issue
A very complimentary paragraph in a Christmas food-related article by 'Blanche de Vere'. Dear Blanche was particular impressed with my patterned chocolate boxes and my seasonal 'Christmas cake' truffles and says ' Her chocolates are quite the best I have ever tasted and she makes them so cleverly' Thanks Blanche. Look out for another article in Staffordshire Life for February.
Luxury Chocolate to beat the credit crunch!
Consumers are spending more on chocolates as the credit crunch bites. Despite cutting back on 'unhealthy' items people are treating themselves to luxury chocolates which offer them value in terms of quality, indulgence, and superior taste. Dark chocolate, particularly, is seen as offering health benefits as it is rich in anti-oxidents and is lower in fat and sugar but sales of milk and white luxury chocolate are also increasing, According to a 2008 Mintel Report. 'Brits may not be splashing out on chocolate as often as they used to but they are certainly splashing out more on premium varieties'.
Forget the current economic turmoil and remember The Chocolate Tailor when you want to splash out on your chocolate treat!
Hearts are not just for Valentine's
Chocolate hearts - pretty little patterned chocolate hearts for your loved one but I also I think these hearts would be ideal as unusual wedding favours. Orders specially made throughout the year.
Party Party Party
How about a chocolate party? Organise a get-together with your chocolate-loving buddies and I will bring six chocolates for a formal tasting. A short presentation on the history and health benefits of chocolate and a pleasant evening will be had by all. This also give you the opportunity to see the current range and make an order for your bespoke chocolates. Contact me for further details.
Filmed for television
Well, is this fame at last? BBC Midlands Today havet filmed me making chocolate for their 'Chase Your Dream' series . They were looking for people who have changed their lives and careers to take a new path in life - and I fitted the bill. A two hour visit from a video reporter, 30 minutes of footage....... all for a one-minute slot. The programme went out on Wednesday 25 April at 6.30 on BBC1.
Customer Comments
Kind comments from Angela and Graham Caddick for whom I made chocolates for their Masonic Ladies' evening.
"Just a card to thank you for all your hard work and making our evening special with your chocolates - all the ladies present were delighted with their invididual chocolate teardrops and hope that your will soon get some more orders!"
'SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES IN BUSINESS'
Tuesday 14 November 2006 in the Sentinel
A fantastic write-up on my business and colour photograph of me and my lovely chocolates in the centre pages on the local evening newspaper. It is sometimes difficult to believe that my little business could make interesting reading but I've met several people in the last week who have said they recognised me from the article. Thank you, WiRE, who initiated the publicity to support Women's Enterprise Week.
From Mrs Anna Wardle of Stockton Brook, Stoke on Trent
“I bought some of your Apricot Truffles yesterday and we ate them last night. They were the most delicious chocolates we have ever tasted. My husband said they ‘just melt in your mouth’; and he is a very hard man to please.”
From Phil and Heather Brammer
Jackie, Phil and I wanted to say a special 'thank you' for your expertise and skill in making us both such lovely wedding favours. The youngsters really liked their special chocolates (needless to say these were devoured before the meal). Friends and family commented on how beautifully presented, and tasty the chocolate was - they truly were superb Jackie. I also wanted to say how sensitive and thoughtful you were when I was deciding colours (for wrapping the chocolate in) Thank you.
August 2006
Peter Roberts - Call in the Caterers
At ‘Call in the Caterers’ we make a point of using local produce and products within our menus. Handmade chocolates just add the finishing touch to any meal and it has been a pleasure to work with The Chocolate Tailor. Jackie’s product, professionalism and reliability are first class and we have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone.
Enjoy being a chocoholic
I read this with interest in the August 2006 edition of She magazine
‘Scientists believe there is growing evidence that eating dark chocolate can relax the blood vessels, help to prevent blood clotting, and stave off heart attacks’. One leading doctor is planning a study this year to test chocolate’s health benefits on heart patients. He believes that there will soon be sufficient evidence that the flavonol substances in dark chocolate (which act like aspirin in preventing blood clotting) will support these claims. ‘Doctors may soon recommend we eat about four squares of dark chocolate as part of a healthy diet’
