I had been recommended to try Hotel Chocolat for their chocolates, as the British chain has one of the best chocolates in London. Hotel Chocolate was founded in 1988 and has stores throughout the UK, as well as in Denmark. The British chocolatier grows cocoa in their own plantation. I’m not a chocolate person in general but I really like hot chocolate. A couple of weeks ago, Hotel Chocolat on Regent Street had a one day deal to try a six-pack of chocolates for under £3 (£2 something). These chocolates usually retail for £3.75 or £3.15 each if you buy 3 packs or more. I decided to go with the rose and violet chocolates, a British favourite since the 1800’s (Hotel Chocolat was founded in 1988 but the recipe or the idea of having rose and violet chocolates is older). Each of these funny shaped chocolates has a pink or violet sugared topping and is filled with white rose-and-violet-flavoured fondant cremes. The chocolate itself is 70% dark chocolate. Best chocolates I’ve had in a long time!

Gingerbread Drinking Chocolate

I recently passed by the Hotel Chocolat in Covent Garden (4 Monmouth St) and decided to order their limited winter edition Gingerbread Drinking Chocolate (regular: £3.75). (Other flavours are usually £3.50.) The Gingerbread Drinking Chocolate was topped with chocolate-flavoured whipped cream. I was a little worried it would be thick sipping chocolate but to my relief, it’s gingerbread-flavoured hot chocolate (chocolate and milk – or so I assume). Perfect for a windy winter’s day, which seems to be everyday!