Hotel Chocolat Rocks

Yesterday a lovely woman offered me a butter caramel, for free.

Don't get confused - the photo is of yummy Hotel Chocolat caramel canapes. Let me tell you about these butter caramels.

The milk chocolate was thick and silky, with a white-chocolate tangerine circle painted on top.

The chocolate snapped, and the inside was flooded with sweet golden caramel. The word 'ooze' was invented for this caramel. Unctuous buttery goodness.

As it happened, the woman who gave me this free chocolate worked for Hotel Chocolat. It just so happened that they had these butter caramels for sale IN THAT VERY STORE. You don't have to ask me whether I bought any.

I always have Hotel Chocolat chocolates in the house, in my Tournee Du Chat Noir chocolate tin. I believe in good quality chocolates, nibbled and enjoyed. I eat one or two most days. (See my post tomorrow if you want to know how to eat chocolate and not put on weight).

This might sound a bit like an advert, but I want to share the things I love with the people I love, and I think you should treat yourself right now. Here's the UK store, and here's the US one. Have some sparkling star caramels, or a peepster. They even have a special chocolate tasting club so you can taste all their new inventions before anyone else.

Do you think they'll send me a little present if their sales go up? ; )

(Oh, and just to top it off, my aunt's friend cleans for one of the co-founders of the company, Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris - I can't remember which. My aunt said that her friend said that he's a very nice man indeed. And the company is ethical. And they make delicious advent calendars. And they make lovely butter caramels.)