Going Places

SIGN LIFE (opposite, camden market) istock, (top) artisan du chocolat, (above) courtesy young chocolate S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 | G O I N G P L A C E S 39 T he United Kingdom is experiencing a chocolate revolution of sorts. From up-and-coming to tried-and- true, the country's chocolatiers are moving away from the sweeter British varieties our grandmothers used to love to a more pure form of chocolate – and London is at the hub of it all. Dozens of high-end artisanal chocolate shops now dot the trendy neighbourhoods of Chelsea, Soho, Camden and Belgravia, producing top-grade single-origin chocolate. Look for Paul A. Young, William Curley, Paul Wayne Gregory, Rococo Choc- olates, Melt, Hotel Chocolat and Artisan du Chocolat, to name a few. But be pre- pared to pay a whopping £2 (Cdn.$3.50) per chocolate in these finer shops. Give your wallet a break but still satisfy your sweet tooth with a stop at a Thorntons. The long-time No. 1 favourite among locals, it now makes a mid-range quality, 90-gram chocolate block in a multitude of flavours – from Fudge Brownie Milk Chocolate to Caramel Cheesecake – that sells for a more affordable £2.25 (Cdn.$4). With more than 600 locations throughout the UK, including its 1913 shop in Oxfordshire, Thorntons is never too far away. –Doreen Pendgracs Calling all chocolate lovers! Join CAA Manitoba's small-group Chocolatour to London in fall 2015. Led by Doreen Pendgracs, award-winning author of Chocolatour: A Quest for the World's Best Chocolate, the tour will include the Chocolate Show London – exhibits, tast- ings, chef demos, fashion show – and iconic city attractions. Still to be confirmed: a sidetrip to York, the birthplace of such familiar chocolate treats as Terry's Chocolate Orange and KitKat. Contact groups@caamanitoba.com for details. Paul A. Young, Soho. T he United Kingdom is experiencing a chocolate revolution of sorts. From up-and-coming to tried-and- true, the country's chocolatiers are moving away from the sweeter British varieties Sweet Spots

• Cover