Cambridgeshire’s first-ever chocolate festival is launching this Valentine’s weekend. The event has been organised by Riadh Falvo of Bumble & Oak, local boutique batch chocolatier and member of #WeAreCambsCreatives, and is being hosted at Histon Smokehouse on The Green. This unique three-day festival adventure will be overflowing with rich decadence – an ideal treat for you and yours to experience as you are immersed in all things chocolate, love and community togetherness.
Cambridge Chocolate Festival, sponsored by Click It Local and Small & Green, kicks off on Friday 11th February 2022 with a date night and the chocolate themed cocktail menu crafted by local mixologist Pawel.
The 2-4-1 chocolate cocktails will be served throughout the weekend and feature single origin chocolate from the cacao belt of South America. What takes your fancy? Will it be the Frisky Fashioned made with bourbon and topped with a Colombian dark chocolate origin truffle, the Choc-T Martini with tequila and dark chocolate from Nicaragua, the Chocolada with Malibu and Mexican single estate dark chocolate, or the Hot Kraken – a dark hot chocolate with rum and raspberry jam. Our taste buds are tingling already!
During the day on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th guests are invited to brunch and then meet the makers alongside touring and shopping between 10.30AM and 2.30PM. Histon Smokehouse also welcome you to join them for their Valentine’s set menu on Saturday evening with the special addition of a chocolate terrarium dessert from Riadh and live music from Hugh Boyde (Jazz) and Sandor (Blues Harmonica).
Get your free festival tickets here and make a reservation for dinner or brunch via the restaurant’s website.
Histon Smokehouse (Cambridge CB24 9JA) are passionate about quality in their business and source fresh and sustainable ingredients from local suppliers. The team will be serving brunch to festival-goers and walk-ins each morning with a very special addition of a savoury chocolate or molé breakfast plate on the menu. There will also be the option to order a chocolate tasting plate which has been put together by the chef, who has 30 years experience cooking in the finest restaurants, and selected local chocolatiers.
Don’t forget your golden tickets! On arrival, you will enter through the “chocolate factory” on your way to the outdoor garden. You will be met by Anisa Ather of Anisa & Chocolate who, alongside Riadh, will be touring attendees through the bean to bar chocolate making process – from roasting and winnowing to cracking and grinding. They will also be covering the more well known processes such as the creation of chocolate bars, truffles and desserts. You will then be directed towards the chocolate shops that will be housed within the smokehouse’s market stalls.
Riadh says: “Make your way through the Chocolate Factory, into the shops area where you can meet the makers, chocolatiers, and bakers themselves who work everyday with the world’s most popular natural aphrodisiac.”
Across the weekend you can expect to see Bitesize Bakehouse (Saturday), Truffles & Chocolates (Saturday & Sunday), Barbarella (Saturday & Sunday), Rachel Bakes (Saturday), Millie’s Hayfield (Saturday & Sunday), Grandma’s Rolling Pin Baking (Saturday & Sunday) and Meadows (Saturday & Sunday) – plus Small & Green will also be popping up on the Sunday in addition to proving a touch of greenery to the venue decoration.
We’re loving following the build up to Cambridge Chocolate Festival here – especially the educational facts. For example, did you know that chocolate’s 4000-year history began in ancient Mesoamerica where the first cacao plants were found? Or that it takes 400 cacao beans to make just one pound of chocolate? No, neither did we – but we are learning lots from Riadh already and can’t wait for the event next weekend.
Shop with Bumble & Oak online at Click It Local and be sure to follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
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