Last night two very secretive, niche and impenetrable worlds collided in the Harrod’s food hall. Namely a select group of individuals from the blogging world attended an artisan chocolate tasting hosted by key players from the world of high-grade chocolate. At first, the bloggers blinking in the light after emerging from behind their computer screens, were a little shy, but in no time the chocolatiers had their tastebuds in over-drive as they tried to differentiate 85% from 60%, Ecuador from Papua New Guinea.



The chocolate world has depths and darknesses that even that even the most cocoa-y of bars cannot aspire to. Far more elitist than a wine society, and tighter-knit than a knitting circle, the movers and shakers in chocolate are not to be messed with. Their senses have been finely attuned to even the smallest nuance, allowing them to identify bean origin and cocoa percentage with just one sniff.



The chocolate in question was Galler – not a brand I have previously been acquainted with, but of very good Belgium heritage. In fact, the PR told me, the first chocolate company to receive the Belgium Royal Warrent. Oh la la. I have a bit of a background in chocolate (no, that's not a euphemism for the size of my hiney!), so felt very much under the spotlight as we began the blind tasting. But the distinctive berry, smokey and vanilla notes that flooded my senses as we worked through the selection set my mind at ease and confirmed that we were dealing with some seriously serious chocolate.



Available to buy online at www.gallerchocolates.co.uk and from the LOVELY Sarah in the Harrods food hall. PLUS get 10% discount when you use this exclusive promo code: MV7-A97-ZFX