Luxury Chocolate Easter Egg collection made in London, UK by Demarquette
This year Master Chocolatier Marc Demarquette is celebrating the Easter season by creating a special 2014 Chocolate Egg Collection. Each egg is filled with a deliciously creamy caramel of either Banoffee, Key Lime, or Sea Salt Caramel. The unique colourful design on the eggs will send you on a spiral journey of delicious Easter fun. And of course we have many other delicious creations that are perfect as presents and Easter Egg hunt treats.
While that is how we are celebrating at Demarquette this year, there are many different ways to celebrate Easter. Here is a look at just a few different customs throughout the world:
Poland: On Easter Monday in Poland, they celebrate a practice called Smigus-Dyngus. This is where boys carry around buckets of water, trying to get other people wet. Legend says that if a girl gets soaked, she will be married in the next year. Smigus-Dyngus originates from the baptism of Polish Prince Mieszko on Easter Monday in 966 AD.
Corfu, Greece: In Corfu, the traditional ‘Pot Throwing’ festivity takes place on Holy Saturday morning. People throw pots and pans out their window, smashing them on the ground. Some think this practice is derived from the Venetians, who used to throw out all their old items on New Years. Others believe the throwing of pots is meant to welcome spring, symbolizing the new crops that will be gathered in new pots.
United States: For over 130 years, the White House has held an Easter celebration on its south lawn on Easter Monday. The main event has always been the Easter Egg Roll, where children roll their coloured Easter eggs across the lawn with a large spoon. The festivity has grown to include other events, such as an egg hunt, musical performances, and crafts.
Norway: Norway has an interesting Easter custom of reading crime novels on Easter. It is so common, that authors actually specifically write Easter thrillers, called Paaskekrimmens, for the occasion. The tradition is said to have started in 1923, when a book published promoted a new crime novel on the front pages of the newspapers during Easter. The ads looked enough like actual news that people didn’t know it was a publicity stunt.
Rome, Italy: Rome’s celebrations center around the Vatican. On Good Friday, the Pope commemorates the Via Crucis, which means the Way of the Cross, at the Colosseum. Mass is celebrated on the evening of Holy Saturday. Thousands flock to St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday to await the Pope’s blessing from the church’s balcony. It is known as “Urbi et Orbi”, or “To the City and the World”
No matter how you celebrate, we here at Demarquette hope you have a splendid Easter this year!
Marc’s tips on how to make your own Chocolate Easter Egg:
Why not make your own chocolate eggs too this year? It’s very easy and great fun – watch Marc on this short video clip courtesy of Channel4: How to make your own chocolate easter egg
The Chinese New Year is upon us and it is time for the Snake to give way to the Year of the Horse today. The Chinese New Year has been celebrated for centuries, with the last Year of the Horse being in 2002.
In Chinese astrology, the horse is said to be energetic, bright, warm-hearted, and intelligent. Its’ strengths include communication, perception, and cleverness. The horse, and people born during the Year of the Horse, are said to love the spotlight and do well in crowds. But weaknesses include impatience, stubbornness, and a tendency to be superficial.
Our decadent Imperial China Chocolates!
The Year of the Horse has many lucky symbols, such as numbers, colours, and flowers. The lucky flowers of the year include calla lily, marigold, and jasmine. At Demarquette, we use jasmine in our Imperial China Luxury Chocolates. We blend our finest Vietnamese, Malagasy and Venezuelan cacaos with White Monkey Jasmine Tea to create an extraordinary flavour profile.
The seal of Emperor KangXi is placed on each individual chocolate. KangXi was considered to be one of China’s greatest emperors. His reign brought wealth and stability to China, initiating the “Prosperous Era of Kangxi and Qianlong”. Why not celebrates hopes of a prosperous new year by remembering a flourishing time in China’s history and enjoying our Imperial China Chocolates?
The Chinese New Year certainly is a time of celebration! London has the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia. London will be galloping in the Year of Horse on Sunday, 2nd February in Trafalgar Square, Chinatown and Shaftesbury Avenue. The festivities kick off with the New Year’s parade at 10 a.m. The main stage in Trafalgar Square will feature performances by artists visiting from China. A second stage in Shaftesbury Avenue will host performances by community groups and schools. Chinatown will be bustling with lion teams dancing through the streets, as well as stalls filled with traditional food and crafts. The celebration usually culminates with a fireworks display.
There is plenty of fun to be had by all! After you have worn yourself out with all the celebrating, curl up at home and enjoy some Demarquette chocolates as a perfect ending to the Chinese New Years festivities!
Kung Hei Fat Choi! Or if you don’t know Chinese, Happy New Year!
Happy New Year from Demarquette!
Master Chocolatier Marc Demarquette and his team here at Demarquette Fine Chocolates would like to thank all our customers for their support and custom in 2013. Over these past few years we have been blessed with the overwhelming support that our loyal customers have given us and we are very proud to have such great patronage.
To recap 2013 here at Demarquette, we would like to share just some of our main highlights of the year:
One of the most exciting events for us was when His Royal Highness, the Duke of York came to visit us at our production lab as part of his ongoing effort to recognise and support small businesses and entrepreneurs. To have had the opportunity to discuss our journey so far with him, in particular our involvement in important humanitarian projects and our efforts in promoting luxury British manufacturing internationally, has been a great recognition of our work for which we are very proud.
In June, we launched our exclusive quintessentially British Britannia’s Kitchen Garden Caramels range to coincide with the 100th centenary of the Chelsea Flower Show – a selection that has proven to be a great addition to our British Collection ranges and very popular with our customers.
In October, we enjoyed exhibiting at the internationally acclaimed Salon Du Chocolat, which was held in London for the first time. We are particularly delighted to have cooperated with the talented Vivien Sheriff Millinery, together with whom we created a stunning bespoke head piece for the Salon du Chocolat fashion show. Our creation was inspired by the sensual fluidity, form and movement that is artisanal chocolate making and was a real highlight of the show.
Once again we have received a number of awards for our chocolates and we are incredibly proud of our achievements this year. From the Guild of Fine Food Great Tastes Awards our Viennese Coffee Caramel Chocolate, Bedouin Coffee Caramel Chocolate, Fennel Caramel Chocolate, Lost Kingdom Masterpiece and Per Fumum Masterpiece were all awarded with the prestigious Gold Award. In the Academy of Chocolate Awards of 2013, our White Monkey Jasmine Caramel won silver whilst our Lost Kingdom Masterpiece was awarded bronze. Over the past years we’ve won over 50 awards for our chocolates, and are continuously creating new flavour combinations and enticing textures that will hopefully expand our award-winning range.
And since December, a selection of our chocolates is available at Harvey Nichols’ fresh counter on the famous Fifth Floor. Make sure to pop by when you visit the store.
It has been an exciting year for us at Demarquette and we look forward to the ventures of 2014.
We’ll be launching some great new ranges and can’t wait to share them with you.
We wish you a very happy, healthy and successful 2014 and may all your ambitions and wishes come true!
For more information on Demarquette go to our website or follow us on our facebook page.
Around the world, many cultures have differing meals for Christmas Dinner or whatever happens to be the celebration at that time of year for that particular place.
We thought we’d do a little bit of research to see how other cultures from around the world celebrate Christmas and what types of food they eat as their staple meals! In our research, we found out what a few of the most well known countries in the world eat for their Christmas lunches and dinners. Some of the findings might shock you!
In the United Kingdom, we have our traditional roast dinners, mainly turkey, but sometimes other meats with a vast array of sides constituting of stuffing, roast potatoes and vegetables while the traditional dessert is aptly named Christmas Pudding.
The United States of America have adopted many of their customs from their roots in the United Kingdom and have very similar meals. Persons from France participate in Réveillon, a long dinner, which often consists of oysters, foie gras and champagne.
In the south however, Australians consume fresh seafood such as prawns and crayfish due to their summer being our winter. This is often accompanied by cold meats such as ham and chicken with barbecued side meals of wings and steaks with lots of salad. Australians partake, with their New Zealand neighbours, in the consumption of pavlova; a dessert of baked meringue covered with fruit.
Fun fact, according to the ABC, Japan’s Christmas meal is Kentucky Fried Chicken! With turkey non-existent in Japan, many get the next best thing – fried chicken. Families often order meals two months in advance not to miss out!
Whatever your traditions are for food at Christmas time, in whatever culture you celebrate in, why not pair your Christmas meal after dinner drinks with our fine and luxury chocolates sourced from the highest quality ingredients from around the world?
For our Festive Season 2013, Master Chocolatier Marc Demarquette, has created a unique and tasty selection of chocolates especially ‘For You’.
Wake up on a snowy Christmas morning to find a Christmas Tree and Bauble Gift Box under the brightly lit Christmas tree, ready and waiting to be unwrapped for your early morning chocolate pleasure. Eat it all at once, maybe savor it a little but remember not to leave it next to the picturesque fire place! The box contains a Christmas tree made entirely out of silky smooth 35% Malagasy milk chocolate sourced from the African Island of Madagascar with four festive flavoured caramel chocolate baubles including popular favourites and award-winning Apple and Spice and Cornish Sea Salt Caramel.
Who doesn’t love ‘Afternoon Tea’ on Boxing Day? Christmas is over and done with and everyone is relaxing in the living room next to the roaring fire place to evade the frosty chill creeping in from outside. Pair the fire place and some family bonding with a lovely cup of tea and Demarquette’s range of Delights and Decadence caramels that reflect Britain’s emotional attachment to tea and the different flavours we all love and enjoy. But don’t be mistaken, for those of you who prefer the velvety taste of coffee more, you are not excluded here, as individual flavours will transport you to the silk-lined, sophisticated coffee shops of Vienna or to a Valentinoesque Bedouin tent with a canopy of twinkling stars winking at you as you contemplate life’s important questions…which chocolate should you have next? Before cousin Richard interrupts your chocolate induced day dreams to tell you that all the Christmas pudding is gone.
It’s the season to give and share with one another so how about sharing a box of one of our Christmas Caramel Collections with your friends, family or maybe even a stranger. Our Christmas Caramel Collection is perfect to share around with those you love consisting of popular traditional and festive flavours. Demarquette’s The English Garden collection transports you back to the memories of running through your grandmother’s garden to see if Santa’s reindeer’s left any foot prints behind, before racing back to the house as quickly as you can to get back to the warmth while the smell of the roses, violets and lavenders follows you all the way to the door.
Need some ideas to fill those stockings hanging above the fire place? No problem! We have some products that fit just right inside those stockings. Our Milk Chocolate Snowmen come in small, bite sized pieces that melt in your mouth and are popular with all ages. The Santa’s Sack of Chocolate Marbles are hand-painted chocolate marbles that delight those both young and old and are beautifully presented to seem as if it is a gift from Santa himself! Both of these products are made from Demarquette’s own unique house blend of only the finest single origin chocolate from Venezuela, Madagascar and Java.
From all of us here at Demarquette, we wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!
Please see more information on our delicious chocolates on our website.
In October of this year we took chocolate creativity to the next level by merging haute couture fashion with luxury chocolate. The brief was to create a spectacular outfit with the only stipulation being that there needed to be some element of chocolate. So we collaborated with award-winning English heritage milliner Vivien Sheriff on a mesmerising bespoke headpiece and dress that was presented at the inaugural Salon Du Chocolat Fashion Show on the 18th of October at the Kensington Olympia National Hall.
It was the first time the Salon Du Chocolat has been to London since its inception in 1944, despite exhibiting in over 20 locations around the world since then. There were various chocolatiers and fashion designers at the show who displayed their works and collaborations to the three hundred VIPS in attendance.
Worn by British Royalty and many celebrated heads, Vivien Sheriff bespoke pieces are recognised for their unique feathering & exquisite beauty. We here at Demarquette thought that because of a shared passion for melding traditional practice with contemporary flair, a collaboration between two luxury British brands would be idyllic. Both companies were selected as ‘2012 British Luxury Brands of Tomorrow’ by The Walpole and thus our collective ambition to excel as true and honest British luxury brands inspired our project.
We are also planning to display the headpiece on show at Mosimann’s during a prestigious dinner hosted by the Walpole and Mishcon de Reya in November. The Walpole Brands of Tomorrow Alumni, representing the epitome of the British Luxury industry will enjoy a fabulous meal celebrating the industry and the continued successes of the brands. Since its inception in the 1990’s, the Walpole Brands of Tomorrow have inspired aspiring brands to develop and grow into successful, profitable luxury brands representing the British way.
The headpiece we created was a reflection of the sensual fluidity, form and movement that is artisanal chocolate making and the natural marriage that flows when two artisan skills work in partnership to create a masterpiece fashioned upon an autumnal theme.
The collaboration was a success with the breath-taking finished creation hitting all the right notes- a uniquely elegant and dazzling confection of artisan chocolate craftsmanship and millinery mastery.
To make the headpiece, over five hundred feathers were used. These feathers were hand dyed, brushed and sprayed with varying shades of molten chocolate and a dusting of pure gold powder. The final touches to the piece consisted of moulded chocolate pods and individual Swarovski crystals that reflected and bought to attention the shimmering gold highlights. There was very little room for error as chocolate is opaque and brittle once it sets yet the end result was visually stunning and we are sure it would have tantalised the taste buds!
For more information on any of our products check out our Demarquette Website
Video courtesy of ImplausibleBlog
Half Dozen Chocolate Harlequin Eggs
Excited children dressed in their Sunday best, scurrying around with colourful baskets while eagerly searching high and low for those last elusive eggs—there is nothing quite like a good ol’ fashioned Easter egg hunt to capture the light-hearted, joyous spirit of the occasion. This year, we at Demarquette have decided to create our Easter Chocolate Collection with inspiration from one of the most light-hearted and joyful characters we know—the Harlequin!
Harlequins have been entertaining audiences for a long time. The evolution of these funny fellows is said to have been especially influenced by the “Zanni” character type of Commedia dell’arte, a form of Italian improvisational theatre beginning in the 16th century. Harlequins are well known for amusing crowds through their frivolous pranks and silly behaviour. They are traditionally silent characters, speaking only through the use of exaggerated gestures and zany acrobatic tricks. The Harlequin’s distinctive outfit includes a mask and bright diamond-patterned tights made up of sharply contrasting colours.
Dozen Chocolate Caramel Quail Eggs
This Easter, our luxury chocolate eggs have been designed with the Harlequin’s costume in mind, each egg being hand painted in two vivid tones. These come in brightly coloured cartons of four chocolates and six chocolates—excellent for any egg hunt. We are also offering individual eggs at a tremendously delicious 18cm tall! These are also painted in the Harlequin-style, made of either our pure dark chocolate or milk chocolate, and encrusted with mini fruit caramels. And if you’re looking for something a bit smaller but just as big on taste, we are delighted to present our range of fruity Chocolate Caramel Quail Eggs. In light of our whimsical theme, we have even designed a new sleeve abounding in bunnies especially for these quail egg boxes.
Just as the playful Harlequin can bring merriment to any occasion, we hope this year’s vibrant selection of chocolate eggs will bring joy to any Easter celebration. From all of us at Demarquette, Happy Easter and happy hunting!
Another Mothering Sunday is upon us, the perfect occasion to shower mum in some much deserved love–and chocolate! But did you know that this Sunday wasn’t initially created for mothers at all? It was originally an occasion for people to return to their “mother” church for a service during the season of Lent. Domestic servants were also normally given a day off to visit their families and bring home a gift, which may be where the tradition of honouring mums started. Now the fourth Sunday of Lent is consistently dedicated to celebrating mums with gifts of appreciation and love.
As a child, it wasn’t too hard to think of ways to make mum feel special– scribbling “I love you” in Crayola crayon on a homemade card or attempting to clean the kitchen went a long way (and actually still might!). But as we get older, coming up with a nice gift can get a little tougher. After all, how does one possibly express what a special person a mother is? How do you even begin describing her? It’s not easy, but we’ve found a few quotes that put it rather nicely.
The English Garden Collection
- All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. –Abraham Lincoln
- A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. –Tenneva Jordan
- The phrase “working mother” is redundant. –Jane Sellman
- Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together. –Pearl S. Buck
- A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s. –Diana, Princess of Wales
Perhaps mothers are so special because they are often exactly who we need them to be. They’re willing to give so much of themselves for our own sakes, whether it be a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand, two comforting arms or even a bit of a scolding tongue. So what can we give them in return? One gift that seems to withstand the test of time is, well, a little time itself. Pay a visit home for the weekend or take mum out to dinner to catch up. For dessert, bake a favourite recipe together or share with her a box of exquisite caramel cream chocolates. And if the distance is simply too far, perhaps ring her up just to say you love her. Take note from mum and do a little extra to let her know she is appreciated, not only this Sunday but the whole year through! Wishing all of the wonderful mums out there a very Happy Mother’s Day.
Click here for more Mothering Sunday gift ideas.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, we’ve been doing a little research on the history and traditions surrounding the centuries-old holiday of love. Cupid, cards, candies, and hearts might be some of the images that come to mind when you think of Valentine’s Day today, but how exactly did 14th February come to be associated with romance and gift-giving?
Pure Champagne Truffles made with Dom Perignon
Valentine’s Day is named after the Christian Saint Valentinus, or Valentine, although little is definitively known about him as a historical figure. There is more than one Saint Valentine recognized by the early church, therefore various legends about him exist. Perhaps the most well-known story claims that he was a priest imprisoned and martyred in third century Rome. Legend has it that Valentine continued to secretly marry young lovers despite a decree that outlawed marriage for soldiers. During his imprisonment, he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter and allegedly wrote a farewell letter to her before his execution signed, “From your Valentine.” This expression continues to be used in cards today.
Valentine’s Day wasn’t officially associated with love and romance until the Middle Ages when themes of unrequited love began to arise. It eventually became an occasion for lovers to express their passionate feelings, which is why it was originally celebrated with love letters, poems, and small gifts. In the 19th century, the holiday became more commercialized when hand-written notes were replaced with mass-produced printed cards. Now, according to the Greeting Card Association, Valentine’s Day is the second largest card-sending holiday (behind Christmas), with an estimated 1 billion cards sent each year. In addition to cards, exchanging gifts of chocolates and flowers is a favourite tradition in the U.K. Other countries that celebrate Valentine’s Day in a similar fashion include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and France, however it is also celebrated a little differently in many parts of the world. Here are few unique ways other cultures celebrate the 14th of February.
- On Valentine’s Day in South Korea, the women give chocolate to the men. Then on 14th March (White Day) the men give the women non-chocolate candies. On 14th April, those who didn’t receive a gift on Valentine’s Day or White Day go to a restaurant to eat black noodles and “mourn” their love lives (Black Day).
Salted Caramel Valentine Hearts
- Valentine’s Day traditions may vary in different parts of the U.K. For example in Norfolk, a mystical character called “Jack Valentine” is known to knock on doors and leave presents and sweets for children before disappearing. Seems like a nice thing to do—but this tradition has left some children quite frightened!
- In Slovenia, a proverb states that “Saint Valentine brings the keys of roots.” It is thought that in the middle of February the plants begin to grow, so the 14th marks the first day of work in the fields. It is also believed that this is the day when birds propose to one another and get married. This connection between love birds and Valentine’s Day is prevalent in many European cultures.
No matter if you’re celebrating with your sweetheart, your friends, or a bowl of black noodles, we wish you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day!
Marc was invited to the internationally acclaimed Salon du Chocolat in Paris at the beginning of the month and enjoyed a fantastic show full of inspiration, interesting talks and a fabulous chocolate fashion show (follow this link for a great video of the fashion show by Implausible Blog). While he was there he was also awarded the honorary title of ‘2012 Ambassadeur du Salon du Chocolat’, joining a select group of only 12 renowned Chocolatiers from around the world who were given the title for their dedication to the chocolate industry and their influence and advice in shaping the world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate.
Chocolatier Marc Demarquette receives honorary title of 2012 Ambassadeur du Salon du Chocolat
Sylvie Douce and François Jeantet, the founders of the show presented each of the winning chocolatiers with a certifacate and thanked them in a small ceremony on the main stage of the show.
The 2012 Line up of the ‘AMBASSADEURS du Salon du Chocolat 2012’ is:
Philippe BERNARCHON (Lyon, France),
Sébastien BOUILLET (Lyon, France),
Vincent GUERLAIS (Nantes, France),
Philippe GUILBERT (Lille, France),
Thierry LALET (Bordeaux, France),
Sadaharu AOKI (Japan),
Cédric LACROIX (Zurich, Switzerland),
Daniel BLOCH (Zurich, Switzerland),
Tomas PRENOSIL (Zurich, Switzerland),
Marc DEMARQUETTE (London, UK),
Martin HOWARD (New-York, USA), and
Denis HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY (cocoa producing countries).
As the Salon announces its UK Premiere for Autumn 2013, we look forward to acting as a key UK spokesperson for the Salon du Chocolat in the run up to the show.
Marc said ‘I feel truly honoured that I have been recognised by the Salon du Chocolat for my passion, dedication and commitment to the chocolate industry. I look forward to working closely with the organisers of the show and my UK chocolate colleagues and friends in promoting the UK Salon du Chocolat as the premiere event for those who share my passion for this exceptional product.’
About the Salon du Chocolat
The Salon du Chocolat is the brainchild of Sylvie Douce and François Jeantet, who founded Paris’ Le Salon du Chocolat in 1994. Today, the Salon is a successful international brand with events worldwide, from New York to Bahia and Seoul to Shanghai.
With a record number of 135.141 visitors, the Salon du Chocolat Paris achieved another record year in November 2012. The Salon du Chocolat takes place in more than seven countries and has recently announced further shows in Shanghai, Moscow and its UK premiere in Autumn 2013. www.salon-du-chocolat.com
We are very proud that our Imperial China chocolate has been named as one of the Top 50 Foods within the UK. The list was drawn up as part of the Guild of Fine Food’s annual Great Taste accreditation scheme, which saw 8,807 food and drink products blind-tasted and whittled down over the course of 45 days by 350 experts.
The top 50 food and drink products were chosen from the 123 entries that had gained a coveted 3-star gold and each one has now been nominated for a Golden Fork Award, the highest accolade in fine food and drink which will be announced at the Awards’ dinner at London’s Royal Garden Hotel this September.
Judges this year included Masterchef winner and restaurateur Mat Follas, restaurant critic and Masterchef judge Charles Campion, food writers Lucas Hollweg and Xanthe Clay and over 300 food buyers from leading food halls, delicatessens and farm shops, including Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason.
Guild of Fine Food chairman Bob Farrand said that each of the food and drink products entered into Great Taste undergoes the most rigorous scrutiny.
“To achieve a 3-star grading involves at least 25 experts unanimously agreeing that the product tastes divine,” he said. “But to be included in the Top 50 Foods in Britain meant each one had to satisfy the discerning palates of a further 25 dedicated foodies. These products all deliver the most extraordinary taste.”
Demarquette Chocolate Blog 