Celebrating 20 Years of Jennifer Earle's Chocolate Tours!

Saturday 29th marked the last day of Ramadan, and I definitely celebrated in style thanks to Jen. For those of you who don’t know, Jennifer Earle is my former boss and the best mentor & confidante a girl could ask for. But, find your own ‘Jen’ because I’m not sharing her! ( jokes! but I’m being serious 😂.) She hosted one of the best chocolate festivals I’ve ever attended, and let me tell you, she’s absolutely the BEST in the business (yes, that’s in fiery capital letters, because I’m that serious).

A Little Background on Jen

Jen is an international chocolate judge and grand juror. She’s been running chocolate tours for a whopping 20 years now. From chocolate tastings to food tours, Jen has introduced thousands of corporate teams, university groups, hen parties, birthday celebrants, and passionate foodies (yep, including me!) to some of the best chocolate, ice cream, and pastries around. And, full disclosure, I was pretty ignorant about the world of chocolate before I met Jen, but she’s definitely helped refine my palate over the years… Now agree with me that my boss is way cooler than yours! ☺️

The Event at Toklas Bakery

The event was hosted by Toklas Bakery, the home to some of the best baked goods in London. Unfortunately, I woke up a little too late and missed out on two items I was dying to try. (Yes, I stalked their menuthe night before ) Getting goods from here is equivalent to joining rat race because they sell out so fast! 😩) The two items I had my eye on were the Blood Orange Danish and the Carmon Bun (made from leftover croissant ends, glazed with rose syrup). 😋 How amazing is that? I love that they’re so non-wasteful. But hey, lesson learned—I’ll definitely get there earlier next time! You know what they say: the early bird catches the worm... or in this case, the Danish.😂

Chocolatiers & Bakers 

I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with several chocolatiers and bakery owners at the event. But these three were my favourite (yes, you read that right—this introvert actually conversed! - I really have outdone myself).😂

1. Petite Patisserie

   
   

   Leyre Pedrazuela is the creative genius behind Petite Patisserie, and her story is truly inspiring. Born and raised in Spain, Leyre’s journey started “tiptoeing” beside her mom in the kitchen. This led her to pursue a degree in Pastry Management, which opened the door to an illustrious career. She’s managed some of the world’s most prestigious pastry shops! Oh, and fun fact—Leyre competed on Bake Off: The Professionals! Impressive right? I had her Loaded Pecan Caramel Cookie, and like wow... I was seriously blown away. I cut it into four pieces, fully intending to share, but ended up hiding the rest in my secret cookie jar for abreakfast treat for the next days. No guilt, just pure bliss. It was rich, gooey, caramel-E , perfectly balanced in flavour, and hands down, one of the best cookies I’ve ever had! 😋

   
   

2. Fink’s

   
   

   Fink’s had a few cakes that I had spotted on Instagram just before the event. Sadly, they sold out by the time I arrived,😩 so I settled for their Chocolate Tart. And let me tell you—this was some seriously good quality chocolate. 😋 Fink’s is currentlycrowdfunding to open their own bakery, so if you can, please donate to help them make their dream a reality. It’s all about supporting your fellow humans. This practically embodies the spirit of Ramadan, and I truly believe the good you do for others manifests & will come back to you in ways you can’t even imagine. And speaking of dreams—have you guys read Simon Squibb’s "What’s Your Dream?" ? - It’s on my this months reading list alongside Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

   
   

3. Annabel’s Patisserie

   
   

   Annabel has such a charming personality—she’s warm, bubbly, and sohonest. She also has some of the most prettiest and tastiest chocolates. 😋 We alongside the founder of the Painted Peacockhad an insightful chat about the struggles faced by chocolatiers. She had a flyer explaining why some items may seem “expensive,”which totally resonated with me deeply. It reminded me of when I first met Jen and naive little me pitched the idea that she should create her own line of chocolates (because her expertise is off the charts), but Jen explained how tough the industry is, with not much recognition or financial reward. The work these talented individuals put into their craft is unimaginable, and it’s honestly heartbreaking to see them go unnoticed or unappreciated. But what I do appreciate is that they use high-quality, ethically sourced chocolate which is why it’s so important to support small businesses that really care about the ingredients they use and the impact they have. So let’s give some love to Annabel, Leyre, The Painted Peacock and all the chocolatiers and bakers out there who deserve it!

   
   

This was truly a delightful experience, and I’m so grateful to Jen for introducing me to this incredible world of chocolate and pastries. It’s events like these that remind me of the importance of supporting small businesses and spreading positivity in our communities. So, go ahead—treat yourself to something sweet, support your local chocolatiers all while widening your tasting palettes. Let’s keep those good (and deliciously) good vibes going! 🥰

You can catch a glimpse of my visit here. Enjoy!