Had an absolutely blinding evening discussing Cocoa Hernando & our luxury chocolate at the Hoxton Hotel last night. Thanks to everyone who came – it was absolute pleasure to meet you all & even nicer to think I might help inspire some new entrepreneurs! You can also read more about the evening at Mostly About Choc’s review!
Please join us at the Hoxton Hotel for an introduction to this exciting new chocolate business Cocoa Hernando & their delicious Herbs & Spice Collection.Launched in March 2013, Cocoa Hernando create luxury flavoured chocolate inspired by travels around the world.
Not only will they talk about their amazing new product that involves much enjoyment with a tad of indulging, they’ll expand on the highs and lows of what it takes to create a new business from scratch.
Inspiring those with a new business venture to go for it – these guys will make you take the next big jump!
Countries worked very hard to prevent spices from leaving the native islands they controlled. The Molucca Islands in Indonesia were a particular example, being the only place in the world which grew mace, nutmeg & cloves. Frank Czarra (Spices:A Global History, 2009) talks about the Dutch covering their nutmeg crop with lime to prevent reseeding & setting clove groves on fire to avoid new plants being grown.
However in the late 18th century, the brilliantly named Pierre Poivre (Peter Pepper) finally succeeded in stealing vital seeds from under the Dutch’s noses. Poivre had spent time travelling the world as a French missionary and was instrumental in his nation winning the vital port of Pondicherry in India. More significantly to this tale, he was also keen botanist.
Poivre had attempted unsuccessfully to grow nutmeg & cloves on French soil, but while being stationed as political official in Mauritius, he developed a tropical garden & then returned to the Moluccas on a successful seed smuggling mission. Within thirty years, the French were successfully growing cloves in Madagascar, Zanzibar & Pemba, followed by the British in the Carribbean & the Portuguese in Brazil.
Poivre eventually returned to his native Lyon & died in 1786. However, his legacy lives on through the Botanical gardens of Pamplemousse in Mauritius (inspired by a local grapefruit tree) where he first grew his cloves, the island Poivre Atoll, which was dedicated to him in the Seychelles & his book ‘Voyages of a Philosopher’, which was read with interest by Thomas Jefferson. Many people believe he was also the inspiration for the wonderful old British tongue-twister….
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?
On the 16th June, many countries around the world celebrate Father’s Day, which also seems to be a very popular reason to buy our luxury chocolate bars! However, Father’s Day is celebrated very differently across the places connected to our luxury chocolate…
India
Father’s day continues to grown in popularity across India. Among Hindus, the day is often celebrated with a special religious ritual (puja) dedicated to fathers, either at home or at the local temple. Fathers have a very high status in India, next only to god.
Mexico
Here, it’s a big family day where people give gifts and prepare & eat a large meal together. Although in Mexico City’s Bosque de Tlalpan, the day is celebrated by a festival & Carrera del Día del Padre, which is a 21km race!
Himalaya
People of the Kathmandu region celebrate their equivalent, Gorkana Aunsi around late August. The event, which literally means ‘looking at father’s face’, involves gifts, sons & daughters performing ceremonies of respect to their fathers & also visits to the temple, as it coincides with new moon day in the Hindu calendar.