The Clandestine Cake Club Cake Bake Stall at the York Food and Drink Festival's Chocolate Fair

Sunday 26th September 2015

Chocolate Fair, York Food and Drink Festival (18th - 27th September)

I volunteered at the Clandestine Cake Club's Charity Bake Sale Stall at the chocolate fair, part of York's Food and Drink Festival.  The Clandestine Cake Club was selling slices of cakes and cupcakes to raise money for good causes, York Rescue Boats and Free Cakes For Kids York.  Before I helped out on the afternoon shift I had a wander round the stalls.

 Rebecca D'Agostino, York Central Clandestine Cake Club's Volunteer Organiser

Smartie Pants Chocolate Cake, part of Clandestine Cake Club: A Year of Cake

It was great seeing a number of independent chocolatiers and confectioners represented including York Cocoa House, a fascinating chocolate cafe in the city, and known for its infamous 'Afternoon Chocolate' and its masterclass programmes.  I had an opportunity to sample some of their chocolate.  It was interesting to see The Rowntree Society represented and learnt about their York Remembers Rowntree project.  This is an oral history project that ran from September 2013 to March 2015.

It's good to see the chocolate fair, held in the beautiful city's Guildhall, well supported by the public.  Clandestine Cake Club raised an incredible amount for the said charities.  To learn more about Clandestine Cake Club please check out their website. A good Sunday afternoon!

A feature about the Clandestine Cake Club's Charity Bake Sale here!



Next Chocolate Plans!
I yet need to do the Terry's Trail and I plan to do this as soon as I'm able to!

Receiving my Chocolate Education!

York Cocoa House is a place where one can learn about chocolate as well as consumption!  There is a small library in the cafe dedicated on chocolate; ranging from its origins to eating anything chocolate!

York Cocoa House

On my numerous visits to York Cocoa House I can now distinguish the differences between cacao, cocoa and chocolate! Each have a different definition - only to confuse one! I learnt the Obroma cacao is known as the food of the Gods.  York ins known as The Chocolate City with chocolate genius legends; Joseph Rowntree and Noel Terry and still their legacy lives on with their chocolate products (though swallowed up by big impersonal and imperial commercial food producers!) and the sociology of the era with which shaped and shapes York yesterday and today.

Exploring York's chocolate history has given me a new perspective of the city.  I have had the opportunity to go off the beaten track to appreciate the chocolatiers and their legacies that reign since then.  So far I've done the general city's chocolate trail and one on Joseph Rowntree's life.  I plan to do the Noel Terry's trail soon as I can.

You can't beat smelling the whiff of chocolate that greets me whenever I arrive at York's railway station!

Having a Chocolate Masterclass at York Cocoa House!

I won tickets for a Chocolate Masterclass for two at York Cocoa House.  York Cocoa House's Chocolate Masterclass programme is a 15 week course that covers the chocolate making techniques.  The classes in the series can be taken individually. I won for one class.

I booked our class for Rebecca and I in June for Gorgeous Ganache Making.  We had the privelge of having Sophie, founder of York Cocoa House, taking our class.  Her insightful demonstrations gave us the confidence to make the ganache for the chocolates we plan to make.  Rebecca chose Yorkshire stout and I decided on peppermint for our fillings.  We had fun making the chocolates from utilising the ingredients to using the chocolate moulds.  We were given the sociology of chocolate and the value of fresh ingredients used.

We returned home with two bags of dark chocolates with stout and peppermint flavours and milk chocolate truffles.  They went down a treat with ourselves and our families! It was a great masterclass and a big thanks to Sophie for the demonstrating and sharing chocolate making techniques.

More than Vikings and Romans!

People associate York with the rich history of the Vikings and Romans however another story has been told! York's proud history of chocolate and its chocolatiers! I did The Rowntree Society's Rowntree Walk recently;and one will think of Rowntree for its Smarties, Fruit Gums, Polos and so on.  Joseph Rowntree was certainly more than confectionery - a forward thinking philanthropist, a reputed employer, a radical thinker and a social innovator! Rowntree was born in 1831 in York and died in 1925.  His spirit and legacy continues to live on till this very day!

I began the route at Lendal Bridge passing Tanners Moat where Rowntree and his brother began their confectionery business and occupied the premises until 1908.  I continued via the Museum Gardens and Marygate until I reached Penn House, known as Top House, where Rowntree and his family lived for forty years or so.

I turned right at Boothams where the school was founded in 1822 and the former Quakers boys school is where Rowntree spent his schooling.  Passing the York Theatre Royal, on St Leonard's, I turned right, along Museum Street, to York's Central Library.  To library began as a factory library for Rowntree's employees and Rowntree and his son, Seebohm, established the city's first public library, opening in 1927.

I stopped for refreshments at the York Cocoa House and embraced the wonders of cacao,cocoa and chocolate.  Their darkest hot chocolate (and their chocolate menu) is certainly recommended!  Afterwards I continued to Lady Peckitt's Yard, adjacent to 28 Pavement where Rowntree's father had his grocery business.  There the Quakers ran its first adult school where Rowntree's family taught men to read and write.  The classes were eventually attended by women.

Walmgate and Fossgate is next accessed.  This area once belonged to the many Irish refugees who fled from the potato famine.  There is where Rowntree's father set up a soup kitchen.   Nearby is Rowntree Wharf; this building was originally a mill but it then became Rowntree and Co's Navigation Warehouse in 1935.  Retracing steps back to Fossgate and Castlegate I took a detour to the Friends' Meeting House where Rowntree, a Quaker, worshipped.

An interesting walk which offers and insight into Joseph Rowntree and his life as well as chocolate!

Being a guest at York Central Clandestine Cake Club, York Cocoa House - 8th April 2015

I recently attended York Central's Clandestine Cake Club event as a guest at York Cocoa House.  Their event coincided with Yorkshire's Chocolate Festival which took place over the Easter weekend.

York Cocoa House, a chocolate heaven!

York Central Clandestine Cake Club - Cakes galore!!!

The members and guests brought a variety of chocolate cakes for everyone to sample.  All of them looked amazing! As my friend says "choc-tastic"!  I was able to try some of them though unfortunately not all of them as I didn't have room as I've got full rather quickly!  The cakes I did try were delicious especially the After Eight Mints cake (by Libby). I admire how the cakes tied with York's proud chocolate history; I paid homage to Noel Goddard Terry by baking a Terry's Dark Chocolate Orange cake using Rachel Allen's recipe.  I was pleased how my cake turned out and how well it was received.

My cake! Terry's Chocolate Orange Cake

One could not think of a better place than hosting it at York Cocoa House.  Sophie Jewett and her colleagues made everyone welcome and we were treated to a chocolate demonstration and we had the privilege of having Lynn Hill, founder of the Clandestine Cake Club, join our company that evening. York Cocoa House is one chocolate heaven where they offer a wide range of chocolatey drinks.  Their dark chocolate shakes are to live for!!!

Lynn Hill, founder of Clandestine Cake Club, opening the event

A great evening in all where members and guests left for home taking slices of their favourite cakes. As well as chocolate I've been inspired by cake! So I have joined as a Clandestine Cake Club member and hope to support at least some of the forthcoming cake events here in Leeds and beyond!  Further information about the cake club can be found here.

Sophie Jewett, founder of York Cocoa House, giving us a chocolate demonstration

You can read more about the event, written by the York Central CCC Organiser, Rebecca D'Agostino, here.  

Some more chocolatey discoveries will be posted here in this blog soon! 

York's Chocolate Trail

 York Cocoa House

Chocolate was York's sweet way for its city wealth.  Rowntree and Terry began their life in York and are known internationally for their Kit Kats, Aeros, Chocolate Oranges and so on and the Cravens were famous for the confectionery.  Chocolate sweetly linked up to York's social and industrial development in making the city a success.  Chocolate is associated with the city just as much as the Romans, the Vikings and the Railway.

 Florence Wren, near York Theatre Royal

I spent some time participating in the York's Chocolate Trail (downloadable from York Cocoa House).  It's an interesting way to appreciate how much chocolate played a crucial role in York.  I started my trail at an independent confectioners, near the York Theatre Royal, then proceeded to St Helen's Square where once was the Terry's Shop and Tea Room.  The name is visibly still seen on the building which now houses the Swarovski Shop.  Opposite is Betty's Cafe and Tea Room who is renowned for their handcraft chocolates too.  I enjoyed the quietness inside St Martin Le Grand Church on Coney Street which I passed during the trail.

 Mansion House, St Helen's Square, York

 Former Terry's Shop & Tea Room, St Helen's Square, York

 Stained Glass Window at St Martin Le Grand, York

I continued on passing 28 Pavement, where Rowntree had its store, and some chocolatiers that are situated on The Shambles and King's Square.  Fairfax House and Merchant Adventurer's Hall has a connection with the city's chocolate pioneers.  Mary Tuker, another founder, had a shop on Fossgate and this street is known for its confectioners, delicatessens and independent restaurants.  

 

 Joseph Rowntree Plaque at 28 Pavement, York

 

Chocolate Heaven, The Shambles, York

On this occasion I didn't have the opportunity to check out Rowntree Park, All Saints Church and Goddard House, former house of Noel Terry, and Gardens.  Good to save something for next time!  The trail is a mouth-watering way to appreciate the city's sweet history and how this shaped the city!

River Foss, York

 

 Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York

Fairfax House, York

Introduction to All Things Chocolate

Hello all!

As well a theatre lover and reviewer, I'm a chocolate lover! I've decide to create this new blog to write all things chocolate! So here it is!  As well as sharing my chocolate experiences I am keen to support local and regional business and events who are into selling and promoting this wonderful indulgence! I'm particularly looking forward to supporting York's Chocolate Festival next month over the Easter Weekend.

As well as the product I am keen to draw in the social history linking to chocolate here and abroad so please check out my posts about this.

Here are some useful links to begin with:

York Cocoa House
York Food Festival

With thanks

Dawn Smallwood
March 2015