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In the mag!

Filed in Blog, News, No Category by on 27th February 2013 0 Comments • views: 2555

We were very excited when Cheshire Life asked to come along and see a preview of our Easter Collection.

It was a great day. Kirsty, their photographer,  arrived first. As we had everything ready our own photographer Hollie of Rivington Photography was also there to photograph the eggs.

We prepared all the eggs and selections that we were offering for both Mothers Day and Easter. Both photographers were completely inobtrusive as we worked around the chocolate room.

Emma the journalist arrived, and I felt I had so much to say that poor Emma had barely five minutes to sit down before out came a tirade of what had been happening with the Chocolate Cellar in the past year.

Since we closed the shop in December 2011 we have kept a fairly low profile in order to get used to our new way of working. We have been working with farm shops, cafes, bars, hotels, schools and also on our online shop.  Behind that change we carry the same values and principles. It was really good to stop and think and talk about the business and how we have adapted to current times.

Thank you Emma for listening and providing us with the opportunity to pause for a while and think!

Here are some photos that Hollie took. The full Easter collection will be online very shortly and will also be on sale at the International Market in Liverpool from 28th to 31st March.

 

 

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Love begins at home…

Filed in Blog by on 9th February 2013 0 Comments • views: 3463
chocolate heart box

A fully edible chocolate heart with a lid

“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do… but how much love we put in that action.”  – Mother Teresa

 

I love this quote. For me it shows what Valentine’s Day is all about.

Many people seem to find Valentine’s Day a stressful time.

Quite often couples agree not to do much on Valentine’s. Men are then baffled when their partner presents them with a gift on the day with an expectant look on their face. There is then a sudden panic as one tries to arrange an amazing experience for their partner that they can present them with as a surprise on Valentine’s Evening. We have often been called in to save the day last minute!

From a female perspective I would say it is not about the gift itself. Obviously there is a certain standard that the gift should pass. It is more about the gesture. It is about the thought and effort that has gone in to the gift. It is about feeling valued, and knowing that you weren’t an afterthought on the way home from work. It is about the delight you feel when you go through the mechanics of untying the ribbon, opening the box and finding a little treat just for you.

We have put together a few tips that we think are important – we hope you find them useful:

  • Plan ahead – look around you. When you start to see pink and red in the shop windows with lots of hearts everywhere it is time to think about what you would like to do for Valentines. The date does not change – it is always on 14th February.
  • Keep it a surprise – most people love surprises!
  • Consider the recipient – think about what your Valentine really likes. Find out if they prefer milk or dark chocolate before buying that box of chocolates!
  •  Wrap it – even if it is in a ready-made gift bag.

 

If you do come to the conclusion that our chocolates would make the perfect gift, here is the link to pre-order www.thechocolatecellar.co.uk/shop

Magic of Independence

Filed in Blog by on 7th January 2013 0 Comments • views: 2441

I was very surprised to see that Tesco’s are partners in an “artisan” coffee shop chain (details here)

I have to be honest I was very annoyed and surprised to see this. Tesco’s is generally not a good name to bandy about in the independent world of business. There is much resentment amongst independent businesses about the way large supermarkets have worked hard to wipe out independents. As soon as an announcement is made that they have applied for planning permission communities do go up in arms to save their local economy. The debate goes on forever. Tesco’s do seem to have the least favoured name in the game!

I will hold my hand up. I do shop in large supermarkets – I have a Tesco’s near me which I regularly visit as it is very convenient. I wish I didn’t have to and try and avoid this, but I have a lack of choices when it comes to buying some goods. This choice will be further diminished if more independent business loose the battle for survival.

When I do support local businesses, I feel fabulous. Whether it is a local florist, a local farm shop or a small independent dress shop, I feel that I have done something (however small) to support my local economy. I value the customer service, the skill, time and effort that has been put into the business to provide me with the service that I am paying for. I make the choice with my eyes wide open as to which business I am supporting.

I guess that is what I am so annoyed about. Every independent business I know has hours and hours of toil behind it. It takes years to build good strong relationships with customers and we all endeavour to go that extra mile for our customers.

How annoying then that a large multinational company should try and emulate this … but by not being open about the fact that they are a chain with vast resources. They are trying to jump on the bandwagon of the fight for survival for the small businesses – by trying to take their customers! I wonder if someone in the boardroom flippantly said “if you can’t beat them, join them” when their profits were down last year.

This has made me more determined to avoid them and to ensure that I spend my money with local businesses. Businesses where I know people care and have worked endless hours to give me the product and services that I wish for.

There is a magic in visiting a local business. The owners take pride in what they do and what they have achieved so far. The hard work is evident in their product. There is a special atmosphere and I truly wish good luck to every real artisan and independent business out there!

Chocolate Week!

Filed in Blog, Event Details by on 7th October 2012 0 Comments • views: 2319

This weeks sees the launch of chocolate week and we are really excited.

More so than usual! Believe it or not, it has been 10 months since we closed our shop on Hanover Street in Liverpool. It was a tough and sad decision, but nonetheless a necessary one. I feel that this Chocolate Week is a celebration of the past 10 months and the way we have become a much more dynamic, flexible and proactive business.

We have been working hard out there with workshops, local eateries and delis, and farmers markets and we feel that this chocolate week we have a new identity to celebrate.  We have made new partnerships and have enjoyed being out there seeing our lovely customers.

Our key events for the celebration of chocolate week are at Croxteth Hall on 10th October – a chocolate tasting, and at Wirral Farmers Market on 13th October with a chance to “Celebrate Chocolate”. We are inviting people to come and build a chocolate sculpture with us 🙂

This is the second time we are attempting a chocolate sculpture in public. The first time was a little bit difficult as it was on a very very hot day in a marquee  (we still had fun with chocolate).

Here’s at least one person hoping that the 13th will be cold! Hope you’ll be coming along to help!

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Yay! Almost Festival Time :)

Filed in Blog, Event Details by on 15th August 2012 0 Comments • views: 2378

We get so excited and chaotic when we get to the middle of August as we prepare for the Wirral and Liverpool Food and Drink Festivals. They really are brilliant and a “must see” for anyone passionate about food. Both festivals offer an amazing array of food producers as well as interesting and unique demonstrations from respected chefs. This year the Liverpool Food Festival is also  hosting a Chocolate Garden which is really exciting!! The Wirral Food and Drink Festival has “The Good Life” tent – can’t wait to see it.

Personally if we weren’t attending with our chocolates anyway, I would go to both – they are both themed around food but very different!

Better get cracking with our production for these!

The dates to save in your diaries are:

Wirral Food and Drink Festival – 26th and 27th August

Liverpool Food and Drink Festival  – 1st and 2nd September

We have two tickets for the Wirral Food and Drink and two tickets for the Liverpool Food and Drink up for grabs this month and it’s so easy to win them.
All you have to do is design a truffle. Weren’t we all amazed and impressed with the TeamGB this year?! So, in celebration of the amazing medals and sucesses of TeamGB, what truffle would you design for them?

The more creative the better and if your ideas special enough we may even create it for the festivals to sell!

Submit entries via facebook on our wall or by tweeting your idea to @ChocolateCellar with #olympictruffle
Closing date midday Thursday 23rd August 2012.

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