Food & Drink
by Aspect County

The Meaningful Chocolate Company

There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate – who sent a slab via Royal Mail. Thinking of you’ it was called, with a card stating this was a meaningful chocolate moment’ from the Meaningful Chocolate Company’.

I’d not heard of them so I Googled the name and found that they’re based just outside of Lymm, They claim to be make the UK’s favourite Fairtrade Easter eggs and the UK’s only charity Fairtrade Advent calendar. They also make other seasonal goods and a range of chocolate bars.

They’re a privately owned British company with a single shareholder and a small team of committed staff who work out of their Cheshire office. They have thousands of customers who buy their products and support their charitable work.

Their website states: In the Victorian era hundreds of Quaker families were key players in the UK economy. Barclays, Lloyds, Cadbury, Rowntree, and the Lever Brothers believed in fairness for their workers and quality products. The Meaningful Chocolate Company aim to rediscover a business tradition that brings together their passion for Fairtrade and inventive products.”

Thus far they’ve have donated more than £250,000 from their sales to charitable projects.

They are an accredited Fairtrade company and are registered with the FLO, the international Fairtrade body and The Fairtrade Foundation. All their products are Fairtrade certified.

What an indulgent treat!

www​.mean​ing​ful​choco​late​.co​.uk

Notes from a chocolate connoisseur

  • Before you pick up your chocolate take a couple of deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, just to allow the body and mind to settle a bit and to be present with this activity.
  • Take a moment to appreciate your piece of chocolate. Where has it come from? What’s in it? Try and imagine the different ingredients in their natural growing environment – even the people who have grown the cocoa beans.
  • Before you put it in your mouth, pause to remove any feelings of impatience, of impulsively in wanting to devour it all. Replace those feelings with pleasure and excitement.
  • Slowly unwrap it and take a good minute or so to explore it with your eyes, nose and hands. Look at it closely, smell it, then touch it to see how it feels.
    By now you’ve got to know your chocolate and you’re more than ready to taste it. Take a small bite (or alternatively put the whole thing in your mouth) but resist chewing it. Notice how it feels in the tongue, the temperature and the texture. Also beco