By Sharon Wilson
Some good foods are cheap. Potatoes pulled from the earth and served with butter or the first crimson fleshy strawberry in June. However, other foods deserve their premium, and it is a one-way street. Once you taste, for example, organic eggs, real coffee or tangy sourdough, there is no going back.
Chocolate is another food worthy of snobbery. The processed stuff you buy in the supermarket is generic and mostly made with a low cocoa solid content and high amounts of milk, sugar and vegetable fat (the latter increases shelf life but adds nothing to taste). If you want to enjoy chocolate and who doesn't, look for a high cocoa solid content, and it helps if you know who makes it too.
Sebastian Kobelt comes from East Germany, and Edward Janusz from Poland and both are now settled here. I can recommend them for upcoming Mother's Day and Easter gifts.
'Seb' I have talked about a lot in the magazine and online. He is a patissier as well as a master chocolatier and is my 'go-to' who makes my favourite kind of cake - entremets, dainty creations often combining fruits, cream and chocolate. Seb takes inspiration from the seasons and from a diverse larder of global flavours. Champagne truffles and scorched hazelnuts are worthy of many mentions, and I was wooed by the new black sesame and honeycomb chocolate bar from Seb's latest range. Nectar in the mouth with bursts of nuttiness. I will be ordering more bars to try.
Edward makes Praise Mleczko or 'Bird's Milk'. Chocolates filled with a light, fluffy soufflé-style filling which come in a charming box and are hand-crafted. Edward will be at Leith Police Box on Saturday, 27 February, and you can order online.