Independent guide to
eating & drinking
Edinburgh and beyond
Est. 2003
Written by locals
Read our latest issue
A chocolate for all seasons
By Sharon Wilson Sebastian Kobelt is a local Pâtisserie & Chocolatier. He uses single origin chocolate to craft small batch confections with pure natural flavours. As a young boy in East Germany Sebastian learnt his craft by rising at 5am to help his baker grandad. Later he joined a cruise ship as Head of Pastry and worked for Tom Kitchin and then at RBS for ‘Fred the Shred’ who apparently loved Seb’s mango panna cotta. In the recent Festive Box the Christmas pudding chocolate was deeply fruity and alcoholic, the salted caramel subtle, this flavour can often be too full-on. Check out the online shop for truffles, selection boxes and bars. The best seller is a 16-piece signature selection box which includes confections using citrus fruits, salted caramel, raspberry & rose, ginger, blackcurrant & Tonka bean, Scottish heather honey & rosemary, sour cherry & green cardamom, miso & chai latte. I have just ordered a Valentine gift for myself (this is turning into a good habit). Prosecco & Rose Pâte de Fruit with velvety Madagascan vanilla ganache sounds lush and just to pad out the order (honest!) some chocolate kisses. The latter is a sleeve comprising 5 kisses - two of which are made from Osmanthus flower (an Asian blossom with hints of stone fruits) and Glenlivet Single Malt. I am always hooked by the way Sebastian combines his imagination and craft with inspiration from the seasons. Easter Eggs anyone?