I love everything about the Rococo Chocolate company founded by Chantal Coady. Obvs the chocolate is fabulous, so much more interesting than anything else I’ve ever tried, but I’ve loved her store from the moment it opened on the Kings Road in 1983, with its beautifully decorative window display and gloriously engaging interior (Chantal went to art school before being bitten by the chocolate bug). When she first started, Chantal did all her windows herself and made the store a magic place to visit by presenting her treats beautifully on tabletops and shelves that made you never want to leave.
Originally, Chantal had a Saturday job in Harrods selling chocolate and was not impressed with the way something as fabulous as luxury chocolate was being sold or presented. She thought she could do much better and opened Rococo. Every visit to the Kings Road shop is a joy because the in store presentation and the assortment available is exactly what I want from a chocolate store. When teensons were small I bought tiny treats such as chocolate bumble bees and miniature cars for them for Easter and Valentine’s day to show them that not all chocolate was equal.
Last week I listened to Chantal talk about the Grenada Chocolate Co she has invested in on the Caribbean island of Grenada. Not only is it delicious chocolate, but it’s organic, sustainably farmed -properly sustainable too, none of this media hype stuff-, single origin bean (ie not blended with crappy cheap beans) and supports Grenadian cocoa production in an industry not exactly known for playing fair.
I could develop a shocking addiction to the to the 60% bar (above) which is not too dark and tastes deliciously fruity, but if you want real luxury, try the Gru Grococo which is even shipped on sailing ships from Grenade to Rococo, which is about as eco-friendly as shipping gets I suspect.
Truly, the most delicious and beautiful chocolate EVER.
