Memorable delights aplenty for chocoholics at third Melton ChocFest

Coaches came from as far afield as Kent, Yorkshire, Humberside and Tyneside to sample goodies from around 130 stands including 40 chocolatiers.

The now traditional chocolate covered pork pies were joined by other unusual offerings such as chocolate scotch egg and chocolate sausage roll, chocolate and meat shouldn’t work but aficionados say it does. This unusual theme was followed by one of the demonstrations in the Chocolate Theatre - crab and white chocolate risotto demonstrated by chef and master chocolatier David Greenwood-Haigh.

As usual at ChocFest the workshops were busy with kids making their own bars, lollies and other treats. For the adults the champagne truffles seemed to go down extremely well. The tasting sessions included gin and chocolate. New this year was the Spirits Hall with a dozen gin, vodka and rum producers providing that nip to keep out the winter cold.

Organiser Matthew O’Callaghan said: “The sunny weather brought out the crowds, we reckon over 7,000 attended and what is good to see was the number of families bringing their children as well as the more serious chocolate buffs.

“In only our third ChocFest we are already the largest chocolate festival in the country.

“We expect a lot more coaches next year given the success that we have had so far.”