We attended the Langham as part of their “Supplier Series”, a fabulous way to see the wonderful suppliers showcased via an incredible grazing platter of international cheeses and chocolates. Absolutely a match made in heaven! I’m pretty sure we ate our weight in cheese and chocolate.
Whilst tasting all the cheeses and chocolates we heard from Head Chef Stephen and representatives from Valrhona and Calendar Cheese Co about how their partnership supports each other and heard all about sourcing the cheese and chocolate for Kitchens on Kent. We learnt about all the cheeses on display, and the production of the exquisite Valrhona chocolate and saw how these foods could be made into brilliant canapés and desserts, as well as carefully curated cocktails at the Langham.
Valrhona chocolate is exquisite French chocolate hailing from Tain L’Hermitage, France and has been operating over 100 years. Made from carefully selected cocoa beans, it is a sustainable B corporation, which focuses on production that has a positive environmental impact; ensuring fair income for farmers, reduction of their carbon footprint, and having partnerships in over 11 countries. Their chocolate is perfect for high quality desserts because the chocolate made with cocoa beans and butter produces a beautiful delicate chocolate. It is also great to eat on its own.
The Langham’s grazing platter had a spread of the Valrhona Couverture Chocolate Feves, which I could have eaten for hours, they come in several varieties. We tried the Bahibé Dominican Republic 46% Dark Milk, made with a high cocoa content but resulting in a gentle milky flavour. Also, we had the Guanaja 70% Dark Couverture which had more bitter, floral notes.
TheJivara 40% Milk Couverture Chocolate Feves, were milky and malty. They also mix cocoa butter with authentic fruit flavours, using dehydrated fruit (not added flavourings) and trying the Passionfruit and Raspberry flavours was incredible – like creamy lollies melting in your mouth.
The Langham had also used the Valrhona chocolate to make into desserts for the event; a gluten free brownie and crumb with a sea salt foam in a glass, a choc orange cake covered in chocolate, a pistachio and raspberry madeleine and a passionfruit chocolate log. These were equisite.
In addition to the chocolate, we tried many varieties of cheese; both soft and hard cheeses with crackers and charcuterie. We liked to learn about where they’re sourced from, and what they’re best paired with.
This event was a fabulous way to showcase both of these suppliers.
89-113 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia