Kokova Magazine

When it comes to chocolate are we really getting the best from the cocoa beans? Many companies overheat their beans and lose all the goodness from their bars. Some add cream and sugar until the original bean becomes less of a chocolate bar and more a butter bar with little nutrition left. But at Ombar they take their cocoa a little more serious and treat their beans with a lot more care, to produce a great selection of 'new' chocolate that should suit every taste.

Rum Chamarel comes from Mauritius, from a boutique distillery situated 300 metres above sea level at the foothills of the highest mountain on the Island. The distillery has an annual production of 300,000 litres producing all single estate agricole rum from three varieties of sugar cane, Blue, Yellow and Red - and this selection ensures only the finest rum agricole is produced, with the distillery having trialled and tested which sugar cane (out of the twelve varieties used to make rum agricole) makes good agricultural rum.

Every once in a while we discover a smaller producer that catches our eye. Not because they have a huge marketing campaign, nor an elaborate stall at a grand event but because of the simplicity of their product and the honest way in which it is presented and displayed. Last month (October 2013) we were presented with a jar of pineapple jam and a caramel chocolate spread from EDM - fine groceries online.

Trends recently saw a rise in the popularity and marketing of Coconut Water as the 'new kid on the block' in terms of health drinks. A quick search of the internet will reveal unlimited claims that the humble coconut contains the cure for a hangover, dehydration, aids weight-loss and even helps to boost immunity. But what does it taste like and will it really cure all?

In the past year, since our first meeting with The Chocolatier - Aneesh Popat has gone from strength to strength and is now in high demand from chocolate lovers all over the world. And what keeps the business growing, aside from his infectious personality, endless energy and total passion for chocolate is his refusal to rest on what he has already achieved.

Honeybuns Bakery create award-winning gluten-free cakes and bakes for all the family - and now, thanks to Emma Goss-Custard sharing her recipes, you too can cook fabulous gluten-free cakes at home - because baking gluten-free doesn't have to be hard work or result in cakes and puddings that are free-from flavour. We picked up a copy of Emma's Honeybuns recipe book and decided to see how easy it was to create our own Heathcliff Brownies at home.