This Saturday, in the run-up to Valentine's Day, shoppers at Waitrose in Llanfoist can sample a new range of 'adult, decadent and adventurous' chocolate desserts from chocolate-maker extraordinaire Willie Harcourt-Cooze.
Willie, the only chocolate-maker in the UK making chocolate from 'bean to bar', has redefined how millions of people worldwide think about chocolate.
Willie sources the great single estate cacaos from around the world, then makes them into chocolate in small batches using traditional machines in his factory in Devon. This preserves the delicate flavour notes of the beans.
Chocolates of this quality have previously only been available in a few high class chocolate shops.
Willie's dream of making real chocolate available to everyone was born on his Hacienda El Tesoro in Venezuela, where he has farmed cacao for over a decade. His often dramatic journey was followed in two Channel 4 documentaries.
Willie's Cacao chilled chocolate desserts (Molten Dreams, Paradise Found and Heaven's Gates) feature amazing combinations of flavours and textures with ingredients like Wild Italian Amarena Cherries and Somerset Cider Brandy, together with old favourites like Cloud Forest Cake from his books and television series.
Every detail is considered. On top of Molten Dreams, for instance, there is even a cacao bean that will be perfectly roasted and ready to eat by the time the dessert is cooked.
The real secret, however, lies in the chocolate, which gives the desserts their incredible depth and dancing flavours.
Willie will be at Waitrose this Saturday from 11am to 3pm to meet the public and talk about his creations. He's a true showman, whose enthusiasm for the subject is infectious - so it's an opportunity not to be missed.