The Chocolate Challenge

I went to Slattery's today for my friend's early birthday outing.

Slattery's is very famous in the area, and Manchester generally, as it is a third generation Patissier and Chocolatier which houses a bakery, chocolate shop, wedding cake showroom and it's school of excellence.

The birthday girl went for the chocolate challenge, the biggest portion of chocolate fudge cake I have ever seen served with a pot of homemade chocolate ice cream, fresh cream, two pots of liquid chocolate sauce and a mug of hot chocolate - and all the pots were made from chocolate! If you manage it on your own you get a chocolate medal and a box of handmade chocolate. It's the fourth time she's won the challenge and I felt sick just watching her.

My friend and I shared the chocolate taster, 4 small pieces of cake and two chocolate pots, and we both felt sick after the first. The chocolate is so rich, we just couldn't do it.

The wedding cakes are stunning but I am afraid paying £1695 for a wedding cake doesn't sit very well with me when I've seen kids at the food bank that miss out on meals. I'm all for enjoying your special day but how nice would a cake have to be for that price?

When the husband and I got married in Cyprus, our cutting the cake photo involved a profiterole and a very large knife! With a wedding party of 12, I wasn't spending 150 euros on a cake that no-one would eat. We've been together 22 years now and that's not because we had an expensive cake!

Quote for today:
Those who seek happiness in luxury and extravagance prefer candles to sunshine.
- Napoleon Bonaparte