Why subscribe?
Because you love DELICIOUS THINGS.
Especially fancy chocolate, flaky croissants and incredible desserts.
And probably you either live in London or are planning to visit. I write about other places too and things that are available across the UK and sometimes abroad, but you should know thereās a London-heavy lean.
Hi! Iām Jen.
My job is to show people delicious things. Iāve been running Chocolate Ecstasy Tours since 2005 (yep, I canāt get my head around it either) and I also work as a Food Innovation Consultant because I understand retail and manufacturing having worked as a Buyer and Food Developer.
Iām on the Grand Jury of the Academy of Chocolate and Iām a judge for the Great Taste Awards, the Quality Food Awards, the International Chocolate Awards, the Brazilian Chocolate Awards, and others.
Hopefully all of that means youāll trust my recommendations. š
Each week Iāll tell you about things I genuinely recommend are worth eating (or drinking). I spend most of my time in London, sometimes travelling, I also visit food trade shows and share the most exciting new products that might be in a supermarket or deli near you soon.
Old emails will be locked so subscribe to get make sure you donāt miss a mention. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.
Join me!
We all eat better when we share our recommendations! I love hearing from you and this is where you can tell me you donāt agree with me - or let me know if a placeās standards have slipped since I told you about it. Iāll be here, replying back to you and someone else might chip in, too.
Come and join the food obsessed. The people who plan their trips around where theyāll eat. And the people who ask to see the dessert menu before they order anything else.
I canāt wait to chat with you!
Tell you again why you want The Next Delicious Thing in your inbox?
I want you to eat good food.
And I want to support the people who make good food.
This space is mostly about craft chocolate, artisan bakeries and desserts, but Iāll also share savoury things (with a heavy lean on vegan/vegetarian because thatās how I eat 99% of the time), restaurant recommendations, snacks and condiments youāll find in supermarkets, and businesses that post treats anywhere in the world.
Iām based in London so itās London-centric, but lots of things I share can be purchased from anywhere.
1. Food recommendations online are overwhelming.
And dubious. Right?
Social media feels like a fleeting place to share these days and biased towards what looks good in the two seconds before someone flicks from your video to another. Online magazines have ātop 10ā lists that can be great, but feel heavily influenced by businesses that can afford PR or have Instagrammable items.
Iāve been writing this newsletter for a while now (hi to you if youāve been reading for while!), and I thought that Substack was a better home because you can comment on it and see one anotherās comments! So it wonāt just be about me, and what I love. I canāt wait to hear from you all.
During the pandemic I ran monthly public Online Mystery Chocolate Tastings - 20 of them! - I loved seeing many of the same people and hearing your thoughts on flavours. I hope this can bring some of that same sense of community.
I really hope youāll find that my recommendations fit with food you love and I hope weāll build a community here of people with similar taste, sharing our findings and the joy we get from great food.
2. A space for people who love food and the people who make food.
This is a home for all the artisan bakers and craft chocolate makers and passionate chefs, and the people who appreciate them. For the people who care about the provenance of their food and whether the companies pay their staff and suppliers well.
I attend food shows only available to poeple in the industry so Iāll keep you up to date on exciting new products I find there, and I spend my time (and money!) exploring new places and products in London - and beyond - and I will share the good stuff from these adventures, too.
3. Why sign up?
Every Wednesday I send a list of the things Iāve tried that Iāve loved and tell you why I love them. If you want to know whatās good to add to your list for the next time you need something new and delicious, then I hope youāll love receiving these emails.
You can reply to me and share your thoughts directly, or comment on the posts that live online.
4. Why trust my recommendations?
Iām fussy, for starters. Iām also on the Grand Jury of the Academy of Chocolate and a judge for the Great Taste Awards, the International Chocolate Awards, the Quality Food Awards and others.
Iāve been working in the food industry for more than 17 years (since I started Chocolate Ecstasy Tours, which I still run) and I get paid for my opinion on how food tastes. It might not be to your taste, but I hope it is, and we can become friends who love good food.
5. I hope youāll join me on this (mostly) sweet adventure!
We all need more joy and what easier joy to come by than a taste of something delicious to cheer up our week.
Hereās me with a pastry. If good pastries make you as happy as they make me, then I think youāll want to subscribe.
I canāt wait to chat with you!
Jen x
P.S. if youād like me to show you around (with London history too!) then visit https://chocolateecstasytours.com āŗļø
