Some exciting news. Pump Street, my local bean-to-bar chocolate maker, is launching the Workshop. I’ve seen that more people want to spend money on experiences rather than just “stuff” and here’s a wonderful thing to do. The classes started three days ago and will be based at the PS Bakery in Orford in Suffolk. (Orford is a great place to visit anyway and do try to factor in a trip to Orford Ness if you can.)
There are basically two types of workshop. The first is called Exploring Craft Chocolate (£95). It’s a two-hour course in which you learn all about bean-to bar-chocolate, taste chocolate and load a grinder up with nibs and sugar to see how chocolate is made. Then you take tempered chocolate and make your own bars with inclusions such as croissant or cookie crumb (or both!), or fruits and nuts – and you take two bars home.
The second is not about chocolate but is about Understanding Sourdough, a workshop that costs £195 and takes five hours (lunch is included). You learn about grain, milling and mixing bread. You bake some bread and then take your very own sourdough to cook at home in a banneton, later. There’s also after-course support and hand holding in the form of a WhatsApp group.
If you can’t get there, do look at Pump Street’s Rare Batch box, from £38 on subscription. This is a box that is sent every other month with full-size chocolate bars, baked goods involving chocolate and a rare treat of some sort (hence the name), which could be the chocolate, the baked good or something else! It’s a gorgeous box with notes to get you thinking, maybe baking and definitely eating.
Follow Annalisa on X @AnnalisaB
