Archive for August, 2010

Absolutely mint!

I’m really excited as next week I will be visiting the farm where we source our Original Black Mitcham Mint peppermint oil which we use in the production of Duchy Thins for Waitrose. At House of Dorchester all of our recipes are free from artificial flavours, colours and hydrogenated fat, giving House of Dorchester chocolates a more natural and cleaner taste and this peppermint oil is the business.  Ingredients are sourced locally where possible, like for example our peppermint which comes directly from the Cassons Family farm in Hampshire -

I will have lots more to tell you and some great photos when I return next week, oh and I should be smelling lovely too after a day surrounded by peppermint!

At the chocolate factory we have had some happy news for members of staff; Mark Litherland and his partner Jade have had a beautiful baby boy called Kash and Ashley War has announced his engagement to Sarah Downing – congratulations guys!  Sadly, this week, we say goodbye to Dean who’s been in our customer services for over 7 years, he’s off to explore a new career and we wish him all the best.

Above, is a picture of a House of Dorchester display at Darts Farm in Devon. Darts Farm is a wonderful farm shop with an emphasis on food that is locally grown reared, baked or caught. They have an on-site master butcher, fishmonger, baker, deli, cider maker and restaurant and if you need any other reason to visit, they also have a fantastic display of our chocolates!

Katherine.

Fine food – it’s our speciality!

At House of Dorchester, August is all about preparing for the Speciality and Fine Food Fair (5 -7 September) in London. It is the definitive event for local, regional and artisan food and drink and it gives us a great chance to meet other like-minded food producers, deli owners and all-round lovers of great food!

We have a new stand for the show and are very excited to be introducing our newly designed contemporary, British branded packaging and some fabulous new chocolates! If you’re planning on going along we will be on stand 849 and we’d love to see you there! Speciality is a great place to see what other producers of artisan food are creating, and as well as giving us a chance to meet owners of delis, farm shops and retail buyers it is also just a lot of fun getting to see and taste some of the finest food being produced in Britain today.

Closer to home, Andy Joslin our Production Manager at House of Dorchester, was interviewed last week for The Guardian on the virtues of living and working in Poundbury where House of Dorchester is based. Poundbury was the brainchild of Prince Charles and has a strong commitment to providing combined work and living space to offer an alternative to the daily commute. Andy is one of the few at the chocolate factory that both live and work in Poundbury so far but others would certainly like to move in soon. I think it’s safe to say everyone thinks it is a lovely place to work – even if they have to commute here!

For the full article click here.

Katherine.

11Aug
Posted In General