With the holidays just around the corner, it's time once again for The Menu for Hope fundraising campaign. It's an opportunity for you to enter to win an assortment of amazing prizes donated by many food bloggers from around the world. The proceeds from the raffle sales go towards supporting the UN World Food Programme, which provides hunger relief for people worldwide.
The fundraiser was founded and is organized by Pim of Chez Pim, one of my favourite food bloggers who I had the pleasure of meeting during my trip last month (but more of that later...). Last year, we raised over $17,000 to support UNICEF. With your help, I'm certain that we can do at least as well this year!
You can see a listing of all the prizes available to be won here. To enter to win a prize, simply donate $10US and specify the prize code of the item that you want to win on this page. For more detailed instructions, please click here.
The Ultimate Chocolates Tasting Kit (CA13)
This year, the prize that I've come up with is called the Ultimate Chocolate Tasting Kit. Over the past few months I've been doing a fair bit of chocolate tasting, trying as many different chocolates as I can in hopes of developing my palate. I've come across some amazing chocolates, and in this prize, I've included ten of my favourite bars:
seven dark chocolates
- Amedei Chuao -wonderful complexity, and considered by some to be the best chocolate in the world
- Amedei Porcelana - my favourite chocolate, and infamous for being the world's most expensive
- Amedei 9 - love the lingering sweetness
- Michel Cluizel Mangaro - a bright, lively chocolate - perfect for breakfast!
- Michel Cluizel Hacienda 'Los Anconès' - reminds me of a wet forest
- Valrhona Palmira 2005 - my favourite Valrhona chocolate, a very nice sweet/bitter balance
- Slitti GranCacao 73% - deep flavour with subtle hints of coconut
two milk chocolates
- Scharffen Berger Milk Chocolate - deep, rich, and creamy
- Domori Latte Sel - salted milk chocolate, well-balanced and very addictive
and one white chocolate
- Amedei Cioccolato al Latte Bianco con Pistacchi - white chocolate with pistachio bits
I've also included The Chocolate Connoisseur by Chloé Doutre-Roussel, a fascinating and light-hearted book that serves as an excellent guide to chocolate tasting. Shipping to anywhere in the world is included.
So if you or someone you know is a chocoholic, and would like to taste a few of the world's finest bars, please consider bidding for my gift, the prize code is CA13.
Special thanks to Pim and Jasmine for all their hard work organizing this event. Thanks to everyone for their support, and good luck!

I love the blog that you have. I was wondering if you would link my blog to yours and in return I would do the same for your blog. If you want to, my site name is American Legends and the URL is:
www.americanlegends.blogspot.com
If you want to do this just go to my blog and in one of the comments just write your blog name and the URL and I will add it to my site.
Thanks,
David
Posted by: David Stefanini | December 27, 2006 at 02:06 PM
Just wanted to stop by and say how much I've enjoyed your blog and wanted to wish you a very Happy New Year!
Posted by: Christiane | December 31, 2006 at 12:33 PM
Man, I am a chocolate whore as it is. Your chocolate tasting kit has inspired me to do some (okay some more) tasting of my own. I am gonna go make a list and go shopping!
Happy New year and thanks for putting up such a nice food blog.
Posted by: Mrs.h | January 03, 2007 at 11:59 AM
Hi
I was fascinated to note that you missed Felchlin from your list of 'best' chocolates. Felchlin is a small swiss producer - not sure if they're still independent, but they certainly were six or seven years ago when I first came across them - the last family-run chocolate producers in Switzerland, operating since the mid 1800s. The chocolate is fantastic! I catered an event for the Guild of Food Writers of Great Britain several years ago, and served fresh fruit dipped in tempered Felchlin. The response from the knowledgeable and sophisticated crowd there was unanimous in its praise. Worth checking out.....
Posted by: 'Pomiane' | January 20, 2007 at 01:47 PM
Chocolates!!!! My favourite... Chez Pim definitely has a good list too.
Posted by: Harro! | January 31, 2007 at 03:59 AM
I love chocolates me to
Posted by: pom d'api | February 14, 2007 at 04:10 AM
You haven't posted in a while! Please come back. :(
Posted by: Cassie's Kitchen Recipes | February 25, 2007 at 01:13 PM
I must say that i admire you drive for the world food programme greatly. It is about time that us bloggers starting giving a little back! We are priviliged enough to be able to write about the merits of food and all it's different beauties, imagine being in a position where food was a necesity and not a luxury! Very noble of you indeed. My blog has been set up for that purpose alone. I work as a chef to some of the richest and most famous people in the world and thought that having people watch my recipes on video would help to save kids in Africa! Unfortunately people are not as generous as i had hoped so i think i will have to organise a raffle like yours and entice them into winning something!! Keep up the great work and let me know if there is anything i can do to help!
Posted by: Niall Harbison | March 06, 2007 at 02:58 PM
Just wanted to stop by and say how much I've enjoyed your blog and wanted to wish you a very Happy New Year!
http://www.chatgroups.de
Posted by: sanateseri | March 14, 2007 at 08:12 AM
Just wanted to stop by and say how much I've enjoyed your blog and wanted to wish you a very Happy New Year! .
Posted by: sanateseri | March 14, 2007 at 08:13 AM
Hi Clement, Those were great inputs on varieties of chocolate. The dark chocolates, milk and white chocolates all sound good! Your ultimate chocolate tasting kit looks really fabulous!!! If you look at the prize link, you can see our book "Cooking at home with Pedatha" in the list too.
Posted by: pritya | March 14, 2007 at 09:38 AM
Calling all food lovers:
DK would like to give you a sneak peak of the new book, How to cook the perfect…by Marcus Wareing. Follow this link to find out how to make the perfect custard tart: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sI82eJFnuzs
This recipe and many more are featured in his fantastic new book, publishing 5 April. It is filled with “key to perfection” tips for cooking everything perfect.
Posted by: Dorling Kindersley | March 16, 2007 at 06:24 AM
I've been reading your site for a while, and I find it truly amazing and inspiring.
Thanks and keep up the great work.
Posted by: Polish pottery | April 17, 2007 at 04:38 PM
i want me some of those chocolates.
Posted by: Jen | July 27, 2007 at 02:15 AM
Great menu for hope, I feel better now.
Thank for share!
Posted by: cuocthiseo | January 05, 2009 at 11:21 PM
I love this the ultimate chocolate tasting kit!
Posted by: Chocolate Kisses | April 04, 2009 at 06:15 PM
Oh, this looks like a great tasting kit in deed. I have never bought one before but this looks awesome.
Posted by: Debbie Bello | April 10, 2010 at 08:58 PM