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The Peninsula ChocolatierTradition & Temptation With the Peninsula Hong Kong's Exclusive Range of ChocolateBy Madelyn Miller
Tradition and temptation come together with the introduction of the new “Peninsula Chocolatier” range of chocolates, made exclusively for The Peninsula Hong Kong and marking the continuing evolution of chocolate making at the hotel. The Peninsula’s chocolate recipes past and present combine for a delicious array of mouthwatering confectionery, luxuriously packaged in cream and rich dark brown tones. Chocolate boxes and bags depict details of the hotel’s neo-Classical decor the carved faces atop the columns of The Peninsula’s celebrated Lobby ceiling, together with the cherubs and nymph on a long-forgotten ceiling frieze, discovered and restored during construction of the new tower wing in the early 1990s. Just like the light blue Tiffany box that evokes joy in jewelry lovers, true chocoholics will start salivating at the mere site of a “Peninsula Chocolatier” bag. I visited the store when it first opened, with Lau Chi Sun, a well-known Chinese wine and food writer. The chocolates were so beautiful, they looked like little jewels and initially we were reluctant to eat them (Okay, so we had eaten a wonderful lunch first at the Peninsula) Romantic, aphrodisiac, anti-depressant and a delectable boost to both the palate and the senses, from the outset, chocolate has always enjoyed a rich and romantic reputation. First discovered in the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1502 (indeed, the word chocolate is derived from the Aztec word “xocolatl” meaning “bitter water”), its fame spread rapidly across Europe, and chocolate making quickly became an art, producing what many refer to as the “food of the gods”. ( I like to think of myself as a goddess since chocolate is my favorite food) In 1928 when The Peninsula first opened, chocolate also played an important role in the hotel’s first culinary exploits. Local pastry cooks were fascinated by this delicacy from the west, and yearned to learn more about this bitter yet sweet candy. Over the years, the hotel’s pastry team learned and experimented with the production of homemade chocolates, and soon began making their own chocolates for the dining pleasure of hotel guests. Techniques evolved and became more sophisticated over the years, and so in 1954 Peninsula chocolates were launched for sale to the general public, both in the hotel and the hotel’s first cake shop located on Nathan Road. However, initially sales were limited in 1955 only 100 kg of chocolates were sold in the entire year, compared with over 30kg per day today! Following the launch of the Peninsula’s chocolates, the hotel management decided to appoint and train a Chocolatier a member of the hotel patisserie team, expert in confectionery and chocolate making - to be in charge of all the hotel’s chocolate creations. Since then, many have taken on this challenge, and have each created their own unique recipes for what today are known as The Peninsula Chocolates. Recipes, tips and techniques have been handed down from one Peninsula chocolatier to the next, and on through the generations. Today Peninsula Chocolatier confections are made in Hong Kong and Switzerland to The Peninsula’s various secret recipes, developed over the years by current Peninsula Chocolatier, Executive Pastry Chef Chan Wai and his predecessors. The Peninsula Chocolatier chocolates are available exclusively at The Peninsula Boutiques in The Peninsula (Kowloon) and The Landmark (Hong Kong Island), together with select Duty Free shops under the management of Nuance-Watson (HK) Ltd at Hong Kong International Airport. The Peninsula Hotels operates luxury hotels in key gateways of Asia and the USA. It is a division of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited. The Peninsula Hotels includes: The Peninsula Hong Kong; The Peninsula New York; The Peninsula Chicago; The Peninsula Beverly Hills; The Peninsula Bangkok; The Peninsula Palace Beijing; The Peninsula Manila and The Kowloon Hotel in Hong Kong. The Peninsula Hong Kong is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. More about Hong KongGREAT GUIDEBOOKS LONELY PLANET CHINA WORLD TRAVELER’S CHINA COMPANION FODOR’S CHINA HONG KONG TIME FOR FOOD LONELY PLANET HONG KONG CONDENSED |
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TM
The Peninsula Hong Kong knows how to indulge its
guests. A perennially top-rated hotel, they now offer the one thing that I
think makes them perfect. An exclusive chocolate shop.