Chocolate from Tasmania

My friend Luke has been working in Tasmania and was lucky enough to fall upon Anvers Chocolates. Anvers are based in Devonport, at the top end of Tasmania. Their reputation for producing chocolate is second to none.

So I was very pleased when Luke offered me some Fortunato No. 4 chocolate. This is something special, really special. This is made from a strain of cacao, recently found in Peru, which was thought to be extinct. So this is truly something rare.

'This is a very complex, powerful chocolate … it's like no other,'' says Van Gerwen, owner and chief chocolatier at the House of Anvers, in Latrobe, Tasmania.

My only problem is that the chocolate looks so pretty that I really don't want to eat it. I keep salivating at the thought of a box of rich chocolate sitting in my kitchen cupboard but then I go look at it and I can't bring myself to open it. Have you ever had that experience? How can I tell you how good it is if I don't open it?

Take a look at this - see what I mean. It looks amazing and I don't want to open the packaging.

OK you have convinced me!

I have taken a small bite - it's very smooth, it's very rich and it's very dark. Add a cup of coffee and I believe it is the most beautiful combination of flavours.

Thank you Luke, and thanks to the House of Anvers. I can see a trip to Tasmania is imminent.

In line with my new eating regime, I will definitely be sharing this with a few good friends, but I might hold back one more tiny piece for myself.

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