A Feast for the Senses: Our Christmas Collection
Our Christmas collection is a testament to the artistry of chocolate-making. Each creation is a masterpiece, meticulously crafted to delight your taste buds and warm your heart. From rich, velvety truffles to elegantly wrapped chocolate bars, our range is a symphony of flavours and textures.
Gifts That Say It All
Gift-giving is a cherished Christmas tradition, and there's no better way to express your love and appreciation than with our luxurious chocolates. Whether it's a box of assorted pralines for a dear friend, a custom-made chocolate hamper for your family, or a special treat just for you, our chocolates make for unforgettable presents.
Last Delivery and Collections: December 18th
To ensure that your Christmas celebrations are filled with our delectable creations, please note that our last delivery and collection date for Christmas orders is December 18th. We want to make sure your chocolates arrive in perfect condition, ready to be savoured during the festive season.
Stay Tuned for More: Exciting Additions in November
As Christmas draws near, we're not stopping here. We'll be continuously adding to our product range throughout November. Keep an eye on our Christmas page for updates and new arrivals. We are committed to bringing you the finest chocolate experiences, and our Christmas offerings are no exception.
This Christmas, let us be a part of your celebrations. Whether you're indulging in our chocolates with loved ones or gifting them to spread the festive cheer, Hill Street Chocolatiers is here to make your holiday season extra special. Embrace the magic of Christmas with the sweetness of our luxury chocolate creations. 🎄🍫✨
Stay tuned, spread the joy, and let's make this Christmas unforgettable together.
]]>Halloween, also known as All Hallows’ Eve, has deep historical roots that can be traced back over two millennia. Its origins can be found in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter. Samhain was celebrated on the night of October 31st, when it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing for ghosts and other supernatural beings to roam the earth.
To ward off these spirits, the Celts would carve grotesque faces into large turnips or rutabagas, placing candles inside to create eerie lanterns – a precursor to the modern jack-o’-lantern. When the Celts later migrated to what is now Ireland and Scotland, they found pumpkins to be more abundant and easier to carve, leading to the evolution of the practice into the vibrant pumpkin carving tradition we know today.
Here at Hill St., we have plenty of Halloween ‘treats’ to offer to fulfil your spooky cravings. Our models, such as the Hill St. Halloween Ghost, are all filled with Halloween characters made from white, caramel, milk, and dark chocolate. Whether you are enjoying our spooky-themed chocolates, carving pumpkins, or dressing up in costumes, remember that Halloween is a time to embrace the history, folklore, and traditions that make this season so special. We look forward to being a part of your Halloween festivities and helping you create delicious memories.
Happy Halloween from all of us at Hill St. Chocolates!
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Father's Day is just around the corner, and it's the perfect occasion to honour and appreciate the Dads and father figures in our lives. It's a day to express gratitude, love, and respect for their invaluable contributions to our families and society as a whole. At Hill St., we believe in making this day extra special by offering a range of delightful gifts that are sure to bring a smile to your dad's face.
In Britain, Father's Day gained prominence after the Second World War. Unlike Mother's Day, which gradually replaced the religious observance of Mothering Sunday, Father's Day had no direct counterpart in the religious calendar. In Catholic tradition, there had been the Feast Day of St. Joseph on March 19th, honouring the husband of the Virgin Mary. This day also celebrated fatherhood, and it continues to be observed as such in Spain, Italy, and Portugal.
Unfortunately, the decline in the number of recognized Saints' Days following the Reformation led to the diminishing observance of St. Joseph's Day as a celebration of fatherhood in Britain.
However, recognising the significance of honouring fathers, Father's Day began to gain traction in the country. Inspired by the American observance, which had roots in the early 20th century, Britain adopted a similar tradition to appreciate and acknowledge fathers for their contributions to their families.
At the Chocolatiers, we believe that Father's Day is an excellent opportunity to celebrate fatherhood and strengthen the bond between fathers, Grand Fathers, or Father figures with their children. Our delightful collection of gifts, including luxurious chocolate assortments and personalised gift hampers, is carefully curated to make this occasion truly memorable for your dad. With the finest ingredients and exquisite craftsmanship, our chocolates ensure a delectable experience that will make your father feel genuinely cherished.
Visit Hill St. in Saffron Walden or Cambridge, and explore our range of gifts to find the perfect treat for your Dad on Father's Day. Let's show our appreciation and love for fathers by making this day as sweet as can be!
Happy Easter to all our wonderful customers. Thank you, as always, for your continued loyalty and support. We hope you enjoyed our Easter display and range of products this year! We love seeing the enjoyment these products bring! HAPPY EASTER 🐣
]]>The tradition of eating and gifting chocolate at Easter dates back centuries ago when Christian Europeans began exchanging eggs as symbols of rebirth during Lent season. This evolved into candy-filled eggs made from sugar paste or marzipan, which became popular during springtime festivals at the end of Lent on Easter Sunday. Later on, these treats were replaced by hollowed-out chicken eggs filled with sweets and even small toys! It wasn’t much later that solidified cocoa butter was used to make edible “chocolate” eggs - a practice that continues today in many countries around the world.
The Victorian era saw a significant rise in the popularity of gifting chocolate at Easter. At the time, it was seen as an extravagant and luxurious chocolate treat, so gifting chocolates became a sign of status. Chocolate eggs were especially popular among children, as they were fun to eat and could be saved for later, or even traded with siblings.
The British chocolatier JS Fry & Sons are often credited with being the first to produce a hollow chocolate egg. To keep up with the growing demand for this new treat, they created a special machine to produce their eggs in 1873. This advanced technology allowed them to create hollow eggs at an unprecedented rate, which would soon become the most popular Easter treat in the UK.
Today, chocolate is still an integral part of Easter celebrations for many British people. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), over two-thirds of consumers purchase chocolate or other sweet treats during the Easter period.
Every year in the UK, around 80 million Easter eggs are sold, with each child consuming an average of 8 of them. That's over 8,000 calories! For the 2023 Easter season, parents are going to spend around £25 per child on sweet treats and chocolate and other friends and family will add a further £31, resulting in an estimated expenditure of £56 per child.
The survey also found that British consumers spend an average of £8.90 on chocolate for Easter and that over 30% buy multiple Easter eggs to gift to friends and family. In addition, the average chocolate egg purchased in the UK is 138g and contains around 320 calories. On average, people in Britain consume 8kg of chocolate a year, with the majority of this consumed during the Easter. period
At Hill St. Chocolatiers in Saffron Walden and Cambridge, we pride ourselves on creating delicious and luxurious handmade chocolates for all occasions. We are proud to offer an extensive selection of chocolates that are perfect for gifting at Easter, from luxurious chocolate Easter eggs to indulgent truffles, ganache and praline. All of our chocolates are handmade with the finest ingredients.
So why not treat yourself or a loved one this Easter with one of our exquisite Hill St. chocolate creations?
Across the world and throughout the year Mother’s Day is celebrated to honour the influence and bond of mothers in our societies. The role of a mother, and the experience of motherhood is complex, and perhaps not enough credit is given to the women who carry out this role. Whilst it is true that mothers should be celebrated every day and not just on one occasion each year, our dedication to Mother’s Day should continue, just as Ann Reeves Jarvis had wanted it. As her daughter said:
“I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mothers day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.”
Commenting on the ups and downs of motherhood is not something I can personally do myself. However, as a daughter, I have watched and experienced first-hand my own mother perfect this role. Whilst I may be biased, I think it is fair to say she has raised both my sister and I very well, while also maintaining her own individuality. As we grow older her role as a mother will remain constant, regardless of how independent we may think we are. She may not need to help me walk or talk anymore, nor does she need to dress me in the mornings, but she will always be the first person I go to when I need some advice or simply just a few words of comfort.
Considering how much our mothers do for us it can be difficult to think of the perfect gift that will truly show how much appreciation we have for them. As it is said, it is the thought that counts. Here at Hill St., we believe that chocolate is always the answer for that little something special for Mother’s Day. Whether you decide on one of our Chocolate Heart models, or perhaps our Heart Selection box, there is definitely something amongst our Mother’s Day chocolate collection that will show all mothers that love really is sweet.
]]>After a little research, I began to piece together the puzzle that is chocolate and love, and it seems we have the Aztecs to blame. During this postclassic period of Mesoamerican history, chocolate, or more specifically the cacao bean, was seen as a gift from the god of life, light and wisdom, Quetzalcoatl. It was consumed for a variety of purposes, including as an aphrodisiac, as rations for soldiers, as well as being a form of currency. Very quickly, an association between chocolate and indulgence was formed, an association us at Hill St. wish to continue.
For 16th century Europe, the cacao tree was mostly unheard of, that was until Christopher Columbus came across it during his fourth mission to the Americas in 1502. Still, the expansion of chocolate did not make significant progress until industry reached a higher peak, such as in 1729, when the first mechanical cocoa grinder was invented in England. As the production of chocolate expanded, it became a staple when wanting to express love and affection. From the Aztecs use as an aphrodisiac, to our appreciation today of different flavours coming from fresh, natural ingredients, it is no surprise that we turn to chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
For the last few years here at Hill St. we have had the privilege of commencing Valentine’s Day with an export of our fresh chocolates to Japan. Valentine’s Day in Japan is an interesting concept, since they celebrate love on two different dates, February 14th, and March 14th. In February for Valentine’s Day, it is traditional for women to give chocolates to the man she likes, whereas in March, which is referred to as ‘White Day’, the roles are reversed. Chocolate is such a big part of Valentine’s in Japan and so it is such a pleasure to have our local Hill St. chocolates amongst the tradition.
From all of us here at Hill St, we hope you enjoy a Valentine’s Day that is filled with both love and of course, chocolate.
]]>Our chefs have been hard at work in the kitchen, whipping up some truly frightful creations. Made with our own 'Bean to Bar' chocolate. Cacao beans sourced from Nicaragua which are then developed and processed in our very own Hill St. store and kitchen in Saffron Walden, Essex.
So whether you're looking for a Halloween gift, or just want to treat yourself, our Halloween Chocolate Creations are sure to scare (please)! head on down to Hill Street and pick up some of our delicious chocolate today.
Happy Halloween!
Order for click and collect here
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Both the hazelnut and its tree have several symbolic connotations, ranging from the Ancient Roman belief that it brought happiness when the branches of a hazelnut tree were given as a gift, to being considered a Germanic symbol of fertility. Throughout my own research I often found this nut referred to as the ‘fruit of happiness’ which I think perfectly captures the essence of its popularity.
Whilst the majority of our ingredients are locally sourced, when we do require anything from further afield, we maintain our ambition of finding quality produce from suppliers who share a similar like-mindedness for sustainability and perfection. This is why we work with Cascina Barroero – a farm producing hazelnuts in the Piedmont Region of Italy. Just like us, they are a small family-owned business who work hard to grow, maintain and process hazelnuts until they are ready to be used in creations like ours. This is why we chose them for our hazelnuts; our Directors even had a chance to visit their farm a couple of years back. Here at Hill St. we are able to roast and caramelise the hazelnuts from Cascina Barroero, or even create a paste for the praline, allowing us to create products like Rocher’s, Nougat and even our new Hill St Chocolate Hazelnut Spread. I would highly recommend having a look at the Cascina Barroero website for an insight to their beautiful family story and the experiences they have to offer on their farm and pastry shop - which was founded in 1957, making it the oldest part of the company.
Without this becoming too much of a ‘love letter to hazelnuts’ I think it would be best to simply try them yourself. Included in plenty of our chocolates and confectionery, (and our Nutyella gelato or French patisserie selection, both available for customers in the Hill St. Lounge) it seems fair to say you won’t be stuck for choice!
]]>I went to Sorrento once on a school trip a couple of years back. It was my first time in Italy and therefore my first time trying 'genuine Italian gelato', which was an experience that was greatly appreciated and not one bit wasted. I still have vivid memories of hunting for new places to go and different flavours to tick off from my carefully considered list of ‘must haves’. In fact, most evenings our teachers would slip us students an extra 5 euros following unsatisfactory dinners at our low rated hotel; which always resulted in late night queues outside of the nearest shop serving its gelato. In hindsight, we were the ideal tourists. Here at Hill St., we continue to want the best for our customers and hope to create both an emotive and joyful experience through our products and service, and whilst we may not be on the Amalfi Coast or have particularly good Italian language skills, we can guarantee our gelato will leave you wondering whether you are in Saffron Walden or, just as I was, in Sorrento.
Whether you prefer a scoop (or two!) to take away as you wander through town, or perhaps to sit and enjoy in Hill St’s lounge and terrace, be sure to come back and try out each of our current flavours: Chocolate, Strawberries and Cream, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Pistachio and Lemon Sorbet.
]]>To have others equally keen to both see and taste the outcome of our experimentations with bean-to-bar has been wonderful; we even had the pleasure of welcoming Jamie Oliver into our production lab to share his own insight of the journey taken from the Nicaraguan cacao bean to Hill St.’s own tablet - be sure to check out both Hill St and Jamie Oliver’s Instagram to experience the stages of bean-to-bar yourself! For a longer lasting flavour and the guarantee of an ethically sourced product, our bean-to-bar chocolates will leave a favourable impression.
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