Finally arriving at the Riad Hugo, our mouths were parched from the impact of the dry summer heat and the shock of experiencing third world, Arabic Marrakech! Waiting on the rooftop terrace was a tea set complete with steaming mint tea, petite glasses and a plate of Moroccan sweets. For the next hour we lazed on the sun beds, sipping on the most seductive, sweet, refreshing mint tea. We nibbled on pastries, which were sticky with honey or dusted with sugar and tasted of almonds, cinnamon and dates. However, their divinity was attributed to their pretty rosewater fragrance which sent my sweet tooth to heaven. This would be a ritual we carried out every day while the Moroccans dutifully performed salah (ritual prayer of Islam) as the red setting sun painted the city.

I am constantly asking how much nutrition is my body actually absorbing from this mouthful? Where does this food come from? Who grew this produce? What has been done to it? How fresh really is it and how much nutrition is left after it has begun decomposing in my fridge over the last week? How much choice do we actually have in what we eat? Which eggs do I buy? Who, what, when, where, how and why? These questions go on and on and on… They’re constant and obsessive. They affect my daily living and have become too bigger part of my life to ignore.

In my quest to find answers, I have stumbled across an abundance of information and a whole new world of food activism. It is a very exciting yet scary time for ‘the food world’. On the whole, more positive than negative. There are huge changes happening now and with out a doubt our future relationship with food will look very different to the one we have now. I have happily realized that it is rather difficult to stick your head in the sand and pretend that this food revolution is not happening. or is it?

More and more people are choosing to go organic, eat more fresh produce, eat less meat, grow a few herbs and visit the farmers markets every so often. I am one of these people. But is this enough to have a healthy body and live in a healthy world? I don’t think it is to be honest. This is what I find exciting but scary… the world as we know it will change in a big way over the next two, ten, fifty or hundred years! You know deep down it will. Sometimes its easier to forget and pretend its not happening. Which is what society does until someone yells out loud enough to make everyone prick their ears up and start doing instead of just listening.

I am setting out on this journey, diving head first into the libraries of literature out there to discover, for my self what the future of food really looks like. I’ll start with books, journals, news and stories to become up to date with the problems and predicted solutions whist looking into the local ventures and discussions in southern Queensland.

At a dinner party I recently took him to, my friends could not get enough of him. After all the ooh’s and ahh’s, he definitely passes the friend test. Although he is hard work, I’m willing to put up with that minor downfall in exchange for the most beautiful combination of flavours. After all nothing comes easy!

For the receipe visit http://gourmettraveller.com.au/shane-delia-chocolate-mousse-tart-with-pomegranates-and-pine-nuts.htm

When the cup was placed in front of me, the chocolate vapor caught in my breath embodied the smell of fresh cream and rich cocoa. I dipped in my spoon to find the consistency was thick and heavy like melted chocolate. Yet the texture on my tongue was velvety and smooth. As I scooped up each mouthful, I was reminded of the way I used to drink hot chocolate and milo as a child. I tried to savor each teaspoonful so it lasted longer and scrapped every, last bit from the sides of the cup even though I felt embarrassingly greedy.

 However, the taste was very different to the chocolates I drank as a child. It was a much richer cocoa flavor yet the bitterness was balanced by the sweetness. Although I’ve slurped on deliciously thick hot chocolates in Europe, the balance and flavor of Monty’s is almost unbeatable. As the chocolate cooled, it became thicker and the cocoa after taste lingered a little longer. I bought a takeaway one to put in the fridge at home (which lasts 5 days) and served it as a decadent chocolate mousse dessert the next night.

 Everyday the hot chocolate (AUS$5.95) is freshly handmade from a confidential recipe with fresh cream, milk, cocoa, sugar, spices, dairy and dark chocolate, and their secret ingredient. However the hot chocolate at Monty’s is not the only must try on the menu, the liquid salted caramels (AUS$1.00) for dark-choc lovers are heaven. For a bit more texture, try the roasted cocoa bean wrapped in milk chocolate and dusted with cocoa all made from the noble yet rare criollo bean by François Pralus. The delicious chocolate milk shakes (AUS$6.90) are an alternative to the hot chocolate as they are made from swiss chocolate and can be paired with orange, rose, rasberry or spearmint.

Although Monty’s Chocolates does not make their own chocolates, the store allows one to travel the world in just a few bites. Monty’s sells chocolates made by few Australian chocolatiers such as Lief from Noosa hinterlands, however the store is known for its importation of English (Rococo; Charbonnel et Walker; L’Artisan du Chocolate), French (François Pralus), German (Coppeneur) and more chocolates. There is also the cabernet full of individual chocolates (AUS$2.80) that you can hand pick which range from dairy, white or dark chocolates to traditional, fruit or candied flavors to something more unusual such as pomegrante, cactus fig or violet. You can purchase pretty much anything chocolate from fondue to cooking chocolate, all beautifully presented as presents or a treat for yourself. There are options for gluten, sugar and dairy-free foodies as well as being kid friendly.

The store also serves a Byron Bay organic plunger coffee  (AUS6.00 for one), Taylors of Harrogate tea from England (AUS$6.00 for one), petite fours from Ashgrove and beautiful bunches of cheap fresh flowers (AUS$10.00) that arrive on Thursdays.

The shop is small and fresh with two lovely staff and owned by a husband and wife team, Steve and Dori. Although the whole team is happy to share their great knowledge of chocolate with their customers, Steve has a wealth of knowledge and could be likened to a chocolate guru. He is also very entertaining as he has you hanging on each word with his English accent and small stutter. If you don’t live in Brisbane you may not be able to experience the menu, however you can still give Steve and the team a call to purchase their products that they are happy to send to you by post.

Monty’s Chocolate

155 Latrobe Tce, Paddington, Qld, 4064

07 3369 3135 

www.montyschocolates.com.au/