ACADEMY AWARDS FOR SMALL BELFAST CHOCOLATIER

Co Couture, the Northern Ireland based gourmet chocolatier, has struck gold??¦and bronze??¦ at the fourth annual Academy of Chocolate Awards. It's the first time a company from Ireland has been successful at the prestigious awards. The small company, formed in 2008 by chef Deirdre McCanny, gained a gold award for its honeycomb bar in the ???Best Flavoured Milk Chocolate Bar' category and bronze for its rum and raisin bar in the ???Best Flavoured Dark Chocolate Bar' category. The Academy of Chocolate awards follow Co Couture's success in winning a series of Great Taste Awards last year. Ms Mc Canny said: ???Winning gold and bronze awards at the first attempt is a marvellous endorsement by fellow gourmet chocolatiers of the quality and rich flavour of the chocolates that I am now producing in Belfast. ???It's tremendously encouraging to win such prestigious recognition. This will help me as I step up my marketing drive to win business in the markets that I have pinpointed as offering the best growth potential for luxury chocolates,??? she added. The Academy of Chocolate Awards are an important event in the International chocolate calendar. The awards received a record number of entries with over 400 products. As a result the judging was extended to four days, and there were more judges than ever ??" a minimum of 25 on each day. Judges included chocolate experts and buyers, pastry chefs, food professionals and food journalists. There were an increased number of entries in the bean to bar category indicating that more chocolate makers are entering the awards. Entries from outside the UK equalled the number of UK entries, demonstrating the internationally recognition of the Awards. Entries were received from the USA, Europe; Italy, France, Hungary, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. Co Couture figured in the awards with Italian chocolate maker Amadei, US newcomer, Amano, England's William Curley and France's Valrhona. Among the flavours chosen by the judges were 'Toasted sesame', 'Japanese black vinegar' and 'Rosemary and olive oil chocolates'. The Academy of Chocolate was created in 2005 by five of Britain's leading chocolate professionals, united in the belief that chocolate is one of life's great pleasures. Membership has since grown but the aim remains the same, to campaign for better chocolate and promote a greater awareness between fine chocolate and mass-produced chocolate confectionery.