Zotter's Chocolate Indulgence Experience

I've had a bit of a flat week.  Half term was quite a while ago now, and the Christmas holidays are still a long way off, so i'm in a bit of a slump, and so are my classes.  Most of my energy this week has been focused around the D'Oscars, our schools ridiculous film making project.  My EAL class finally finished their filming on Friday.  Post production will be done mostly with their class teacher, so my role is pretty much over, thank goodness!  It's been very stressful for me, though the children have really enjoyed themselves, and learnt so much.  Luckily, everyone seems to be changing topic starting from Monday, which is great, as it should motivate the kids and get them interested again.  We have sports day on Tuesday, which should be fun, and tomorrow is the Dance Off final.  There are 3 EAL kids in the final.  It's fantastic to see them flourish in creative situations, where language makes no difference.

Matt has had a good week, busy as usual.  His girls football club won their away match on Thursday, which was great.  On Friday, he went to the pub after school for a catch up with a couple of friends.

Yesterday, we went, with a couple of friends to Zotter's Chocolate Indulgence Experience.  It's not a chocolate factory.  The factory is in Austria, where the Zotter family are from.  The daughter, came to Shanghai and opened up a 'tasting experience', which was so much fun!  We decided to cycle there since it's not very far.  Matt and I borrowed bikes, and we had a lovely 20 minute cycle to the river, crossed over on the ferry, with a great view of the industrial, busy water way, then a 2 minute cycle to the 'museum'.  We were the only people on the English tour, where you can try 130 different types of chocolate, including a 50 % cocoa chocolate bar that was voted 'best chocolate bar in the world'.

Our guide was great, and spoke perfect English.  We started off by trying 100% cocoa (wow! I am not a dark chocolate person really, so it was far too bitter for me).  You get given a spoon that you use throughout the museum and basically pour liquid chocolate onto your spoon via taps.  There were so many different types to try, it was a bit overwhelming.  Different percentages of cocoa, sheep's milk chocolate, caramel chocolate, white chocolate, chili and strawberry chocolate, banana and orange chocolate, whiskey chocolate, chocolate covered gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, raisins, sour cherries, nuts.

Half way through there was a hot chocolate station, where you got hot milk and a solid bar of chocolate, which you popped into the milk, melted, then whisked.  We tried almond praline, and green tea (surprisingly delicious), with a shot of amaretto in it.  We were all going a bit loopy from the sugar by this point.  It was like we were drunk!

We made our own chocolate bars too, choosing 2 flavours to make the bar with (mine is 50% cocoa and cashew), then we could add whatever toppings we like.

At the end there was a conveyor belt with all of the unusual flavored bars of chocolate; fish marshmallow, whiskey, birthday cake, tequila salt and lemon, plum brandy, caipirinhia, and about 30 others!  Amazing.  We got to the shop at the end, and I could barely look at a chocolate bar, let alone buy any.  We had to go to Subway for huge sandwiches afterwards because we needed savory food!

The cycle back was very pleasant.  It was fabulously warm and sunny.  We had to sleep off what I like to call the 'chocolate hangover' for a couple of hours, then we went downstairs to a Halloween party of some friends.  It was good fun.  Matt came upstairs at 10 to watch West Ham Vs Palace, with his Palace supporting friend.

Today couldn't be more different.  It is a red day for pollution, so we don't really want to leave the flat.  You can barely see anything out of the windows. Nasty!