Friars Blog

17/11/2020
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Vegan Chocolate Christmas Gift Guide 2020

At Friars, we don’t take Vegan food lightly. To us, before the launch of Vegan Chocolatier, good quality vegan chocolates were very hard to come by, that’s because so many chocolate manufacturers simply just removed the milk from the chocolate recipe, leaving a dark and often bitter chocolate behind. We do things a little differently here, by using the finest plant based ingredients to craft our growing range of Kakoa Vegan chocolates. What better gift to give to your vegan family and friends than some lovingly crafted vegan chocolates. These... Read More

13/11/2020

Friars Chocolate 2020 Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas is fast approaching and now really is the time to start making your way through that Christmas shopping list. Our 2020 Christmas gift guide has been lovingly selected to help you find the perfect Christmas gifts for the chocolate lovers in your life. Whether you’re looking to buy them something extra decadent or you’re looking for some exciting and delicious stocking fillers, we’ve got everything you could wish for at Friars, this Christmas.  We love Christmas – it’s about family time, relaxing and more often than not, enjoying those... Read More

20/10/2020

Go Vegan This Winter With Our Vegan Chocolate Collection

Have you thought about going vegan, or thought about exploring a more resourceful diet? Whilst many people see veganism as an extreme diet, going entirely plant based can be healthy for you and healthy for the planet when the right foods are eaten. Of course, veganism isn’t for everyone, but, everyone can enjoy our vegan chocolates! We’re super proud of our stunning Vegan Chocolate collection Kakoa, it’s a collection that allows even the most vegan-conscious customers to enjoy decadent, delicious and tasty chocolates that have been lovingly crafted by our... Read More

29/09/2020

What Makes Vegan Chocolate So Special?

Since the very start of the Friars journey, our family has always been at the forefront of innovation, crafting new and exciting chocolate for our customers to enjoy, year after year. We’re proud of our exciting and innovative collections, which is exactly why we have invested so much time crafting an artisan vegan chocolates range – stunning chocolates created with the intention of causing a little harm to nature as possible. See the full Vegan Chocolatier collection here! Our Vegan Chocolatier Collection Our Vegan Chocolatier collection features a vast and... Read More

11/09/2020
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What Exactly is a Cocoa Bean? | Friars

If you’re reading this, the chances are you enjoy good chocolates. We all do, which is exactly why we have devoted our lives to ensuring our customers have access to the very best chocolate in the world, all handmade by our team of expert chocolatiers based in the North of England. See our classics, our wonderful creations and more! Chocolate is our life, and has been since Friars first opened its doors in 1927, we’ve been making chocolate in the same way ever since. None of it would be possible... Read More

03/09/2020

Wine Tasting Guide – Pairing Wine & Chocolates | Friars

Drinking wine is often reserved for special occasions. By special occasions, we mean things like Christmas, Birthday’s, the end of the working week etc. Wine, however is a beverage that includes many layers of complexity, a little like a fascinating chocolate truffle, which is why we believe in order to really drink wine, you need to learn how to taste it. That’s because tasting a wine correctly really can open up your taste buds to a new world of possibilities, teaching you to pair wine with delicious foods, and importantly,... Read More

25/08/2020
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Our Story Since 1927 | Friars Luxury Chocolate

Many of our online customers may not have had the luxury of being able to visit one of our brick and mortar stores, a true haven for chocolate and sweet lovers around the world! Based in the Lake District tourist towns of Keswick and Ambleside, Ye Olde Friars has served both local people and tourists alike with luxury chocolates since 1927, providing people with the chance to escape the real world with little bitesize moments, in the form of locally crafted chocolates. Of course, our expansion into the online world... Read More

19/08/2020

Perfect Pairings! Try Our New Chocolate & Wine Pairings

For many, few things go hand in hand quite as well as good chocolate and a delicious bottle of wine. The combination of two of life’s best luxuries go hand in hand for a truly fascinating and decadent experience. At Friars, we have studied chocolate and wine pairings for years (we’ve tried a few in the past as well!) and are now pleased to share with you our latest creations. Friars Wines, created to be matched with our luxury chocolate selections. Take a look at our full wine selection here,... Read More

13/08/2020
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Give the Gift of Chocolate this Summer | Shop the Perfect Summer Treat

The summer gifting season might not strike you as an important time for giving gifts (not compared to Christmas at least) but here at Friars, we can think of plenty of great reasons to give thanks to those we love with beautiful and delicious handmade chocolates. Perhaps you have a birthday to celebrate, or an anniversary?  Maybe you want to say thanks to a helper who has gone above and beyond for your and your family this year? No matter the occasion, chocolate really is the perfect gift to give... Read More

02/08/2020
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How We Make Our Chocolates

Not all chocolates are born equal. As with all fine food it begins with the raw material, in our case – the cocoa. We import the finest Belgian chocolate; this may cost more but it is worth it as it makes a superior chocolate. The kind of chocolate that connects beautifully with your senses, where you savour every bite. We have an idea, that’s how it starts. The spark may be a delicious meal or cocktail, sometimes that is all it needs. Our master chocolatier will then start experimenting with... Read More