The U.K.'s Largest Chocolate Festival Hits Central London

LONDON, March 29, 2010 -- Chocolate, chocolate everywhere!

The aroma of brewing hot chocolate, sizzling churros with chocolate sauce and chocolate-covered strawberry skewers filled the air of London's South Bank this weekend. For three days it was nothing but non-stop chocolate at this dessert lover's extravaganza.

This weekend marked the second annual Central London Chocolate Festival, where pastry chefs and master chocolatiers alike lead workshops, tasting talks and demonstrations. Events-coordinator Yael Rose was the brains behind the operation.

"This is the largest chocolate celebration in the U.K," Rose said. "It's just hard to say 'No' to the stuff."

Some 35 vendors displayed and sold chocolate dishes of all types, from the traditional truffle and chocolate-covered pretzel to the more adventurous chocolate chili and martini.

"There is a lot of chocolate everywhere. I love it," Vincenzo Bifulco said.

He and his two friends originally from Sicily were chomping down on freshly-fried churros and chocolate sauce.

"These churros are the best thing here," Rudy Twone said.

They spent a couple of hours at the festival, trying samples from each of the booths. After winding their way through the green and white tents they found that the chocolate martini and churros were their favorites.

Rose said her goal in throwing this chocolate bonanza was to both give these vendors a space to celebrate their chocolate creations and to help them market their companies in this time of economic need.