Ganache’s out
York has been synonymous with chocolate for more than 300 years, but Ryedale is giving its neighbour a run for its money. Catherine Scott reports. Main pictures by James Hardisty and Bruce Rollinson.
While many villagers might feel lucky to find their favourite brand of chocolate bar locally these days, in the heart of rural Ryedale – one of the most sparsely populated parts of Yorkshire – chocolate-lovers can enjoy a 20mile golden circle of chocolate micro-workshops, all independent, all highly individual, where hundreds of Easter delicacies are handcrafted each year.
What’s more, chocolate doesn’t just come readywrapped on the shelves: visitors to Ryedale’s chocolate shops can see the artisans in action, get hands-on during chocolate masterclasses with experts – or even request their own unique chocolate combinations.
“Over the past 20 years, Ryedale has developed an extraordinary appetite for and mastery in chocolate,” says Phillip Spurr, programme director of place and resources for Ryedale Council. “It’s a mystery how it all began in our rural area, or why it inspires such enormous creativity, with every micro-factory having its own signature style or new twist on a classic, and chocolate even appearing in local beer and liquor.
“Perhaps it’s the abundance of locally-sourced ingredients to experiment with, the bounty of the area’s uniquely balmy micro-climate. Perhaps the area has inherited the sweet tooth of neighbouring York, once home to confectionery giants like Terry’s and Nestlé.
“Perhaps it’s part of the wider ‘good food’ movement that’s been growing in the area, culminating in Malton being dubbed Yorkshire’s Food Capital and the North York Moors as ‘Britain’s Capital of Cake’, and attracting some of the UK’s top chefs and makers.”
Birdgate Chocolatiers, of Pickering, is one of Yorkshire’s premier artisan chocolate shops and owner Ian Peacock definitely takes his inspiration from his local surroundings.
The former chef decided to give up working in restaurants 20 years ago to run his own tiny shop in his home town, making chocolates from his kitchen. He has since moved to a bigger shop and business is going so well that he is expanding further into the unit next door to open an ice cream parlour.
“When I opened my first shop there were very few dedicated artisan chocolate shops around and now lots seem to have sprung up, especially in Ryedale,” says Ian. He now employs five members of staff and will take on more when the ice cream parlour opens. The various lockdowns were tough but Ian had fortunately just created a website (www.birdgatechocolatiers.com) with an online shop which kept him extremely busy. Ian loves to experiment with flavours and textures which is what sets his chocolates and Easter eggs apart from many others, he says. “I think it might be because I have been a chef that I realise that the textures are as important as the flavours.” He has around 40-50 different varieties of chocolates, which can go up to 80.
Ian likes to use local ingredients like North York Moors heather honey and Yorkshire rhubarb – and specialises in original “secret” recipes for delicious flavours that you won’t taste anywhere else. Pear and jasmine has proved a surprise hit.
Like for all chocolatiers, Easter is his busiest time of year and Ian also likes to make