The Brownie Post

Chocolate - much loved, much craved and some would argue, much needed. Synonymous with giggly girls getting together and often heavily marketed towards the fairer sex; it can be both a cheap, sweet pick-me-up and and expensive, single-estate luxury that has critics melting it on the tongue and rolling it round their mouths.

Whatever the reason and whenever the occasion, chocolate is one of life's little luxuries that I just can't live without. I can eschew sweets and crisps. I can (sometimes) forget about wine and gin. I can even go without cheese for a while. But 3pm on a dull afternoon, or sitting on the couch with a movie, or if I need a little pick-me-up - a trusty bar of dark chocolate is the thing I'll always choose.

When offered a box of brownies from The Brownie Post; which are handcrafted with organic flour, local free-range eggs, quality chocolate and fair trade sugar in Didsbury by the people who run And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon Cafe - how could I say no? Especially when they offered to drop them off at work (prime chocolate eating location).

Delivered in a nifty envelope shaped box, opened at my desk (to admiring oohs/jealous sighs from colleagues), the brownies come tied up in paper and blue ribbon with a little card (with an amazing font) describing just what's in the box - a very pretty treat to brighten up any day.

Chocolaty and pretty - what more could I want? (notice amazing font under brownie)

Being of an indecisive mind, I had opted for both the plain chocolate and the white chocolate and pistachio, good decision if you ask me! I put some in my mouth, realised how heavenly they were, then did that thing where I slow-motionally turned to everyone and nearly wet myself in delight. Yes. I loved them that much.

The chocolate brownies were dark and dense, but not overly heavy or unpleasantly cocoa-powdery. A slightly bitter note ensured they weren't overpowering and they had a pleasing crispy crust to set off that soft (but not wet) inside. If the chocolate were a heady hit of cocoa, the white chocolate pistachio were a perfumed, floral delight. I had feared they would be more blondies, that they would be a super saccharine combination chock full of sugar and not much else (as you can tell, I'm not a white chocolate fan; it's a sickly sweet non-chocolate abomination created for people with tastebuds that stopped advancing age five).

LOOK! I did sharing! Note how fudgy the brownies are (and how small I cut them for people...)

Luckily the white chocolate was a mere scattering of chunks, dotted through the usual dark chocolate brownie alongside crunchy nuggets of pistachio - the whole thing was lifted up by the heady, almost soapy, exotic fragrance of cardamon - an excellent addition and a taste I am very fond of.

Being the generous soul that I aim (read, watching my figure) - I taste-tested the brownies at the office (with a crowd of drooling faces gathered round my desk, it was hard not to). Opinion was split between whether the plain were better than the white/pistachio/cardamon; but all agreed they were some of the best brownies they had ever tasted and even better that they had magically arrived in the post.

Whether it's a birthday, a cheer up, a thank you, MOTHER'S DAY (ALERT, less than seven days!!) or just as a present to yourself - Brownies by Post is a tasty, if somewhat naughty treat. They're not the cheapest in the world; but they're made by hand, from excellent quality ingredients, they last for five days and postage is included in the price - all in all each brownie works out way cheaper than the ones you can buy in a cafe.

All gone, very quickly...

Guess what? The Brownie Post whole range can also be ordered gluten free - great to see a company catering for as many people as they can.

And how do you get your hands on these amazing bites of beautifulness? Go online HERE and order yourself some. It's chocolate, it's fab, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Price for six brownies (massive choice of flavours) inc postage - £12.95

www.thebrowniepost.co.uk

Please note, I was sent my brownies for free - but you know that I'm a grumpy curmudgeon, so you know I'd slag them off if they were anything but perfect.