I did warn you that there would be many mentions of Christmas and I hope you’ve so far not been disappointed. Every day when I log off work I like to watch some cheesy but pleasey Christmas movies with my youngest. There are various criteria that need to be met to make it acceptable viewing: there must be very little peril; there must be snow; and we must care, on at least a homeopathic level, about the characters.

We like to do all this while eating mint chocolate, because these are synonymous with festivities. Although I’m very partial to a Bendick’s Bittermint (who isn’t?), I also love Summerdown’s mint chocolates. All the peppermint is grown at their farm in Hampshire in England. Current favourites are the dark chocolate (55%) peppermint cream dominoes made with black mitcham peppermint, (£8.50/200g): think mini After Eights joined together. I think Summerdown missed a trick and should have put actual numbers on them so you could play dominoes, but no matter.

There are various other permutations including 70% peppermint crisp discs (£8.75/180g) for those of you who want your Elizabeth Shaw moments (but better).

A new-to-me make that a reader recommended is Bristol-based Ruby Hue, run by a pastry chef and a mixologist. The 60% piura blanco dark milk passionfruit, (£6.50/70g) was exquisite. The passionfruit is in the bar (ie don’t expect a soft centre), but adds this remarkable creamy, fruity depth to an already handsome bar. It’s really interesting, which seems an odd thing to say about a chocolate bar, but it is. If you like dark milks and fancy something different but still reliable, give it a go.

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