I wouldn't say I had a particularly English upbringing, but there were two things my mum held on to fiercely when it came to her children celebrating cultural holidays. Of the utmost importance was Christmas, of course, but Pancake Day came a close second. I'm not really sure why this day mattered so much, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's to do with eating pancakes for dinner, lovingly doused in lemon and sugar.
There are so many legends about famous dishes that were invented by accident. Ruth Wakefield thought she'd create a chocolate cookie by breaking up bits of a chocolate bar and folding them into her dough, but invented the chocolate chip cookie instead. Chocolate truffles may have been a happy accident, and butter likely came about by mistake as well. Basically, all the best foods are ones we wouldn't have without some clumsy person stumbling around a kitchen,
If chocolate is your favourite food and dessert is the best part of a meal, then you need to get down to Cocomelt. The Soho chocolate cafe - it's the one with flowing chocolate fountains in the window - is one of the city's best dessert spots, where the dishes are fresh, made-to-order and drizzled in premium Belgian milk, white and dark chocolate. The menu features a range of crepes, waffles, pancakes, chocolate-dipped strawberries and fruit sticks, plus a create-your-own option.