Did you know that last week was National Chocolate Week? NO?!!!*

*(neither did I…)

Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending a very special evening courtesy of @GBchefs at which I learnt how to make the most delicious chocolate truffles in the world!

Great British Chefs is a relatively new venture that celebrates and champions the best in home-grown chefs across the UK. These are chefs who cook in their restaurants on a regular basis and whose food is distinctive and cooked with love. As somebody who has a French wife, I have spent the best part of the last decade championing UK cuisine – often just to prove a point to my gastronomically gifted French mother-in-law that we ‘ros-bifs’ are no longer just a nation of fish’n’chippers.

The good folk a Great British Chefs have managed to compile some amazing stories and content on their site and new iPhone/iPad app (more on that below) which is definitely worth a look for anybody who is passionate about good food.

Anyway, back to last Friday…

Great British Chefs’ lovely Mecca Ibrahim (a.k.a. @anniemole) invited a mix of London bloggers along to the wonderful Homemade London premises in the West End to attend a three hour workshop in making Armagnac ganache truffles from scratch. The inspiration for these chocolates was taken from Great British Chefs’ recipe collection donated by non-other than Michellin-starred chef Martin Wishart.

First, a brief word about Homemade London.  If you’re looking for a slice of creative heaven tucked away in a stylish corner of Marylebone, this is it. Homemade London brings together designers from multiple disciplines to host a wide-range of workshops and classes - from bag-making and lingerie to signature scent creation, upholstery and chandelier making in a cosy, warm and – most importantly – fun environment.

Nicola Barron from Homemade London

The venture is the brainchild of Nicola Barron, a fashion and interior design junkie who moved to Paris at age of 18 to immerse herself in the fashion industry before pursuing a career as a TV producer. After 10 years at the BBC she left in2009 to find a new challenge that would combine her skills and experience with her passion. As a serial evening-class attendee, she always struggled to find classes that taught her to make things she’d actually want to wear or keep. The inspiration for Homemade London came from a desire to learn from the designers she loves.

I have to say that Nicola and her delightful staff Farah and Kate is the embodiment of friendliness – something that becomes apparent from the moment you enter the premises. From the very first “hello” (accompanied by the always welcome ‘pop’ of a bottle of Prosecco), we bloggers were immediately put at ease as we were ushered to take a seat around a large table laden with Turkish Delight and lovingly wrapped Amaretti biscuits.

Joining me on the evening were some fantastically talented bloggers – some which I have known for a while and others that I was really happy to meet for the first time:

• Laura Porter: London Travel Guide  @AboutLondon
• Doreen Barber: Tasty Fever  @londondear
• Melinda Seckingon: Miss Geeky @mseckington
• Farhan Rehman: Conscious Communications @farhan
• Helen Piercy: Helen Animate  @helenanimate
• Miriam Nice: Cakes & Canapes @miriamjsnice (I should note that going on the looks of Miriam’s truffles, she’s probably an Olympic gold-medalist in canape making!)
• Rosana McPhee: Hot & Chilli  @Rosana_McPhee
• Jamillah Knowles: The Knight Patisserie @jemimah_knight
• Cristiano Betta: CristianoBetta.com @cbetta
• Mark Griffin – who was a Facebook Competition Winner @westpier

Once everyone had arrived, we descended to the basement where we were instructed to adorn our aprons and to split into pairs. I was lucky enough to have the wonderful Laura Porter as my partner in choco-crime and as Nicola began talking us through the recipe, Laura and I promptly divided the list of tasks among ourselves.

chocs away

After Laura expertly brought the double cream to the boil on our electric hob, I whisked in the organic, fair-trade chocolate trying unsuccessfully not to split the mixture when I added the butter. We then split the gooey-mix into two separate containers and added Armagnac to one lot and bergamot essence to the other (to give an Earl Grey flavour).

Life is like a box of chocolates: You can make a real mess of it...

We moved back upstairs whilst we left the chocolate to set in the fridge. For the next hour we were instructed by the adorable Farah on how to make a handmade decorative box into which the finished product would eventually go. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun playing with gift-wrap, scissors, cardboard, glue and ribbon… it was pure unashamed regression and I loved every second of it!

Box buddies: Rax and Cristiano

When our boxes were fully formed, decorated and festooned with an accompanying sleeve, we returned to the kitchen below where we finished off our truffles by shaping them into balls and coating with a generous helping of cocoa-powder and freeze-dried raspberry crumbs.

Mecca did an amazing job of putting together a bunch of really lovely people which made the whole evening even lovelier than it would have been. Maybe it was the wine, perhaps it was the sugar rush from the Turkish Delight… but I never thought that handicraft making would be this much fun!

The whole experience was something that I would never have considered doing but would now definitely recommend to anyone looking for something different to do in London. In fact, I’m considering taking the wife along soon so that she can appreciate the hard-work, effort and tears (of uncontrollable laughter) that went into making the box of delights that made up an unhealthy portion of her breakfast on Saturday morning.

The best thing is that whilst the recipe was penned by the great Martin Wishart it is easy enough to replicate at home. If you fancy having a go at the workshop, you can book yourself on to the same chocolate truffle course at Homemade London by visiting their website.

Armagnac Ganache Truffles by Martin Wishart

A massive thanks to (the GREAT) Great British Chefs for such an unusual and fun Friday evening. It’s worth checking out their  new app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, where12 of Britain’s most celebrated chefs have come together to connect food lovers with stunning recipes. Putting 180 dishes in the palm of your hand, the app gives users access to three customisable five-course menus from each chef, which they can either follow in full or use to make a bespoke menu of their own. The app is bursting with tips, videos, wine pairings, and a shopping list tailored to whichever dishes users want to make. Mecca took me through a walk-through of the app on both the iPhone and iPad and both versions showcased the recipes in the best possible way. Unfortunately, as an Android user I’ll have to wait a bit longer for the app to emerge on other platforms but it’s worth waiting for from what I’ve seen.

I’ve downloaded many cooking apps onto my phone and tablet over the last year and not one of them manages to come near the one created by Great British Chefs. What I like about the app is that whilst it has a really sexy interface with amazing photography and stylish fonts, the guide itself is extremely practical and allows you to add items to your shopping list, put a timer on whilst you’re actually making the dishes and also add your own footnotes to the text. The app manages to take the best features from other cooking apps out there and combine them into a really beautiful package well worth the £2.49 price-tag.

And for those of you without an iPhone/iPad, hold tight… GBChefs is be launching an extensive new website this autumn, bringing you even more chefs, hundreds of delectable recipes, new ‘how to’ technique videos, restaurant and recipe book reviews, plus much more.

Check out the video below and don’t forget to follow Great British Chefs on Twitter and on Facebook.

“Food Porn at its best” Time Out from Great British Chefs on Vimeo.

Hello everyone. My name is Rax… and I’m a Twitterholic. I’ve also had dependence issues with Facebook, YouTube, FourSquare and more recently G+. I don’t know where to turn to for answers (Quora, Yahoo Questions, AskJeeves…?).

Thanks to Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein of Ohr Naava,* my cries/silent-pokes for help may well be answered this Sunday as the world prepares for Day to Disconnect: October 2nd, 2011.

According to the Day to Disconnect website:

On that day thousands of people will voluntarily unplug their gadgets for some time – an hour, two or even all day. During this time, those who chose to disconnect will take pleasure in cherished relationships be it spouses, children, family, self or Gd. An important strategic partner for Ohr Naava’s Day to Disconnect initiative is Unplug and Reconnect. Headed by Dr. Joseph Geliebter, Unplug and Reconnect is a movement for people to find a balance between their technology-laden selves and their creative, emotional and spiritual needs.

Although it’s kind of depressing to find ourselves in the situation where we have to be reminded to cut loose the wi-fi signals now and again, the intentions of Day to Disconnect are really quite sweet. The goal is to collectively accumulate a million ‘disconnected hours’ on that single day from folk around the planet who will instead commit to reconnect with those important people in our lives.

The following video tries to bring home the point that we’re all addicted to the grid:

 http://youtu.be/-XiSIGPIi7s

To register your pledge to disconnect on Sunday, visit the website here or click on my profile page below.

What will you do with your web-free hours?

*Ohr Naava, Women’s Torah Center, founded in loving memory of Naava Katlowitz a”h, located in Brooklyn, NY, was established in 2004 by Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein. I wish everyone at the Center a very happy Rosh Hashanah this weekend.

After a tough few days, there’s nothing I enjoy more than flicking through the online pages of Google Labs to see what new gadgets, widgets, services and gizmos the clever folk at Google are currently playing around with. It’s almost as cathartic as reading WIRED magazine…

Today in Google Labs, I discovered Art Project powered by Google – a new venture which enables you to explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces.

Google’s partnering with some of the world’s most acclaimed art museums to bring both their galleries and artwork online is a stroke of genius, for in giving web-connected culture vultures what they long for, the company also gets a chance to show off how far it’s indexing technology has come in just a few years. Streetview technology allows people the freedom to walk around virtual replicas of gallery exhibitions and experience art almost as if they were physically there in person – all in high resolution.

The range of artwork is astounding, with everything from Van Goghs to Turners on display and with Google’s latest technology quite literally at your fingertips you can zoom in on masterpieces to find hidden flourishes and wonderful detail in every pixel.

This is a truly great educational tool for people who want to learn more about art – with links to YouTube videos, audio guides, artist biographies and gallery floor-plans. As someone who sometimes finds the world of classical art somewhat impenetrable, I can see Google’s Art Project helping to guide me through particular collections before I go and see them in real life. This tool could also help reluctant gallery visitors like me discover a new found love and interest in how art is curated and presented to the public.

Check out the video below before heading to www.googleartproject.com to discover for yourself the beauty of this project first hand.

I have to admit that I had never heard of Airbnb until the infographic below was posted on PSFK yesterday. I felt compelled to click on the image and discovered the amazing growth that this community marketplace for unique spaces has experienced since its launch in August 2008.

Airbnb connects people who have space to spare with those who are looking for a place to stay. Guests can build real connections with their hosts, gain access to distinctive spaces, and immerse themselves in the culture of their destinations.

A couple of years ago when I visited New York, Stephanie and I turned to Craig’s List to find a room in someone’s apartment to sleep in (in the city that never sleeps)- a  stone’s throw from the Big Apple’s iconic Times Square. Not only did we save a pretty penny on not staying in an overpriced tourist trap of a hotel, but we also made really good friends with our host who allowed us a glimpse into the life of a real New Yorker.

Airbnb takes this very same concept concept of self sourced accommodation to the masses by allowing people to discover an authentic, local side of the cities and cultures they visit while providing their hosts with a new stream of income.

Just searching for property in London gives a real mixture of rooms, flats, houses and suites at a fraction of the price of a hotel room:

Founded by Joe Gebbia, Brian Chesky, and Nathan Blecharczyk, the Airbnb story begins in the living room of Joe and Brian’s San Francisco loft in 2007. Alumni of the Rhode Island School of Design, they knew that a prominent design conference was coming to town, but that all the nearby hotel rooms had been booked solid. Living the ‘creativity can solve problems’ creed of their alma mater, they decided to offer up their place, along with tasty breakfast and local hospitality, to a few friendly strangers attending the event.

As it turned out, there were many people out there looking for places to stay where the hospitality was genuine and the M&Ms didn’t cost $6. In staying this way, their guests also gained insight into the city from a fresh, local perspective, making for a truly authentic and memorable experience. Two air mattresses, a thousand dollars, three new friends, and many high fives later, the entrepreneurs realised an opportunity. Soon after, the duo became a trio as master programmer, Nathan Blecharczyk, joined as the third co-founder. With the founding team complete, the three set off on a course to change the way people travel.

What began with three guys and airbeds has now evolved into a thriving business. Offering a diversity of accommodations – from private homes to private islands in over 8,000 cities in 166 countries – Airbnb unlocks the doors to unique spaces around the globe.

Vist Airbnb’s website for more information

The Internet has been nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its positive impact on humanity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaxD7R4QwC8&feature=player_embedded

We have finally realised that the Internet is much more than a network of computers.
It is an endless web of people. Men and women from every corner of the globe are connecting to one another, thanks to the biggest social interface ever known to humanity.
Digital culture has laid the foundations for a new kind of society.
And this society is advancing dialogue, debate and consensus through communication.
Because democracy has always flourished where there is openness, acceptance, discussion and participation. And contact with others has always been the most effective antidote against hatred and conflict.
That’s why the Internet is a tool for peace.
That’s why anyone who uses it can sow the seeds of non-violence.
And that’s why the next Nobel Peace Prize should go to the Net.

A Nobel for each and every one of us.

http://www.youtube.com/internetforpeace

http://internetforpeace.org/manifesto.cfm

The winning video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_PUKL1ZgM0

The Metropolitan Police have launched an online ‘whodunnit?’ video to teach teenagers in Lambeth how minimal involvement with a crime could see them charged with a serious offence.

The Who Killed Deon? site aims to show how real people can turn away from violent crime and uses integration with Facebook and YouTube to get their point across.

The online tool features six character films – each with a different connection to a murder and explanation whether that person was involved:

http://www.youtube.com/user/whokilleddeon

To watch the other videos visit facebook.com/whokilleddeon or visit the Who Killed Deon YouTube Channel.

Joint Enterprise is the theme that ties these web assets together. It’s a new buzz phrase used as part of the Met’s ongoing work with Project Trident and other gang related crime prevention campaigns and means that if your presence, knowledge or actions lead to a serious crime such as murder you too could be charged with murder. The message they want to project is that you don’t have to pull the trigger or stab somebody to be charged with murder. It could be supplying the weapon or driving the killer to the crime scene knowing that something bad is going to happen.

The DropTheWeapons website is rich in content and basic factual information and also encourages visitors to create their own material to support the campaign. The gallery pages are a good example of how the Met uses its audience’s creativity to get involved with DropTheWeapons and affiliations with credible music events like the MOBO Awards also add to the project’s validity.

I really like this initiative and whilst cynics may need convincing that the target audience for this campaign would actually be likely to visit the site, I admire the recognition that the Met Police has placed in platforms like Facebook and YouTube to carry weight with today’s youth audiences.

Tonally, the sites are spot on and there is plenty of content to keep people busy, hopefully learning as they explore.

If you want to find out more go to: www.droptheweapons.org

How long could you go without a computer? Three Carleton College students take on the challenge of giving up their computers to see how their academic, social, and work lives are affected. No Google. No Facebook. No e-mail.  How will they get their work done? Will they cheat? Who will survive the longest? This documentary follows students Andrew, Caitlin, and Chel as they go through “digital detox” and learn to interact with themselves and with others in ways we have largely forgotten.

“Consistently funny, philosophical… casually ingenious!” -Rob Nelson, Film Critic

“A fascinating documentary… highly recommended” – Video Librarian

Watch more free documentaries

Andrew Tatge:

“For many people it’s an age where digital interaction is cheap and pervasive. But there’s that doesn’t fully substitute for interacting and learning about a person face to face. I’d encourage people to try and wean themselves off computers just a tad. Not enough to be (self–)ostracized, but enough to get bored and do something other than browse the internet. You might learn something interesting about yourself and your real world relationships.”

We all deserve a bit / lot of happiness in our lives and Coca-Cola would agree with that sentiment.

Back in January I featured Coke’s Happiness Machine on this blog – a really nice video concept which made it’s way around the web from the US.

Well, the machine has now arrived in London and found it’s way on YouTube today. So far, the clip has racked up just under 3,700 views* – a modest amount compared to the million views that the original video received in it’s first week. However, whilst the impact of the first video is unlikely to be repeated with this UK version, the originality still shines through in the reaction of the folks in the clip.

I really like this little concept from Coca-Cola as it oozes the brand’s key values from every pore.  Look out for the 20 foot tray of cupcakes dispensed at the end.  Jealous.

Still, can’t complain, the Coke vending machine at my office dispenses two for the price of one if you press the right combination of buttons… and that makes ME happy!

[click here if you cannot view the embedded clip above]

To read more about Coca-Cola’s ‘fan-first’ approach to social media marketing, visit my earlier blog post here: http://raxraxrax.com/2010/02/26/coca-colas-new-fan-first-approach-to-marketing-its-the-real-thing/

The Happiness Machine brought me much birthday cheer today! Thanks Coca-Cola…

*UPDATE: 14:20 8th September:

A day in, the video has received over 61,000 views. I think YouTube’s delay in counting views should be factored in.

As part of the London Bloggers Meetup ‘bean themed’ meme that’s doing the rounds, here’s my attempt to win a luxury beanbag from Ambient Lounge.  Ambient Lounge’s designer bean bags are hopefully worth the effort that went into compiling this list of bloggers and their ‘bean’ equivalents. Random…

If London Bloggers were beans… what would they be?

TikiChris would be a Polynesian Green Bean

Because ‘Tiki’ refers to large wood and stone carvings of humanoid forms in Central Eastern Polynesian cultures of the Pacific Ocean. The term is also used as it relates to M?ori mythology where Tiki is the first man. If you know Chris (and you’d have to have been blogging in an isolation tank not to know him), Chris is definitely the First Man of the London blog scene, which is why I’ve made him the first in this list. For those of you interested in finding out how to make a tasty Polynesian Green Bean Salad, look no further than here. Warning: Yum Factor 10.

You can find Chris’ blogs here: http://tikichris.wordpress.com/

Epicurienne would be a Mexican Jumping Bean

Putting aside the fact that the last time I saw Epic was over dinner at a fab Mexican eatery (the name escapes me) where we shared a few frozen Margherita cocktails with our new spouses… Epicurienne is always fun, full of energy and relentless in her bounciness – much like a Mexican jumping bean or Jairo jumping bean which is a seed pod through which the larva of a small flea has chewed. The seed does not actually jump so much as wiggle because when it gets in a hot place the larva snaps its body hoping to roll to a cooler place. Spend an evening with Epic and you’ll see her wiggle as the temperature rises and she’ll be the one to follow on for a cool after-partaaaay.

Read Epicuriennes’s delicious blog here: http://epicurienne.wordpress.com/

Niamh from Eatlikeagirl would be an aromatic dish of Irish Beans

Healthy, honest, rustic, homely and unspoiled. That’s Niamh in a nutshell – unpretentiously delicious. Her love for all things food have won her many-an accolade including her recent listing on The Times Newspaper’s 40 Blogs That Really Count.

Irish beans are essentially baked beans but usually with less added sugar compared to traditional American and British baked beans. You see, she’s naturally sweet enough!

For those that know Niamh, you’ll testify to her all round oveliness and passion for blogging. Thanks Ireland – we’ll be keeping her in London forever.

Read eatlikeagirl’s  gastronomical adventures here: http://eatlikeagirl.com/

Lolly from BlogTillYouDrop would be French Beans

Too obvious? Perhaps. But hear me out… Varieties of les haricots verts have been bred especially for the flavour, or sweetness of their pods (and yes, like her name… Lolly too is a big sweetie!). And mirroring Lolly’s blog, French beans have a universal distribution – consumed by cultures all around the world and appreciated by all.

Discover Ooh La La Lolly here: http://www.laurenceborel.com/ or read the London Bloggers’ interview here: http://www.londonbloggers.net/422/the-blogger-interviews-laurence-borel/

The MyChemicalToilet blog’s author Stuart Waterman would be a humble tin of Rijoles Beans

The UK’s best known music event blog, whilst seasonal in much of its content focus is the Daddy of the festivals. So too is the tin of rijoles beans according to the Dry Bean Festival which takes place in the US of A every year in the town of Tracy, California. Now that’s one festival I’m sure Stuart would love to let his loyal readers know about. Although I think he’ll have to provide his own music for this get-together (beans-induced-bum-trumpet=flatulence anybody?)!

For the best, most up-to-date, from-the-horse’s-mouth festival news, read Stuart’s musings here: http://www.mychemicaltoilet.com/

Tom from the Ridiculant would have to be a laughing bean

What’s a laughing bean? Well if you’ve ever read the excellent Ridiculant column (nay, PAGE) in the morning Metro newspaper then this is the kind of shizzle that the talented Mr Phillips writes about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daWKQI29gpU

For more web-sized delights, visit the Ridiculant online: http://theridiculant.metro.co.uk/

The Sluttilicious Sian Meades from Sianyland and Domestic Sluttery fame would have to be a portion of Jimmy Beans Gourmet Coffee Beans covered in luxurious chocolate

http://www.jimmybean-online.com/

OK, so not as high end as fashionista Sian’s Jimmy Choos, but Jimmy’s Gourmet Coffee Beans are every bit as delectably scrumptious as the designer yumminess that she usually writes and tweets about.  The philosophy is simple: take something special, coat it in something even nicer – and there you have it – the embodiment of lushness. The same goes for Siany!

Follow her devilish exploits here: http://www.sianyland.com/ and http://www.domesticsluttery.com/

Ged Caroll the Renaissance Chambara Man would have to be an Edamamme Bean

Firstly, I’ve yet to meet anybody in London who is so up to speed on Japanese culture. Edamamme has affectionately become known as the Hoxton Peanut – as sushi bars around London stock up on the morish snack. You can have it with salt or with dried chilli – just pop the pods and munch. Like Ged’s daily link summaries (you must subscribe to these), a bowl of Edamamme can be a satisfying meal in itself and once you sample the goods, it’s difficult not to crave more.

If you haven’t read Ged’s blog – stop reading mine straight away and go and see how a pro does it: http://renaissancechambara.jp/

Malcom Eggs from The London Review of Breakfasts can only be baked beans (what else!?)

Immortalised by the Johnny Cash song Beans for Breakfast, no full-English would be complete without a portion of baked beans (Heinz or any other brand).

“Wish you’d come back and wash the dishes, I’m a hungry nasty lonesome man
Caught a cold with the window open, crow droppings o my window sill
Probably got histoplasmosis, got no gun or I would kill them crows
Beans for breakfast once again, hard to eat ‘em from the can.”

Now that’s proof that the late Mr Cash certainly had a way with words, but if you want to meet a modern day wordsmith who knows a thing or two about where to have the most important meal of the day, you just need to visit this site: http://londonreviewofbreakfasts.blogspot.com/

The clever fella behind the Londoneer Blog would have to be a Pearl Bean

Never heard of pearl beans? Put away your Oyster Card, the reason I chose the pearl bean for the Londoneer is a reference to the Pearly Kings and Queens of the old East End. Pearly Kings and Queens, known as pearlies, are an organised charitable tradition of working class culture in our great capital.

The Londoneer also mentions the Hackney Pearl cafe in a recent blog post about Urban Picnicing (http://thelondoneer.blogspot.com/2010/08/urban-picnic-hackney-wick.html), so I thought I’d be all clever and assign him the pearl as a bean.

Anyway, if you want to discover London from the point of view of someone who lives and breathes it, go here: http://thelondoneer.blogspot.com/

Annie Mole would be a Castor Bean

The castor bean is sometimes called mole plant from the practice of placing castor bean seeds in mole runs where the rodents will hopefully eat the seeds and perish. When you spot a castor bean growing in the middle of someone’s lawn, you can bet that the moles missed one. Now I have to declare that I am not advocating the poisoning of moles here – and in particular, if anyone even suggests being horrible to the wonderful Ms Annie Mole then I’ll confiscate your iPhone Tube Map for a whole year.

Annie Mole’s London Underground blog is so famous that if you google it, it often appears above the official TfL London Underground website! The blog has been going since 2003 and it reveals a wickedly funny look at all things Tube based.

Submerge yourselves here: http://london-underground.blogspot.com (don’t forget to Mind The Gap).

Steve Waddington would be a Runner Bean

Apart from the fact that Steve is one of the co-managing director of Speed, the London based PR agency launched in March 2009 he also joined Admiral PR & Marketing as non-executive chairman in January 2010. The guy’s got insight that even Gandhi would bow down before, and his Speed and agility earns him the title of chief Runner Bean.

http://wadds.co.uk/ and http://www.speedcommunications.com/blogs/wadds/

Will Corden couldn’t really be anything other than a Splendid Espresso Caramba Bean

(given the fact that he works at my old agency Splendid Communications)

Sadly our paths never crossed as I had moved on before will began his time at Splendid but judgng by his blog, the coffee bean is an apt moniker as his content is full of energy and provides mental stimulation with every read.

Discover Will’s World for yourself here: http://willcorden.wordpress.com/

David J Lowe is definitely a Locust Bean

He’s fast becoming one of my favourite Londonites – a seriously intelligent guy with a lot of creative business ideas which make you want to shake him in hope that some of his knowledge will accidentally spill out of his big brain and hit you on the way out. Why the Locust Bean? Well having had the pleasure of having dinner with David on a couple of occasions and hearing him talk about the future of tech marketing, it’s clear that this guy’s gonna clean up the market. Not just clean up, but create a powerful swarm of creative consciousness that will be visible from afar.

Also, Locust Bean Gum can induce sneezing fits which is lucky as David’s blog is called Sneezy Head: http://sneezyhead.wordpress.com

Chris Reed (a.k.a. The Ginger Monkey) is a plate of Talsani (Green Beans with Ginger)

OK, so you see what I did there? I Googled “Ginger”+”Bean” and came up with Talsini (http://www.aayisrecipes.com/2009/11/05/green-beans-with-ginger-beans-talasani/). Big whoop. But wait… upon closer inspection, there lies a hidden depth to my bean selection process…

Chris Reed – PR by day. Web evangelist by night. Music fan at the weekend. Full time ginger and dad. In short, Chris is a man of complexities rivalled only by an exotic Bangladeshi dish like Talsani. Fiery chilli, fresh green beans, finely dissected onions, soothing ginger… look no further than his brilliant blog and you’ll see where these layers of flavour manifest themselves: http://thegingermonkey.blogspot.com/

Mauricio Samayoa is the undisputed King of the Green Coffee Bean

The time that Mauricio spent working in El Salvadore (yes, LinkedIn is wonderful) is part of the inspiration for this bean selection, which is a native crop in that part of the world. But aside from the geography, Mauricio is well suited to the smooth, suave, richness of character that is associated with the Salvadorian green coffee bean.

If you want somebody who is extremely knowledgeable about word of mouth PR, he’s your man. There’s nothing green about this seasoned comms guru. As well as being one of We Are Social’s busiest bees, Mauricio is also a new dad, which means that the coffee sure comes in handy after those sleepless nights!

Read Mauricio’s blogs here: http://www.mauriciosamayoa.com and http://www.theguanaco.com

Michelle Lyons is a Castanospermum australe (Austrailian Black Bean)

This Antipodean beauty is a wonderfully complex bean which was used extensively as a cabinet timber.  Cabinet? How apt, considering Michelle’s impressive experience in Government comms – most recently within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The castanospernum austral has a beautiful exotic flower which sums up Michelle to a tee.

Read her work here: http://michlyons.wordpress.com/

Rachel Clarke would have to be a Stringless Bean

No, not as in silent violin… as in she ‘aint no puppet on a string! Rachel’s vast background in comms means that she is the go to person for excellent strategic advice. She is vocally eloquent in her writing style and her posts do pack a punch. That said, she’s also bloody nice. Really nice. So much so that I always tend to hover around her like a mosquito with personal boundary issues at the London Bloggers Meetups. Great conversation guaranteed.

As well as catching her regular appearances as a news reviewer on Sky News, you can see what she’s all about here: www.digitalstuffing com and www.blog.bibrik.com

Godwyns Onwuchekwa is undeniably a Velvet Bean Extract (Mucuna Pruriens)

His skill for penning Erotic fantasies in poetic form makes him Mr. Velvet in my book. The Mucuna Pruriens is also a well known aphrodisiac – useful after reading some of his steamy posts!

Read his work for the Justice for Gay Africans Society here (really great site): http://jfga.org.uk/blog/

Tom from tiredoflondontiredoflife.com is a Guarana Bean

For those of you who tend to steer well away from energy drinks, Guarana is a bean found mostly in Brazil and it has 3x the amount of caffeine as coffee. Chemically it is very similar to coffee beans but much more potent. Which is why, if you’re tired of life in London, Tom’s blog will definitely provide an instant pick-me-up with lots of great ideas of things to do and see in this great capital of ours.

http://www.tiredoflondontiredoflife.com/

Zoe Bran would be a handful of Mescal Beans

Mescal whaaaaat? Mescal Beans are also called sophora secundiflora beans, Colorines, Frijoles, Red Beans or Texas Mountain Laurel. Mescal Beans grow as a shrub that has violet flowers and these bright red highly toxic seeds or beans which have been used in jewellery and crafts for centuries. In addition to this they have also been used for hallucinogenic purposes by tribe shamans. It is said that one bean can cause a death of an adult individual. Not that Zoe would advocate that on her blog. She focuses on the healing aspect of Shamanism.

Prepare to be wowed here: http://www.shaman.uk.net/

Julie Bodart wins the much coveted title of Cocoa Bean

Coming from Belgium, she has the claim to the bean from which chocolate is made. Mmmm…. Yum. Apart from being Belgian Julie blogs about all things digital comms.

Read her views here (they’re very good): http://www.juliebodart.com/#f55/wordpress

Lewis Webb would have to be Java Decaff Smooth Roast Coffee Beans

If there were an election tomorrow to vote for the King of suave, Lewis would win hands down. As well as being one of the main organisers of Shoreditch Twit, Lewis also spends his days at Ketchum, coming up with creative digital PR campaigns for some amazing brands. You can’t get smoother than Lewis. FACT. He’s decaff too, because the guy’s unflappable. He’s just cool… personified.

Learn more about the Webb master here: http://www.lewiswebb.com/

The wonderful RadioKate would be a six bean casserole

The fact that Kate was campaigning hard to save BBC Radio 6 from closing down, makes her a good contender for this feast of a meal (http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/165075/six-bean-casserole). Just like the dish, RadioKate’s blog always provides wholesome views which are at times extremely inspirational. Read her recent post on all the Good Things she’s done this year: http://radiokate.com/2010/07/27/good-things/

http://www.RadioKate.com

Ben Matthews is a Bright Bean Salad

As the founder of BrightOne Communications, nobody could doubt Ben’s ‘Bright’ credentials (he is very, very, very smart). This Bright Bean Salad recipe is very easy to follow and can be put together in no time. http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/bright_bean_salad

You can reach Ben at BrightOne Communications: http://brightone.org.uk/

Abul Hussein is going to have to go down in this list as Greek fassolia gigantes beans

No, I’m not making it up – there are actually beand called fassolia gigantes… and yes, they do come from Greece. But why pick these for mobile blogger Abul? Well he goes by the name of Adonis in blogging circles and those of you with some classical knowledge will be aware that Adonis is a Greek God  (the young lover of Aphrodite, no less) so what could be more fitting than humungous Greek beans!?

Abul is also a GIANT of the blogging world. Read his work here: www.adonisdemon.com and www.adonismobile.com

The delectable Liz Ayan is a bean-counter. No two ways about it

I don’t mean that in a boring Accountant way, but more as an accolade and testament to her blogging work within local government. In times when every penny counts and budgets are stretched tighter than a gnat’s chuff, Liz seems to cut through the red-tape and put things into some framework that makes sense. It just does.

Read Liz’s insights here: http://www.lgeoresearch.com

Melinda Seckington is a Geeky Bean

End of. She just is: http://geekybean.com/

See why, here: http://missgeeky.com/

Cristiano Betta is a Kopi luwak bean

As a new cat owner, Cristiano may be aware of the infamous civet coffee which is affectively known as ‘cat poop’ coffee where the coffee bean is ingested by a civet cat and then pooped out to make apparently superior blend of coffee. Sounds lovely.

As a developer, Cristiano must already be used to burning the candle at both ends and as such would know a thing or two about the importance of good quality java.

Read his blog here: http://blog.cristianobetta.com/

Melanie Seasons has to be a Red Noodle Bean

Firstly, I have to say that Melanie is one of my new favourite bloggers of all time. Ever. She’s fab. Her blog fakeplasticnoodles is part of the inspiration for this choice of bean. Secondly, Melanie describes herself as a ‘red’ person: http://www.my-homebased-business.com/personality-type-color-red.html

If you want to know why I rate her work, just read some of her blogs: http://fakeplasticnoodles.com/ and http://omnomlondon.com/

Mex Ibrahim is a hiccup inducing portion of Spicy Beans

How else would you make Tex-Mex platter? http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/spicy-beans-tex-mex-recipe.htm

Mex (and yes, three letter names ending in ‘X’ are all the rage, I hear) is a major force in community management blogs. What Mex doesn’t know about social media quite frankly isn’t worth bothering with.

If you want to be kept up to date with latest online trends, sign up to her bits and pieces here: http://meccaibrahim.co.uk/

She also blogs elsewhere…

Gillian Edwards is definitely a Jelly Bean

Writing under the Minxology title, Gill is fun, fruity and very sweet. Having worked with Gill many moons ago, I can safely say that if you’re looking for someone with a diverse skill-set and lots of creativity – Gill’s your gal.

Explore her Minx-like exploits here: http://minxology.blogspot.com/

Ruthy Isadore is a chick pea

Yup, it’s a bean – not a pea! Ruthy is a real gem of a blogger. She’s so full of life and is a refreshingly bubbly member of the London blogging set who is guaranteed to have you smiling within the first few seconds of meeting her. She’s a fun, chick with a wonderful sense of hummous(!)…

Find out more about Ruthy here: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/ruthisadore

Matt Churchill is a (Seldom Seen) KidneyBean

The man behind the Seldom Seen Kid is a purist in his approach to working digitally. As a blogger, and generally subversive type, being honest, transparent and holistic in what he does both personally and professionally, is very important to Matt.

As well as writing about digital campaigns, Matt is also a keen music aficionado, and his blog often contains some great insights into the musician’s mind (e.g. http://geetarchurchy.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/inside-the-mind-of-a-music-blogger/).

Seldom Seen but Often Read: http://geetarchurchy.wordpress.com

Kai is a Fava Bean kinda guy

Because he’s so reliable that you can always depend on him to help out as a fava (favour). Tenuous bean naming? Perhaps. But the truth remains that Kai is a real gent and has a solid reputation within the London blogging circuit as a bit of a party animal. He’s the guy who looks seemingly sober when you meet him at the end of the night but looks can sometimes be extremely deceptive!

Kai is a kickass product designer, focused on user experience. Take a look at his work here: http://kaigani.com/

Matt Brown is a Soy Bean

For those of us who regularly read theLondonist.com, you will be familiar with Matt’s scientific knowledge.  Here’s a  scientific fact for Matt : In 1932-33 the Ford Motor Company spent approximately $1,250,000 on soybean research. By 1935 every Ford car had soy involved in its manufacture. For example, soybean oil was used to paint the automobiles as well as being used as fluid for shock absorbers. Ford’s involvement with the soybean opened many doors for agriculture and industry to be linked more strongly than it ever had before.

If you want a less nerdy read on scientific matters, read Matt’s work at: http://londonist.com/

Peter Marshall is a Camera Bean Bag

When I met Peter Marshall at one of the London Bloggers Meetups a while ago, I was impressed with his immense passion for photography. I shouldn’t have been surprised, as Peter is one of London’s best photography bloggers. Which is why he deserves a camera bean bag (http://www.camerabeanbags.co.uk/).

Plus – he’s a really genuine guy with a lot of interesting stories up his sleeve. If you see him at the next LBM, buy him a pint.

Read his blog here: http://re-photo.co.uk

Andy and Katie Bargery are a pair of Black Eyed Peas

London’s blogging equivalent of Posh and Becks, Katie and Andy are the founders of the amazing London Bloggers Meetup and are the unsung heros of many a great blogger party.

Yes, they’re both as cute as a pair of baby panda bears, but that’s not the logic behind the Black Eyed Pea reference. They’re both Black Eyed Peas because when the next LBM comes along, we’ll all be singing…

This song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSD4vsh1zDA

Read their blogs here:

Me

Oh… and finally, If I were a bean I could only be this guy:

See you next week at the London Bloggers Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/blog-395/calendar/14537348/ on September 8th.

[It's Bean Emotional]

Just wanted to share this gem of a story with you all by the genius that was Douglas Adams (author of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy):

This actually did happen to a real person, and the real person was me. I had gone to catch a train. This was April 1976, in Cambridge, U.K. I was a bit early for the train. I’d gotten the time of the train wrong.

I went to get myself a newspaper to do the crossword, and a cup of coffee and a packet of cookies. I went and sat at a table.

I want you to picture the scene. It’s very important that you get this very clear in your mind.

Here’s the table, newspaper, cup of coffee, packet of cookies. There’s a guy sitting opposite me, perfectly ordinary-looking guy wearing a business suit, carrying a briefcase.

It didn’t look like he was going to do anything weird. What he did was this: he suddenly leaned across, picked up the packet of cookies, tore it open, took one out, and ate it.

Now this, I have to say, is the sort of thing the British are very bad at dealing with. There’s nothing in our background, upbringing, or education that teaches you how to deal with someone who in broad daylight has just stolen your cookies.

You know what would happen if this had been South Central Los Angeles. There would have very quickly been gunfire, helicopters coming in, CNN, you know. . . But in the end, I did what any red-blooded Englishman would do: I ignored it. And I stared at the newspaper, took a sip of coffee, tried to do a clue in the newspaper, couldn’t do anything, and thought, what am I going to do?

In the end I thought, nothing for it, I’ll just have to go for it, and I tried very hard not to notice the fact that the packet was already mysteriously opened. I took out a cookie for myself. I thought, that settled him. But it hadn’t because a moment or two later he did it again. He took another cookie.

Having not mentioned it the first time, it was somehow even harder to raise the subject the second time around. “Excuse me, I couldn’t help but notice . . .” I mean, it doesn’t really work.

We went through the whole packet like this. When I say the whole packet, I mean there were only about eight cookies, but it felt like a lifetime. He took one, I took one, he took one, I took one. Finally, when we got to the end, he stood up and walked away.

Well, we exchanged meaningful looks, then he walked away, and I breathed a sigh of relief and sat back. A moment or two later the train was coming in, so I tossed back the rest of my coffee, stood up, picked up the newspaper, and underneath the newspaper were my cookies.

The thing I like particularly about this story is the sensation that somewhere in England there has been wandering around for the last quarter-century a perfectly ordinary guy who’s had the same exact story, only he doesn’t have the punch line.

(Excerpted from “The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time” by Douglas Adams)