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TURNING JAPANESE
The Japan Matsuri (London Japanese Festival) is being held on Saturday at Spitalfields Market, from 10am to 8pm. As well as arts and crafts, music and drama, a range of Japanese restaurants will have stalls including Matsuri St James, Mugen, Tsuru, Yoshino, Bincho Yakatori and So Restaurant. Japanese bakers will sell Doraykai (a pair of sweet pancakes filled with red bean paste) and there will be a number of specialist sake brewers. japanmatsuri.com

CHOCOLATE FOR A GOOD CAUSE
The Guild of Fine Food, Chelsea chocolatier Demarquette and the charity Action Against Hunger have joined forces to produce some very special chocolate bars. Made with Vietnamese cocoa from the Ben Tre estate, both the plain and the milk versions won three-star gold medals at the 2010 Great Taste Awards. This chocolate bar is only available from independent food shops and delis and the price — £3.99 per 70g bar — includes a donation of £1 to Action Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organisation committed to saving the lives of malnourished children. Look for the bars at independent delis such as Panzer's.
13-19 Circus Road, NW8 (020 7722 8162, panzers.co.uk). demarquette.com, actionagainsthunger.org.uk, greattasteawards.co.uk

WILD AT HEART
It looks as if it is going to be a notable year for wild mushrooms, and there are already reports of good quality cèpes. Chef Bruno Loubet has a picture on his mobile phone of an impressive haul but he is very secretive when asked just where he picked them. If you can't get to Epping or the New Forest, try foraging at Chelsea's La Pascalou — French cèpes are £34 a kilo.
Le Pascalou, 359 Fulham Road, SW10 (020 7352 1717)