Chocolate is an ideal treat: it does not spoil your teeth and figure, invigorates better than coffee, strengthens blood vessels and the nervous system. Its wonderful aroma always lifts your spirits. Imagine what it smells like where tons of chocolate are produced? “Chocolate” cities are scattered around the world, which we will talk about in this article.
Switzerland
Switzerland is a country where each resident eats on average 12 kilograms of chocolate per year. It was here that they came up with the idea of producing milk chocolate. This happened in 1876, and soon inventor Daniel Peter, in collaboration with entrepreneur Henry Nestle, created the most famous brand of Swiss chocolate, Nestle.
By the way, it is the Cailler-Nestlé company, together with the GoldenPass Services railway network, that sends out the “Chocolate Train” from Montreux to Gruyères every summer and autumn: a modern panoramic and retro carriage from 1915, Belle Epoque, stops at the cheese factory Gruyères and then head to Broc for a tour of one of the chocolate factories.
Belgium
Belgian chocolate, which became famous over time, did not have an exquisite taste at first and was sold only in pharmacies. Doctors considered chocolate the best remedy for anemia and colds. One day, pharmacist Neuhaus decided to give the medicine a more pleasant taste, which customers liked so much that he had to build the country’s first chocolate factory. And the son of that pharmacist, Jean, in 1912 added a mixture of nuts fried with sugar to chocolate, creating the most famous filling – praline.
In the Belgian city of Bruges, a 17th-century castle houses one of the best chocolate museums in the world. The museum’s exhibits tell the story of how people began to produce chocolate from cocoa beans. And the Indian tribes of the Mayans and Aztecs even sacrificed cocoa beans to the gods.
Spain
20 kilometers from the city of Alicante is the small town of Villajoyosa, famous for the fact that Valor, the main chocolate factory in Spain, is located here. A museum has been opened at the factory, where they not only tell the history of chocolate in Spain, but also arrange a tour of the factory itself, and most importantly, a store where, before purchasing, you can try all types of chocolate produced by Valor: from classic bitter with 70% cocoa to Spanish specialty with oranges and roasted corn kernels.
Mexico
It is Mexico that humanity owes chocolate: the Aztecs drank a viscous drink made from cocoa beans with spices. Impressed by the taste of “chocolatl,” the conquistadors brought it to Europe. Today in Mexico the most “chocolate city” is Oaxaca. It was here that the first chocolate cafes appeared with a hot drink called “tejate”, which is brewed from cocoa, corn, cinnamon and spices. There is a smell of chocolate everywhere, you can hear the sound of hand-grinding cocoa beans, and shops selling all kinds of cocoa products occupy an entire street. The restaurants hold master classes on making hot chocolate, chapulines – fried grasshoppers in chocolate glaze, and mole negro sauce: a spicy condiment made from dark chocolate with butter and pepper.
USA
In America, the most popular chocolate brand is Hershey’s: the factory was opened at the end of the last century in Pennsylvania and today it is a huge enterprise where hundreds of varieties of chocolate are produced. You can observe the production process in the boutique at the factory, where there is a 3D cinema, a museum and a tasting room. In Seattle, Theo Chocolate company produces the most environmentally friendly chocolate in the USA. For 6-8 dollars you can visit the plantations and factory. And in San Francisco, the Scharffenberger company, located in an old brick building on Tennessee Street, invites you to its museum, cafe and even a beauty salon where you can take a chocolate bath.
Italy
Turin is considered the undisputed capital of chocolate in Italy. It was in this city that at the end of the 18th century they learned how to make solid chocolate from liquid chocolate and invented chocolate candies wrapped in wrappers, and in the mid-20th century – Nutella chocolate spread. The famous Ferrero Rocher and Raffaello sweets are produced here. In Turin you can try a hot cocktail of chocolate, coffee and cream called bicerin, Turin chocolate liqueur and other sweet delicacies.
Indonesia, Bali
Indonesia’s climate is ideal for growing cocoa trees, from which they recently learned to make wonderful Monggo dark chocolate. Indonesian chocolate is absolutely natural and contains a lot of cocoa: from 58% and above. It is also interesting for its fillings: dates and mango, strawberry jam and chili pepper.
On the island of Bali, you can, by pre-registering, take a tour of the Big Tree Farms chocolate factory, where organic chocolate is produced at low temperatures. In addition to sweets, you can buy cosmetics and cocoa butter here.
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