Globetrotting for chocoholics

Jan 19, 2012 5:23:47 AM

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Love chocolate? Discover how to feel full of beans on this non-stop choc-focused tour of the planet.

Flanders, Belgium

Belgians love chocolate almost as much as they love beer – which is to say, a lot. And it’s not just any old chocolate: the Belgians are proud of quality and innovation, and Flanders in particular boasts some of the planet’s finest and most imaginative chocolatiers. Look out for Hans Burie’s flamboyant creations in Antwerp and Laurent Gerbaud’s Orient-inspired offerings in Brussels. Both Bruges and Brussels boast museums where you can learn more about the history and production of chocolate.

Ghana

Next time you munch a bar of Dairy Milk, think of Tetteh Quarshie. Who? The man who planted the first cacao seeds in Ghana, germinating the agricultural industry that made Ghana the primary cocoa exporter for most of the 20th century. You can visit Ghana’s first cocoa plant at Quarshie’s farm, and learn about chocolate production at the Tafo Cocoa Research Institute near Koforidua.

Southern Belize

In the beginning there was the pod, and the pod was good… Way before Columbus got lost on his way to the East Indies, the Maya and Aztecs of Central America were tucking into xocolatl and kukuh – bitter, spiced drinks concocted from cacao beans. Today, the cacao growers of Belize’s southern Toledo district have received a new lease of life thanks to Green & Black’s chocolate, whose Maya Gold bars are based on the ancient kukuh recipe. Arrange to visit a plantation to see the plants, taste fresh-picked beans and experience chocolate as ‘pod’ intended – through the Toledo Cacao Growers Association (if you’re able to plan it, get there for the cacao festival, on from 20-22 May 2011).

Venezuela

Purists know that the rarest and finest of the three varieties of cocoa bean is the criollo – chocolate snobs lovingly describe its lingering aftertaste as featuring vanilla, caramel and nuts. Venezuela, and specifically the Paria Peninsula – known as the ‘Chocolate Coast’ – is the origin of the most sought-after criollos, chuao and porcelana. The best are grown on small family-run farms, such as Hacienda Bukare, which you can visit (and where, more importantly, you can get samples!).

Bournville, Birmingham, England

It’s not quite Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory (where are the Oompa-Loompas?), but Birmingham’s Cadbury World feeds the need in us all to drool over big vats of brown liquid loveliness and watch naked bars whizz through wrapping machines. Take the tour, taste the goods and go wild in the World’s Biggest Cadbury Shop. Yum.

Turin, Italy

Ever since Duke Filiberto introduced the sweet Aztec drink he’d discovered on his conquistadoring in the late 16th century, the city’s been mad for all things cocoa. Chocolate shops are numerous (and top-notch) along the grand boulevards and piazzas. Pop into Guido Gobino’s emporium (Via Cagliari, 15b) for a true taste of Turin – the man is a master of the gianduja, a sensational hazelnut-chocolate combo that’s been the culinary symbol of the city since its invention in 1867. Turin’s three-week chocolate festival, CioccolaTò, is held every March.

Switzerland

This compact nation has the highest per-capita chocolate consumption in the world, and has spawned some of the most famous makers: Lindt, Nestlé, Suchard and Toblerone all call Switzerland home. For factory fun visit the Nestlé-Calliers site near Gruyères (free samples included!), or for handmade pralines and top truffles try one of the Sprüngli outlets – the company has been crafting cocoa since 1836.

Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA

Welcome to the self-declared Sweetest Place on Earth! This chocolate-scented town, HQ of the Hershey’s empire, is a US institution and has spawned a whole resort of chocothemed entertainment. Sip choc martinis in a Hershey-themed restaurant and slap your picture on a chocolate bar at Hershey’s Chocolate World before being smeared with therapeutic cocoa at the Hershey’s Chocolate Spa. Sweet.

Grenada, Caribbean

Drive from Grenada’s capital St George’s through the misty, monkey-swung highland forests of Grand Etang National Park and you’ll eventually reach remote Hermitage St Patrick’s – home to arguably the best chocolate in the world. The minuscule Grenada Chocolate Company produces award-winning bars and cocoa in the most ethical fashion: beans are grown, picked, processed and packed in the onsite factory-cum-family-abode; the electricity is solar-powered and the business a local cooperative, directly benefiting those on the doorstep.

Paris, France

Chocoholics, you’ve found your heaven. First, check out the top-end goods – a visit to one of Robert Linxe’s Maison du Chocolat stores will start you drooling. Then stop for refreshment at a chocolate cafe before booking in at the Lenôtre Culinary School for a cocoa cooking-class. And, if you’ve timed your trip at the right time, sample the chocolate demonstrations, fashion shows and sculptures of the Salon du Chocolat festival.

This article was updated in Jan 2012.

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Comments

22 January 2010 4:14PM ivalun Report this comment
Mexico is the place where cocoa was discovered, and Oaxaca is the place where you can still sample the chocolate as it was originally prepared by many of the Mesoamerican cultures there. So now my question is, why Mexico is not on this list???
2 February 2010 7:02PM finspitz0 Report this comment
The "All you can eat" Chocolate Buffet at the Metropole in Hanoi is amazing. It only costs $12 and the chocolate is exquisite. They have chocolates, chocolate cakes, chocolate fountains etc.
2 February 2010 7:19PM sanniemannie Report this comment
Bariloche, chocolate capital of Argentina, hmm, try to walk past one of the many chocolate shops, it's just not possible! You have to walk in and buy chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.
3 February 2010 5:14AM akai_tonbo Report this comment
Secret from a choco-holic: the most magical morsel I've tasted in all of my travels was from Michel Chaudun in the 7th arrondisement of Paris. It was a tiny rectangle of dark chocolate with red basil ganache inside. What a unique and explosive flavor! If you're in Paris near the Eiffel Tower, it is not to be missed!
3 February 2010 10:19AM emilyjune_83 Report this comment
There is a Cadbury factory in Tasmania, Australia which I visited, it was interesting and there was lots of cheap chocolates to buy at the end of the tour. But, there is a Chocolate museum in Cologne, Germany. They have a good cafe and the museum has everything even a greenhouse with cocoa plants growing there. This is worth a visit for sure.
3 February 2010 10:32AM matureoz Report this comment
Good quality dark chocolate is my weakness and I hunt it out every where I go. They make great dark fudge chocolate in Arequipa, Peru and the most unlikely place to find delicious bitter high cocoa content chocolate is Ulaanbaatar Railway Station (Mongolia)!
3 February 2010 11:05AM marialopez Report this comment
ECUADOR
3 February 2010 11:34AM wanderingshoes Report this comment
Ooty, India was a surprise chocolate spot...stuff's generally a bit on the sweet side, but I found a nice 70% from Indian beans. Chuao, VZ is unparalleled--but don't expect good bars. best chocolate ice cream i've ever had though. Melbourne tempted me with chocolatiers like Cacao and Koko Black, among others. Ecuador is on the cusp of good chocolatourism.
4 February 2010 5:47AM shahrizad Report this comment
Damascus, Syria. Near the Cham Palace hotel, in the new part of the city, stands the chocolate paradise: Graoui. The christian family running this "chocolate boutique" are keeping a hand-made process that produces top quality cacao in European "format" (imitating Belgian chocolates, etc) and then the best: middle East style chocolate, fascinating combinations of a dried peach filled with pistachios in a black chocolate "bath", to mention my favourite. And thousand and one more combinations... A must in the place you'd think there's no quality chocolate.
9 February 2010 6:44PM ubabudo Report this comment
Try dark chocolates made with SAO TOME & PRINCIPE's cocoa, or directly from the unique cholate firm in that country, Claudio Corallo, or the other firms which work with him. Saotomean origine chocolate is the best! Mor info in: http://www.saotomeprincipe.eu/chocolate
9 February 2010 11:28PM mariarita Report this comment
VIETNAM HANOI I missed the all you can eat buffet at the Metropole, but the chocolate pastries at Thuy Ta Cafe were a good replacement. Even french chocolate lovers agreed.
16 March 2010 10:04PM terryificman Report this comment
Berlin might not be the first city you'd think of in connection with chocolate, but, oh boy, they do the stuff well here. Starting with hot chocolate, the best breakfast by far has to be in the Tiergarten at Café Am Neuen See where you can choose from Hot Dark Chocolate, Hot Milk Chocolate or Hot White Chocolate. Or take all three!!! Next stop - KaDeWe department store for a breathtaking chocolate selection on the 6th floor ... then maybe over to Gendarmenmarkt to the spectacular Fassbender and Rausch chocolate shop and café - drown in chocolate liqueurs, cakes of all descriptions, hot chocolates of all strengths...even full flavoured green tea with cocoa shavings and toffee. And when you're done there, head round the corner to the newly opened Ritter chocolate shop on Französische Str - chocolate galore! Here kids (from 7-18....well, you try pretending..) can take courses in making and even inventing their own chocolate.
26 March 2010 4:14PM hotcat52 Report this comment
Mexico is a great place for remarkable chocolate, Coyocan, Mexico City, Sanburns, San Miguel de Allenda and the list goes on.
12 August 2010 4:03PM vineeta Report this comment
We went to this fabulous chocolate shop in Freiburg im Breisgau, where you could taste chocolates ranging from 30% cocoa content to 90-95% cocoa content! It was a great experience! Absolutely worth a visit, not to mention the fantastic town has many attractions.
13 November 2010 8:47AM tisano Report this comment
Real chocolate lovers will be delighted to learn that you can now drink cacao with Tisano Cacao Tea, www.tisano.com also you can buy the rarest Venezuelan beans at Eastbluff Trading Company, www.eastblufftrading.com you won't regret it, amazing flavors an orgasmic experience...
15 December 2010 7:16AM thomaswamsteker Report this comment
Belgium definitely is the best chocolate chocolate spot in the world! Actually Brussels is not situated in Flanders (nor in Wallonia), but in the Brussels-Capital Region.
22 April 2011 9:09PM conorleahy Report this comment
Bayonne, France! Cazenave for (hot) chocolate!
23 April 2011 3:02AM howtotraveler Report this comment
My favorite chocolate comes from Theo Chocolates in Seattle: http://www.theochocolate.com/.
23 April 2011 6:43AM stephanusoptimus Report this comment
Wedel's in Warsaw, Poland.
http://www.wedelpijalnie.pl/english
23 April 2011 7:52PM kirri_c Report this comment
I am a totally chocoholic. The best hot chocolate i've ever had was at Harrods in London.
24 April 2011 5:07AM peejiferous Report this comment
Hershey's? Are you kidding? Just because they have a theme park does not make it a place for chocoholics. Ugh, gross, pthuey! Makes me want to eat my Lindt bar in my cupboard, to get the taste out of my mouth...
27 April 2011 2:01PM lorenadepalma Report this comment
hello, there are many controversies about the origin of cocoa and recently specialist cant confirm it was in mexico. There are new studies demonstrated that the best and the birth of cocoa was Venezuela, in Mexico there is enough publicity about the cocoa and the other countries havent disputes about,so is born the false belife that cocoa originates in mexico
28 April 2011 6:03AM pythagoras Report this comment
I agree with akai_tonbo - Michel Chaudun has the most magical chocolate on the planet. I used to live a few blocks from his shop in the 7th. I can't believe he's not on this list! La Maison du Chocolat boring in comparison. Michel travels the world to find the best cocoa beans. And all of his chocolates are hand-crafted - he's an artist! All others pale in comparion! His chocolate is truly extraordinary!
10 May 2011 9:46AM maggymay Report this comment
Cruising with Viking to France in May, hope to find a Maison du Chocolat store! I have a BIG sweet tooth!
16 May 2011 3:41PM quailia Report this comment
Cadbury and Hershey make candy, not chocolate. Neither belong on this list.
19 July 2011 12:04PM angeraynz Report this comment
Try Schoc Chocolate from Greytown in New Zealand. All handmade and an unbelieveable selection of flavours. www.schoc.co.nz
19 July 2011 2:38PM ninjasmurf Report this comment
The hot chocolates throughout Spain were absolutely beautiful. Also, if you ever happen to be passing though Sigtuna in Sweden, I suggest you check out RC Chocolat (http://www.rcchocolat.se/) - seriously the best chocolate I've every tasted!
19 July 2011 3:18PM rhubarb69 Report this comment
If you happen to be in Cairns or Port Douglas (North Queensland, Australia), go to Coffee Works in Mareeba about an hour from Cairns or Port Douglas. Seriously, surprisingly good chocolate (and coffee). And they ship worldwide...
22 July 2011 10:05PM backpackersnob Report this comment
Yeah! CoffeeWorks!! Went there for the first time a few weeks ago! Awesome - chilli chocolate and chocolate pizzas! Mmmmm....
1 September 2011 6:35AM chiammaya Report this comment
Where is the mention of Oaxaca Mexico? Have you forgotten that Mexico an Central America are the birthplace of chocolate? Though not known for it's artisanal chocolateS it is the only place I've ever been that puts the customer in the position of creating their chocolate from scratch just as THEY want it.
15 February 2012 6:04AM fractiousness Report this comment
Ypres has an amazing chocolate shop and exquisite truffles! Pictures over at my <a href="http://bit.ly/wJo6x3">blog.</a> Love this article!
15 February 2012 6:05AM fractiousness Report this comment
Ypres has an amazing chocolate shop and exquisite truffles! Pictures over at http://fictionsfactsfractiousness.blogspot.com/2012/02/souvenirs-from-belgium-chocolates.html
5 March 2012 11:25PM thecuriouseater Report this comment
As a Belgian chocolate addict my favorite pics are exciting Yuzu in Ghent, and of course the infamous Pierre Marcolini in Brussels. Both should not be missed!
6 March 2012 1:16AM bestofbrussels Report this comment
Belgium is definitely the best place for chocolate! If in Brussels, go to the Place du Grand Sablon where there are loads of shops. One of the best is Pierre Marcolini - http://bestofbrusselsblog.com/2011/12/06/a-walk-with-friends/
6 March 2012 5:32AM olde63 Report this comment
Barcelona, Spain, is the original port where the chocolate entered Europe. The chocolate museum there has the most incredible, spicy, thick drinking (?) chocolate, that made a rainy day where I had been tricked and left with no money look like the best day ever. It can make all sorrows disappear and raise the energy level to un-heard of highs.
25 March 2012 3:41AM monicaonthemove Report this comment
San Marcos de Laguna, Guatemala!!! Just had the most amazing chocolatte spiritual experience! Would really recommend it.... Ask for Keith!!
29 March 2012 9:41AM sakura_noki Report this comment
I am missing Bariloche, Argentina and its mouth-watering flake chocolate in this.