It is a ‘satellite’ fair which derives from the most famous Italian chocolate festival held in Perugia, Umbria region, every year.
It is a sweet weekend with the taste of artisan chocolate during which, thanks to the artistic skills of the best master chocolatiers in Italy, several towns are transformed into open-air chocolate factories.
Dessert cooking shows, tastings, workshops for children, chocolate lessons for adults and a Guinness world of records stand where one can find every year something different (last year it was a 15-meter long chocolate bar) are some of the extraordinary attractions of the most delicious event of the year. The sweetness of real artisan chocolate usually conquers adults and children alike thanks to the rich assortment of tasty pralines, milk, white or dark and flavored chocolate bars, spreads, chocolate liqueurs, fresh and delicious combinations of chocolate-covered fruits, fudge and hot chocolate and the refined and fun chocolate sculptures of the chocolate market exhibition with its dedicated stands.
There are many attractions scheduled in the pavilion that shows all the stages of chocolate processing directly from the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate product. Starting from the special cooking shows dedicated to the creation of the pralines with a typical and everchanging surprise ingredient. For the little ones there is the Choco Baby space open every day of the event where the little ones can try to make sculptures with chocolate or make delicious chocolate pralines or pastries. Kids are offered aprons, chef hats, gloves and tools for participating in the processing of chocolate and in the praline making mini-courses by the master chocolatiers.
Chocolate Festival in one of the Ligurian towns – Savona
Also adults can participate in some chocolate making workshops but the cooking classes for the adults must be pre-booked online before attending the event whereas the courses for the little ones are normally open and given continuously all-day long during the consecutive days of the chocolate fair.
Every year a new theme is defined and the chocolate Masters challenge one another trying to make something unique and spectacular. Many ‘smaller’ sculptures can be purchased (and eaten) from the stalls around the festival: you can find cute chocolate tools, stationery, butterflies, teddy bears, roses, daisies, balls and even astonishingly real looking chocolate shoes!
Many are also the stalls presenting ethnic chocolate like cocoa coming from different parts of Africa or other parts of the world as well as stands presenting international chocolate specialties from Spanish hot chocolate churros to Mexican mole sauce and also Sacher torte and so on.
Tastings are usually free and most stands offer their samples to attract visitors and sell more and the festival offers free events in which you can admire the master chocolatiers preparing their delicious creations live and from them you can learn how to make quick and easy recipes for your chocolate masterpieces.
Chocolate workshops for kids
There is also the chance to have guided tastings and insights related to the world of this delicious ingredient, in which experts guide you to a deeper understanding of cocoa, its origins and its path throughout history all across the world. I participated last year and it was incredibly interesting and informative and obviously fascinating for a person like me who loves chocolate in all its forms.
It is an initiative that promotes the discovery of cultures and traditions of the various world cocoa producers, a cultural window to learn about customs, traditions and typical products from all parts of the Earth revolving around this product.
