Italy is not only a country producing best italian chocolates, it is also the homeland of chocolate. Read here why and get of course also some inspirations for best italian choco gift ideas.
Turin - Italy's chocolate center
Everybody knows that Italy is a culinary paradise. But did you know that Italy gave the world the very first chocolate bar? Italy has a very old tradition in the chocolate arts, which goes back to the 1560s when cocoa was brought from Spain to Italy’s chocolate center Turin. In the beginning of the Nineteenth a new machine was invented turning the liquid chocolate into solid bars - and the favorite way to eat it in the bargain.
Ferrero - an italian family business
Italian chocolates have two faces: On the one side there is Ferrero, an Italian family business founded in 1946, an one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world. Familiar treats such as Kinder Surprise, Mon Chéri and the ever-popular Nutella belong to their best-selling products.
But you shouldn't miss also Ferrero Rocher, Duplo, Pocket Coffee and other great chocolate gifts from this famous italian company - see below:
skillful chocolate artisans
Leaving the mass-market segment, Italy’s skillful chocolate artisans offer a broad variety of delicious chocolate creations. The Artisan Chocolate Fair in Florence is a very popular event dedicated to quality artisan chocolate suited to every taste and budget.
visionary chocolate brands: Amadei and Domori
A number of new, visionary chocolate brands like Amadei and Domori sprouted in the 1990s. Amedei Chocolate produce a small range of specialist chocolate such as Amedei Porcelana, a very dark chocolate enriched with toasted almonds. Domori’s Chocolate Puertomar combines the rich aroma of cream, almonds and cherry jam with excellent smoothness and sweetness.
a long and healthy life
But there are even more good reasons for the Italian "Cacao Cult". A recent study showed what chocoholics always had suspected: people who consume chocolate on a regular basis live longer than chocolate abstainers. The cocoa’s cholesterol-battling antioxidants seem to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The illustrious Italian libertine Casanova even confided in the slightly stimulating effect of Italian chocolates to bed his conquests. These Italian goodies really seem to be the "Food of the gods"! A great selection you'll find at Chocolate.com - The World's Largest Chocolate Marketplace.