Do
you love your chocolate? Me too! And other than combining chocolate with a good
book, I can’t think of too much better than pairing chocolate with visiting a
new place of interest.
While
writing my latest novel, The Chocolate
Promise (also called The Chocolate
Apothecary in the UK), researching and taste-testing chocolate pretty much
took over my life—and my dress size! And my palette for chocolate has changed.
Only the finest will do these days. So now, I’ve begun writing myself a ‘Chocolate
Tourism Bucket List’, to continue my love affair with this heavenly food.
Here
are my current Top 5 locations:
1. Antica Dolceria Bonajuto. This is the oldest
chocolate factory in Sicily. Let’s just consider that for a moment: chocolate +
Sicily. It’s a no brainer, right? Top of my list.
2. Puyricard. This French
chocolate artisan store is located just outside of Aix-en-Provence in the south
of France, which is where the main character of The Chocolate Promise spends time with a master chocolatier, roams
the beautiful countryside and encounters unexpected romance. I soaked up the
research for this part of the novel and am positively salivating to go there in
person and enjoy the delights of Provence, including this chocolate store.
3. Chocolate Walking Tour of
Melbourne.
A little closer to home for me, this would be a delightful weekend treat.
Melbourne is known by many to be the food capital of Australia and I’ve no
doubt the chocolate on this tour would leave a lasting impression. I only hear
good things about this one. Definitely a To-Do, sooner, rather than later, I
think. (At least the plane flight would be a quick one!)
4. Rococo. I certainly couldn’t
comprise this list without including a visit to Rococo in London. You’ll find
an acknowledgement to Chantal Coady (founder of Rococo) for her inspiration
that influenced The Chocolate Promise
and for good reason. I pored over her book, Rococo:
Mastering the Art of Chocolate, as research for my novel. I even imported
some of her creations. (The milk rose is my favourite.) I think I’d like to
rent a flat just around the corner and simply hang out there every day,
breathing it all in.
5. Cailler. I’ve been to
Switzerland but only once and I would love to go back there. (I’ve even been
trying to work in some sort of Swiss plot into a novel so I can have a tax-deductible
reason to go.) And this factory has some pretty great architecture to go with
the experience.
So
there’s my shortlist to get me (and maybe you) started. I’m sure there are
dozens of amazing places around the world that would keep me entertained on my
chocolate tours. I’d love to hear your recommendations if you have any?
Love
Jo
p.s.
Here’s a recipe from Chantal
Coady
for Chocolate Ganache Teacups, which fortuitously combines two of my favourite foods:
chocolate and tea!
About Josephine
