Every November Torino becomes the host of the chocolate festival, CioccolaTO.
Visiting Torino in early October, we missed on this sweet opportunity but we didn’t miss its story and history.
Home to small choco delight from Torino, gianduiotto, Piemonte region is abundant in good quality hazelnuts that are mixed with cocoa paste to make the most delicious creamy combination. Wanting to know a bit more on this subject we decided to visit the local artisanal chocolate factory.
With over fifty years long history and worldwide delivery of their products Guido Gobino chocolate workshop was right on the mark. They offer (English as well) guided tours with chocolate tastings for 30 euro per person. A bit pricey, one would think, but definitely worth it, we would say.
The hour-long private tour off the facility with a tasting gave us a detailed insight into the history of the famous torinese dessert; gianduiotto. And a bit more.
Before gianduiotto arrived, the people of Torino have been enjoying the chocolate flavors by drinking it warm.
It all started with a bag of cacao beans delivered from the Spanish king Carlo V to Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy for his services in the Spanish army. Although the new exotic chocolate drink swept everybody right away, it took almost two hundred years for its little compact brother to appear.
Mark the year 1829 because that was the year when the machine for producing the chocolate was developed. The mastermind behind was businessman Paul Caffarel, owner of a factory that produced sweet products in Torino.
All was good for chocolate lovers for a while, until it got even better. During the French reign, the Napoleon imposed a ban on docking all English ships in the territory under the French rule. Wouldn’t be a problem if Englishman’s were the main importers of cacao beans.
To keep with the usual supply with shortened ingredients, the chocolatiers in Piedmont searched for substitutes. Luckily they didn’t have to go far .
The nearby Langhe area is full of oily hazelnuts called trilobata, because of its three heads. When grounded and blended with cacao powder they make the most delicious gianduia paste used for creating giandiuotto. Btw Nutella was originally called Pasta Gianduja. You’re welcome.
Small boat shaped chocolate praline, wrapped in golden paper foil, with its unique melt in the mouth taste, gianduiotto, is an absolutely divine experience.
Guido Gobino chocolate factory is one of many in the city that produces gianduiotti, still they get great pride in using the most quality ingredients and handmaking technique in creating sweet bites.
Around thirty workers, mostly women, are standing eight hours a day mixing ingredients or quality checking the final product. And guess what, they still like the chocolate 😊 Pay them a visit or buy some of their chocolates if you need more proof!
