Turin (Part 3 of 5)

Why did we choose to visit Turin?   One word answers the question.

Chocolate.

Each year for the past several years, Turin hosts a chocolate fair.  Turin is famous for chocolate. 

The fair is called CioccolaTò, cioccoloto is Italian for chocolate and TO is the abbreviation for Torino, or Turin.  Put the two together and you have CioccolaTò.

So, we made our hotel and train reservations to attend CioccolaTò 2016.

Now, here's the bad news and the good news.  About a week before the event, the city government canceled the fair for this year.  (Cue the emotional Italian crying and yelling.)   We are not sure why the fair was canceled other than poor organization. 

Now for the good news.  When chocolate is involved, there is always a way.  So, we organized our own CioccolaTò 2016.  We went to Turin as planned and visited several of the best shops in Turin. 

We learned a lot about the best known chocolate from Turin.  It is:

• Gianduja/Gianduia – Gianduja is the chocolate most closely associated with Turin.  This chocolate is smooth and creamy.  It is made from crushed hazelnuts from Italy and chocolate from South America.  Gianduja is named after Turin’s Commedia dell’ Arte character.   

We visited chocolate shops all around Turin.  There are many, many shops.  Here are three shops that we especially liked. 

• Pfatisch, opened in 1915, is likewise well known for its chocolates.  What makes Pfatisch especially wonderful are its antique furnishings and chandeliers.

• Gertosio, opened in 1880, is located near the center of Turin.  It is a traditional pasticceria (pastry shop) well known for its chocolates.

• Guido Castagna is an upstart, opened in 2002.  However, what it lacks in history, it makes up for in great, award-winning chocolates.  In October this year, Guido Castagna continued its award-winning ways at the International Chocolate Awards in London.  Guido Castagna won four golds and three silvers at the 2016 World Final.  After sampling their chocolates, we understand why they won gold.  

Here are some photos from our impromptu CioccolaTò 2016.

Pfatisch:

Some dude ready to nosh

An antique cash register.  Very cool.

Antique furnishings and chandelier

Gertosio:

Guido Castagna:

CioccolaTò 2016 was a HUGE success!.

Next Up:  A surprising museum in Turin. 

P.S.  Turin is the home of Nutella, a chocolate spread with hazelnuts, sugar, milk and, the key ingredient, vegetable oil.  Our local Chinese restaurant offers a dessert--fried Nutella.  Still holding off on ordering it.