I always sign up for food tours when I travel. I’m already eating plenty of chocolate, what I usually need are tips on where to eat non chocolate related product! The street food tour from I EAT Food Tours and Events that I took in Turin was fantastic. My hosts were Cecilia, an incredibly dynamic Italian sociologist, and Abrams, a seriously talented Dutch Chef. In addition to their food tour (and all of the other food related services they offer), I EAT Tours also offers a very popular chocolate tour. As I relive my trip to Turin, I sat down to have a virtual hot chocolate with the two of them to discuss chocolate and hazelnuts in Turin.

What is I EAT Food Tours and events?

I EAT Food Tours is an independent locally owned and run food tours & event design company based in the gorgeous city of Turin, Piedmont. Infused with uniqueness, created with a multi disciplinary and creative approach and aimed to amaze the spirit and palate of the food explorers from all over the world, all the experiences offered by IEFT are designed by us in the first person. People centred, interactive, informative and crazy delicious, our scrumptious activities in Turin and across Piedmont are focused on creating significant moments to treasure and celebrating life and togetherness going through food, empowering your knowledge about the local culture, customs and lifestyle… and making you feel happy, very basically put!

Why is Torino a must visit destination for chocolate lovers? 

It is necessary to go back in time to answer this question. As for many iconic culinary delights that travel through time preserving their fame, chocolate is for sure one of the most legendary ones that is very linked with the Royal House of Savoy, notoriously known for a very refined palate and a gourmet spirit. And so it seems that, when it comes to chocolate, we must give our thanks to Emanuele Filiberto I of Savoy. He was captain general of the Spanish army, and transferred the capital of his duchy from Chambery to Turin.

What does that have to do with chocolate? Well, according to a thesis, this Savoy may have been the first to make chocolate in Italy . In fact, in the mid-sixteenth century he would have received cocoa from the Emperor Charles V as a gift for the victory of San Quentin over the French. Then the marriages of the Savoy with the Infante of Spain and the French princesses, who brought with them cooks, pastry chefs and courtiers, made Turin one of the European capitals of chocolate processing. In 1678 the so called drink of the gods became more common, when Antonio Arri received the “gracious” royal permission to: “publicly sell the chocolate drink for six years from the date of the present”. 

From then on, the chocolate mania truly bloomed! Chocolate becomes a piece of the costume of the time, with a whole series of meanings and part of various ceremonies. Chocolate was born in the cup. The ritual of preparing and serving chocolate was widespread both in the living rooms both at the court and at the charming chocolate and coffee houses of Turin’s centre. Many of those are still existing and are now recognised as Historical Places of Italy. Consuming chocolate was an exclusive – and exquisite – privilege reserved to the royals and aristocrats only.

Before attending at the so to speak democratisation process of chocolate we must wait until the invention of the first chocolate solid cube (also invented in Turin) and of course the technological advancement and the industrialisation of production have also contributed to let the chocolate word be spread out – and tasted – by a way larger audience of chocolate lovers.

‘Chocolate is like art: it opens up a world of endless possibilities and interpretations. That’s one of the reason why we both are in love with it. And of course very happy to introduce you our creative way to showcase the chocolate universe made in Turin.”

When in Torino, what chocolates should readers try?

Torino rhymes with chocolate delights of several kind. All incredibly delicious! Our Top 4 are the following:

  • Gianduiotto Torinese: The famous gianduiotto is a chocolate in the shape of a wedge or inverted boat, obtained by mixing cocoa, sugar and the famous round gentle hazelnuts of Piedmont.  It’s the most iconic Tourinese chocolate treat. Invented back to 1856 ca, it was the first chocolate wrapped in paper. 
  • Cremini: as we are use to call them “Gianduiotti al cubo – Gianduiotti cubes” with the characteristic cube shape, they are composed of 3 layers of chocolate: the external ones are made of gianduia chocolate, while the central one, melting and lighter, has a hazelnut flavour. 
  • Bicerin: you can’t leave Turin without trying the famous Bicerin. It’s a legendary product that tells of our history, culture and favourite rituals, such as the Merenda Reale, typical sweet afternoon snack that involves a various number of sweet delights and has as a main character the iconic and timeless Bicerin. A small round glass (this is what Bicerin literally means in Piedmontese dialect) filled with 3 layers of goodness: espresso, hot chocolate and milk foam. Wait until to taste it 😉
  • Cuneesi al Rum: cuneesi al rum are intense rum cream in double meringue, covered with a crunchy dark chocolate shell. We are pretty sure you are about to fall in love with this traditional chocolate specialty of the city of Cuneo, even if you usually do not like alcoholic flavours. 

Hazelnuts and chocolate seem to always go together in Torino. Why is that? 

That’s so true! There are so many local specialities that have the hazelnuts from Piedmont as one of their main ingredients. From the iconic gianduiotti and cremini, to several legendary biscuits or even cakes. Not to mention Nutella! (invented by the visionary Michele Ferrero). Hazelnut is a sort of can’t miss ingredient when it comes to our sweet tradition. 

Of course there’s a valid reason why the so called Nocciola Tonda Gentile delle Langhe has become so central  In the most famous chocolate recipes such as Gianduia (hazelnut+cocoa spread) and Gianduiotti. You should know that chocolate was born by chance mid-19th century as a fortuitous expedient made by the Turin chocolatiers to overcome the difficulty of obtaining cocoa following the continental blockade imposed by Napoleon. 

The chocolatiers began by adding roasted hazelnuts to the mixture of cocoa and sugar to varying degrees, but the chocolate made with “Gianduia” paste was officially born only in 1865 in a laboratory in Piazza San Carlo, thanks to the creativity of chocolatiers Caffarel and Prochet. The addition of hazelnuts, initially made clandestinely (they were considered adulterants), began to be officially declared only at the beginning of the 1900s, with the disclosure of the secret recipe for hazelnut chocolate “called Gianduia”. 

Hazelnut in combination with chocolate is simply ecstatic. It’s an emblem of singular uniqueness, which the Italian confectionery industry offers to the world market as an exquisite example of its centuries-old culture. 

The most important question. Where do you go to get the best hot chocolate in Torino and which is your favourite?

If we talk of historical chocolate houses, one of our favourite hot chocolates is the one served at the Caffe Reale, in Piazza Castello. Here chocolate is very rich, and thick. The way we like it! Rigorously  made with water and no milk and accompanied by a delicious cup of fresh made whipped cream. Having the chance to treat yourself with something so delightful in a hidden corner of the internal courtyard of the Royal Palace, surrounded by walls full of fine porcelain, flat teapots and silverware from the Royal House of Savoy makes that chocolate even more exquisite… and let you feel like Royalty. 

What happens during your chocolate tour?

Our chocolate tours aim at giving you edible art and emotion, a truly sensory and chocolicious bliss. When four years ago we designed our chocolate tours in Turin we wanted the old and the new spirit melt together (just to stay on topic). That means we created a multilayered experience of pleasure and discovery that allows you to learn about the history of Turin’s chocolate and how this product defines locals’ identity by also being a significant part of our lifestyle. All that in a contemporary, interactive, engaging and -last but not least- delicious way. Of course then come the moment where you meet the small handpicked botteghe del cioccolato, where local artisans and inventive chocolate makers create their magic and are enthusiast to tell you of their vision and creations. 

The chocolate tour designed by I EAT Food Tours and Events allows you to explore kind of secret gems of the city centre and it skips the touristic spots. We built a strong emotional connection with our soulmates clients (this is how we usually refer to those who choose us) through food… and chocolate, that is a special food category.

When you join our chocolate tour you not just taste unique top notch chocolate delights – both classics and contemporary. You also become a part of a whole food design experience consisting of many parts: pleasure, belonging, identity, adventure, discovery, enrichment, imagination…

For more on Turin and hot chocolate click here.