Cocoa arrives in Tuscany during the period of Grand Duchy and to this day they still exist in this region many chocolate factories that carry on the traditionespecially among the provinces of Pisa, Pistoia and Prato but in particular in the municipalities of Agliana, Cintolese and Pontedera, an area better known as the “Chocolate Valley”. Dotted with prestigious companies and artisan chocolatiers, the “Chocolate Valley” it is the heart of high-quality artisanal production, which is why enthusiasts cannot fail to plan an itinerary to discover it delicious delicious food.
The chocolate routes in Tuscany: a bit of history
Already in 1600 the first cocoa beans arrive in Tuscany and the fashion for hot chocolate soon spread. In fact, at the court of Cosimo III de’ Medici, they began to prepare Cioccolatte, a drink based on cocoa, musk and lemon peel. If tradition dictates it is the doctor Francesco Redi to invent the jasmine flower chocolate, There are many written testimonies on the spread of cocoa.
In the 1680 in Florence it was published Difference between food and chocolate… by Giovanni Battista Gudenfridi, who sparked a great debate on the consumption of chocolate. In 1728 it was the Florentine instead Francesco Zeti to draw attention to the topic with his writing Another opinion regarding nature and the use of chocolate. Over the centuries, therefore, Tuscany has specialized in the art of chocolate making and has developed an important artisan tradition.
Where to taste the best chocolate in Tuscany
Cocoa artifact
A trip to the chocolate valley can start from Pisain the artisan workshop of Cocoa artifact, born from the marriage of a Dutch pastry chef: Paul de Bondt and Cecilia Iacobelli, a Pisan designer. The De Bondt chocolate shop was born in 1993 and renewed in 2019 with an artisan workshop where you can enjoy tastings of dried fruit covered in chocolate, chocolates, bars and pralines. In 2022 they won the “Golden Tablet” for the best chocolate praline.
Amedei
TO Pontederainstead, there is the historic maître chocolatier Amedei, the company that won the highest number of Golden Beans at the “Academy of Chocolate” in London. Amedei’s objective was immediately to create an excellent chocolate from the bean to the bar “beans to bar”.
Trinci roasting
In 1939, again in the province of Pisa, in Cascine, the roasting company was founded Trinciwhich is inspired for its production by the Aztec processing procedure and practices a balanced roasting of the beans with the absence of conching, the continuous mixing of the cocoa mass at high temperature, this step according to Trinci, causes the qualities of the cocoa to disperse.
Mannori pastry shop
We arrive in Prato where we find the Mannori pastry shop, which works without the addition of substances other than cocoa butter, to obtain a pure result. The pastry chef Luca Mannori he transformed the small family dairy into a café with a laboratory, where excellent cakes come out, like the legendary Setteveli: layers of cereal praline, dark chocolate mousse, cocoa sponge cake and hazelnut Bavarois. Luca Mannori became world champion pastry chef in 1997 thanks to this cake.
Sleds
In the province of Pistoia, Slitti is based in Monsummano Termewhich opened a roastery in 1969 and today produces bars, pralines, spreads and much more.
Vestri
Finally it is located in Arezzo Vestria family business that selects the finest cocoa species and has a plantation in Santo Domingo. To deprive their Toscolata, one tablet nutraceuticals which follows the nutritional principles contained in cocoa for beneficial effects on health.
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