The Chocolate Streets Of Torino

Torino, the capital city of Piemonte, is home to region’s ‘bon viveurs’ and pays homage to one of its finest products, chocolate. Chocolate making in Torino began as early as the seventeenth century, and soon master chocolatiers in Torino were exporting throughout Europe. It became known as the capital city of cocoa, producing 750 pounds of chocolate daily. In 1802 the age-old problem of making liquid chocolate solid again was solved, thus giving rise to the chocolate bar. From this time on, the leading traditional workshops and producers have grown up around Torino, and the region has become the “Italian district of chocolate”.

Considered Torino’s ambassador of confections, Gianduiotto chocolates were originally created as a result of necessity. While Piemonte was occupied by French troops under Napoleon, supplies of cocoa were erratic due to the depredations of the English naval fleet. In response to this scarcity the chocolate makers of Torino stretched out their cocoa by mixing in toasted ground hazelnuts. The small chocolates, originally called givo because they looked like cigarette butts, were unexpectedly successful and continued to be manufactured after the war and the necessity had passed. They eventually came to be called gianduiotto after the puppet Gianduia, traditional symbol of the Piemonte region.

One of the most well-known confectionery treats around the world to come from Torino is the pinguino, or ‘penguin’. Created in 1935 by the gelateria Pepino ice cream parlour, which still stands in the center of Torino, this chocolate-covered ice cream bar on a stick, also known as the pedestrian’s ice cream, was the origin of the modern Popsicle.

Whether you’re a modern-day gourmet or just a chocolate lover, these are but a taste of the treats that are waiting to be discovered in Torino, one of Italy’s most delicious can’t-miss travel destinations.

By: Elena Bernardi

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Elena Bernardi is a native Italian and yoga instructor. Her company, Cultural Italy, specializes in travel to Italy's most appealing locations.