The annual Eurochocolate festival in Perugia is one of the modern food 'sagre' which has caught the attention of everyone .. and who doesn't like chocolate!
It's difficult to wait a whole year for the return of this delicious event, but the festival takes place every October taking over the whole of the historical centre of the capital of Umbria.
Turin, Rome and even Naples at Christmas have held big chocolate events in recent years, but the one in Perugia is now a mammoth 10 day affair and worth a visit. Just make sure you don't need to take the last train home to Rome over the weekends.
This event goes from strength to strength and once a taste has been acquired for real dark chocolate, you won't want to pick up a Milky Bar again.
To give you an idea of the scope of the event the chocolate themed initiatives include: Choco Island, Eurochocolate World, ChcoDeliShoes, Choco Video Room, Tuscan Chocolate Valley and our favourite the 'Spalm Beach' where you can learn about the whole range of chocolate spreads.
Also look out for the new Eurochcolate line of gadgets with a digital theme called 'ichoc'.
There a many free seminars for the visitor and during our last visit we attended one dedicated to chocolate and wine. The secret is to enjoy your meal by drinking progressively older, stronger, sweeter and more aromatic wines.
Having tried a handful of desserts wines at the seminar, the culmination of the perfect meal could possibly be a Barolo Chinato d.o.c.g. This wine is produced in a small zone of the Langhe in the province of Cuneo, Piemonte, and is fabulously aged in oak barrels with added cinnamon, aniseed, cardamom and other spices.
The majority of the seminars take place at the 'Università dei Sapori' or 'University of Flavor' which runs training programmes for young people interested in working in the food industry and marketing support for the food retail industry.
SUGGESTED LINKS
www.eurochocolate.com
See also Walking tour of Perugia
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