Barcelona, the chocolate and why in this city we love cocoa
Today we want to show you the sweetest face of the city through the history, the places and anecdotes about Barcelona’s relationship with chocolate, the holy seed of the old Aztecs and Mayas.
In order to
start this sweet journey well informed, our first recommendation is the Chocolate Museum in Barcelona, located in a historical building in Barcelona. Visiting this museum we’ll see chocolate from many points of view: nutritional, gastronomic, festive, historical and even economical. Since its arrival, cocoa has been very important for the economical development of the city. At the beginning, only the members of the army, the church or the aristocracy were able to afford this liquid golden. We say liquid because it was the end of the XIX century when this popular drink became solid, became food.
We will know in a didactic way the origin, variety, transformation process and work techniques which make this elaboration an art. Once informed, we’ll take care of our taste buds walking around and visiting pastry shops, chocolate shops and the most prestigious coffee shops in Barcelona.
In order to wake up our palate, we should visit Enric Rovira‘s workshop. He is a famous cocoa worker who has created several taste combinations. He is a pioneer combining chocolate and wine.
Coming from Belgium, we have the chocolate shop Godiva Chocolatier, one of the most prestigious in Europe. This brand, founded by the Daps family in the ’20 arrives from Brussels and is leaded by Joan Llovet. They propose more than 80 different chocolates.
Cacao Sampaka has innovated in taste and in design and the chocolate chef, Oriol Balaguer use to create specialties for this shop, which was a supplier of El Bulli, belonging to Ferran Adrià.
The Escribà pastry shop, has a very accurate selection of chocolates and to taste them is a real pleasure, both in the Rambla shop or in Gran Via.
I’m sure that know you are keen to taste the hot chocolate, our thick hot chocolate. The best option are the granjas (coffee shops) located in Petritxol street. Generation of locals have enjoyed theirs. A classic.
And chocolate is “guilty” of some of the beauties of the city, like the Casa Amateller. The chocolate trader, Antoni Amatller hired the architect Puig i Cadafalch to built this urban Gothic house in the center of the city.
There are many shops dedicated to the art of chocolat making. We’ll talk about more of them in a near future. Barcelonina hopes you enjoy this post and this Choctour without taking weight!