The main reason we chose Lugano as our weekend getaway destination was because for four days the city would be playing host to the International Chocolate Exhibition, entitled "More Chocolate." You think I love cheese -- ha! I haven't told you about my desire for chocolate. It's huge. So, in anticipation of the event I began to envision giant lap pools filled with warm chocolate fondue and other outrageous exhibits. Unfortunately, this year's Eurochocolate event left me wanting, well, more chocolate. I'm not sure if it was the rain, or if every year the exhibits are this small, but I had expected a giant tent with row after row of taste tests, chocolate recipes, and unique chocolate pieces. Instead we found a little cluster of canopies and booths with a mediocre selection of wares. But, in the spirit of "making the most of it," we did what we came to do: we bought and ate chocolate.
We were pretty impressed by these chocolate gears. Other notable pieces: chocolate laptop, deck of cards, batteries, and primitive-style hammers (complete with chocolate "rust").
Why settle for Nutella, when you can have one of these exotic chocolate spreads?
One of the very Italian chocolate vendors must have seen us coming because as soon as we stepped up to his counter he switched on the charm.
"Per tu, bellina, la chiave del tuo cuore. E poi un ferro di cavallo per la fortuna."
He proceeded to place a chocolate key and horseshoe in a plastic bag. Handed me a chocolate nail and said, "Mangia." Then, he politely asked for six francs. How could we say no?
Free mini chocolate fountain tastings
A cioccolata calda before we headed back home...
Some of the goods we brought back with us
MMMMM...... too bad it wasn't bigger! I have come to expect this from "festivals" here. What are those peanut butter cup looking things? They look filled with goodness.
ReplyDeleteHow are you going to eat that chocolate key?
Yeah, somehow I always think Swiss festivals will be bigger and grander than they are. It's best to not expect much and then be plesantly suprised :)
ReplyDeleteI miss free things too.
Alcoholics should not go to a bar.
ReplyDeleteJessie should not go to a chocolate factory.
Glad you had a good time. :)
I guess it's the "Amrrcan" in me who expects everything to be huge and over the top. I mean really, you call that a "Big" Mac? In Amrrca that's the hamburger on the dollar menu. (I know shame on me.)
ReplyDeleteLittle country = little stuff
Anyway, Tina, I think you are referring to the "gears" in the second photo. Yeah, no filling. I don't get to taste that chocolate because Isaiah's taking them and the chocolate chisel to his workmates (they're engineers, so I am sure they'll appreciate that sort of thing). As for the key, it's dark chocolate covered in cocoa to look like rust. We just broke it into pieces and chomped!