Valentine's Day draws out the chocolate lover in all of us, but genuine chocoholics realize that a travel through a chocolate processing plant or confectioner's shop can be a memorable part of a tour any time of the year. Out of appreciation for each explorer who cherishes sweet desserts, here is a slideshow of a portion of the world's coolest chocolate destinations.
In this captivating maze for goodness' sake chocolate, you can look for cocoa nibs and crystallized violet petals, taste hot chocolate in a Moorish-style patio while watching chocolatiers in action, or take a truffle-moving class at the nearby school. Chantal Coady worked behind the Harrods treat counter before opening Rococo in 1983; it now has four locations and is one of Britain's biggest handmade chocolate creators. Its artisan bars, which come in antique packaging with fascinating flavors such as basil and Persian lime, make them a perfect present for chocolate lovers back home.
Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate
Kids and kids at heart will love this Willy Wonka-meets-Disneyland experience near Melbourne, Australia, where you can make your own chocolate bars, control a miniature train through a chocolate town and gape at chocolate stalagmites, and a mosaic wall with Dame Edna's likeness designed out of truffles.
One of the youngest bean-to-bar industrial facilities in the United States, Theo offers hour-long visits that draw raves for its generous samples and thoroughness. Enthusiastic aides walk you through everything from the bean-roasting and table-tempering procedure to the last ganache-making steps in a 100-year-old building that once housed streetcars, now loaded with vintage cooking and grinding machinery. Best of all, the store offers exceptional factory-only flavors like salted licorice caramel, key lime pie and peach riesling.
Maison Cailler, Switzerland
The Swiss people love chocolate and couple of factories showcase that as extensively as this one. Set on an idyllic estate in the western Swiss town of Broc, Cailler's hour-long visits start with a glance at old Aztec cocoa ceremonies, walk you through the milk chocolate production line and end, joyfully, with an everything you-can-eat tasting experience. Reservation-required workshops exhibit how to make customized pralines, cream-filled Valentine's Day hearts and child-friendly chocolate molds.
Mast Brothers Chocolate, Brooklyn
The brothers behind this specialty factory in Brooklyn offer a cozy visit that mirrors their science-meets-bicycle culture way to artisanal chocolate perfection. Raw cacao beans from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Madagascar are hand-sorted, roasted and winnowed through a machine specially crafted by a friend and previous plane engineer. One of the highlights of the visit perceives how flavors like bean chili pepper and Stumptown espresso are added to the procedure.
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