Roald Dahl once said: “Never mind about 1066 William the Conqueror, 1087 William the Second. Such things are not going to affect one’s life … but 1932 the Mars Bar and 1936 Maltesers and 1937 the Kit Kat – these dates are milestones in history and should be seared into the memory of every child in the country.”
However of course, it’s not going to be Kit Kat, Mars Bar and Maltesers at this chocolate festival, but do expect superior quality chocolate made from the finest of ingredients by passionate chocolatiers.The Chocolate Association has put together this special occasion for all chocolate lovers and enthusiasts, which will be held at TAP1, in the middle of Carlsberg central and will be housing more than 40 chocolate exhibitors for two exciting days to take you on a chocolaty ride. Whether you know your chocolate or not, it will be an experience not to be missed – get to enjoy chocolate tastings and even a chocolate massage, be enlightened about the history of chocolate, how it’s made and the benefits of consuming it.
Chocolatiers, almost a century old like the well-known Anthon Berg, Peter Beier Chokolade and Frederiksberg Chokolade, as well as Summerbird and many more, will be part of this sinfully-chocolaty event. From being consumed as a bitter beverage dating back 1500 years ago, chocolate has come a long way, so head on down to the Chokoladeselskabet section for a demonstration of how chocolate is made.
Nikolaos Strangas, the owner of Conditori & Cakeaway, Swiss chocolatier Pascal Beschle, and Damian Allsop, the owner of a chocolate shop and chocolate school will be in the demonstration kitchen at the festival for a more hands-on learning experience.
On Sunday, there will be an annual awards ceremony at 13:00 to honour chocolatiers for their creative and brilliant creations in the chocolate world. If you want to learn more and into detail about chocolates, Jesper Møller, the director of the Toms group, the largest chocolate company in Denmark, and health expert Umahro Cadogan will enlighten visitors on everything about chocolates and the advantages of consuming it, while several other guest speakers who will be there to answer your burning questions.
Chocolate massages are available to be enjoyed by visitors. Using chocolate in massages instead of aromatic oils is slowly but surely becoming popular. But while there might not be sufficient evidence that chocolate can improve your skin when externally applied, studies have shown that it can lower your blood pressure – so chocolate is a sinful indulgence that has health benefits too! Only if you eat it in moderation, of course.
To make your trip to the Chocolate Festival interesting, it could be handy to know a tip or two on how to appreciate chocolate, so here are some tips from the chief chocolatier at Godiva, Thierry Muret: Allow the piece of chocolate to melt against the roof of your mouth. Roll the chocolate on your tongue, allowing the aroma and taste to permeate your mouth, and feel the smooth and fine texture …
But that’s not all there is to appreciating chocolate – if you want to find out more, head on down to the Chocolate Festival!
Chocolate Festival
Tap1, Ny Carslberg Vej 91, 1760 Cph V; open Sat 11:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-17:00;
Tickets over-6s: 130kr, under-6s: free adm, 460kr for group of four;
Purchase tickets at www.madbillet.dk; www.chokoladefestival.dk;
Exhibitors at the festival do not accept cards, only cash, prams and strollers not allowed, nearby parking 10kr per hour
