By Josie Eveleigh

No foodie or wine aficionado can visit the Cape and not take the time to visit the picturesque town of Franschhoek. With as much history as there is surrounding beauty, this quaint village offers you a taste of the good life. One of my personal favourite memories was the time I stopped for the tour (and tastings, being the real draw card for me) of the Huguenot Chocolate factory.

This boutique chocolatier is in the main street of Franschhoek. The ground floor, which acts as the shop front, showcases their display counters  – be prepared to drool over countless chocolate offerings, truffles and my personal two favourites,  their chocolate dipped nougat and chocolate candied orange slices. Upstairs houses the factory and the chance to take a step back in time and appreciate the journey of chocolate from its earliest Aztec  roots,  as the humble cocoa bean, to where it is today, in this store specifically, being made and moulded into the most amazing tasting little masterpieces imaginable, with a vast range to suit every pocket but all from the finest quality Belgium chocolate.

Partners, Danver Windvogel & Denver Adonis are Belgian-qualified chocolatiers. The ‘Chocolate Experience’, which is a half-hour programme of tastings, demonstrations and chocolate history, is held regularly and will only serve to further your obsession with this food. Whether it’s dark, milk or white chocolate that owns your heart, you are sure to sample some of the world’s very best chocolate in this half hour. The promise of sweet treats fully reverting me back to my child-like self, I found I was listening very tentatively, which I put down to the interesting way the topic matter is delivered but also due to the edible prizes for correct answers.

 

For only R35 per person for the tour and with only 24 hours required as booking notice, it’s a great thing to do with family or friends while they also cater for larger groups. You’ll walk away feeling like you’ve had an unforgettable experience – something you won’t find anywhere else in SA. It is not surprising that you’d only find this chocolatier dream shop in the gourmet capital of South Africa, but you might be surprised by how much more there is to your favourite chocolate bar than you originally thought. The friendly staff and amazing products also offer the chance to bundle up on some sweet treat gifts for loved ones, as their beautiful packaging completes each creation.