February — the month in the Roman calendar that gets its name from the Latin Februaris implying atonement — has become (for those who catch the Valentine fever) more a season in celebration of love. This affection is most often expressed with chocolates. Of course there is no "most appropriate occasion" to either gift or indulge in one. Every day is a good day and every time is a good time for the confirmed chocoholic.
The humble cacao and its many products sure have a feverish following the world over. One museum that charts the 3,000 yearlong history of chocolate, as well as its journey from the plant to the product as we know it is the Imhoff-Stollwerck-Museum in the German city of Cologne. It is a highly recommended tourist stop for any Germany-bound chocolate lover.
In the air
Situated on the banks of the Rhine just above a chocolate factory, the museum has an enviable location. A visit to the factory leaves you with a sweet-gooey memory of it.
Quite notably the first of your senses that gets a treat on entry is the nose — the smell of warm chocolate fills the air, teasing you to find its origin. Meanwhile, with the entry ticket you get a little chocolate bar.
The greens within are a small-simulated rainforest in an environment-controlled greenhouse. The cacao tree is a small evergreen tree native to South America though now widely grown across the tropics. It is the seed of this tree that is used to manufacture chocolate confectionery, cocoa butter and even drinks. Our guide loves even the dry bitterness of the roasted cacao beans ready to be powdered and processed.
Also as any other museum, it has a fair share of art on display. Chocolate art of course! The masterpieces on display are engravings on chocolate bars, chocolate figurines set out of moulds and even an array of collages with chocolate wrappers.
The grand finale is the chocolate sauce fountain beyond the museum. The delicious fluid flows over.
You then get a taste of what you have seen — a wafer biscuit is dipped in warm chocolate and handed over to you. If you want to take back more than just that, the chocolate shop on the way out has a selection of souvenirs once again all made in chocolate.
Meanwhile, even if you haven’t been inflicted by the fever of the month, you could very well be suffering the pains and pleasures of chocolate fever!
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