Hemingway chocolates, Firenze, Italy
Although we had little time to spend on our own in Firenze last week, we couldn’t pass the opportunity to check out the local chocolate scene a little bit - especially since the ‘chocolate valley’ was nearby (around Pistoia). We checked out a little cafe that offered homemade chocolates, although they do also purchase some confections from local chocolatiers. The name is Hemingway and their cafe is dark, but still hip and trendy. We have only sampled a few of their chocolate and have a lot more to go. Here are some pictures i took in the hotel room, the chocolates got a little scratched, but it gives you a good idea on what they look like …
This one has a very hot taste that gets you in the end, although we did not get any description with them, this one must be a chili/pink peppercorn …
a flavor that is hard to distinguish, although it tastes very good. It must be some kind of liquor, a sweet but not too fruity direction.
Hazelnut milk chocolate. We were a little disappointed, it almost tastes like just milk chocolate in a cup with a roasted hazelnut in the center.
Cinnamon … tastes very much like more christmas-y spices too … like clove, vanilla - fantastic flavors, smooth center, great chocolate … although I would not consider it a flavor for the warmer seasons.
Jasmine Tea …. I love Jasmine Tea and in long-term we will probably have a year-round flavor of this one too. I might enrobe it with a milk chocolate though. This one was very sweet and had a very strong flavor to it - the latter i like, the sweetness I would try to reduce.
Earl Grey Tea. Much sweeter than ours and no bitterness at all. They must not bring the cream to a boil with the leaves, but take them ou beforehand. Although this is an interesting technique, I kind of like the bitter taste that you get with Tea - just like when you make yourself a cup of it.
This must have been a wine that they used with it. It almost tastes mint-y and it would have been great to have had the actual wine with it.
Tomorrow we taste more chocolates from a different store - the oldest pastry shop in Firenze - I have not made any pictures of those confections yet either though - nighty night!