A trip to Cusco’s Chocolate Museum is a delight for any fan of the humble cacao bean.
Cusco’s Chocolate Museum, ChocoMuseo, is the unofficial home of the cocoa bean.
Whether you prefer cocoa in a drink, in chocolate or even in your hair or make-up products, it is astounding how versatile this tiny bean can be.
Cusco’s Chocolate Museum provides you with an opportunity to unite friends and family.
Come together and share your love of all things sweet.
This sugary paradise is tucked away on the corner of Plaza Regocijo, just two blocks from Plaza de Armas.
A store of knowledge and fun for those who just love chocolate, we booked in for an afternoon workshop to find out what it was all about.
History lesson at Cusco’s Chocolate Museum
The day of culinary brilliance started by donning aprons and chef hats.
Then we got into the mood with an introduction to the history of cacao bean farming culture.
We learnt about the type of beans grown in the jungle and why this particular hemisphere is the most fertile for growing the cocoa bean.
Also, why cocoa was once known as “the food of the Gods”.
A brief history lesson later, and now we know the first cocoa beans were used by Mayans in Guatemala and Mexico.
In early incarnations of hot chocolate, ‘xocolatl’- meaning ‘bitter’ and ‘water’- contained spices like paprika.
Because the beans were so delicious it was thought they could only have come from the Gods.
In the class we were shown how to replicate the fiery ‘xocolatl’ drink by selecting, grinding and roasting our very own cacao beans.
To ease the heat, we followed this drink with a milky sweet Spanish alternative to xocolatyl.
Made with cinnamon, sugar and milk, this frothy drink is a delicious alternative to the spice.
Hence it was fascinating to taste hundreds of years of evolution of the simple chocolate bean.
The delicate art of chocolate making
With heads full of chocolate-related knowledge, the time came for us to put it into practice, and try our hand at crafting our own chocolates.
Choosing from a variety of moulds, our workshop table filled with all manner of delicious toppings.
Ginger and peanuts, salt and chill, as well as an array of colourful sweetshop goodies, allowing us to experiment with our own blends.
Choosing from dark or milk chocolate (or a blend of both for those feeling exotic), we poured the glorious mix into our moulds, dreaming of how the outcome would taste.
Once perfected, we let our treats cool in a refrigerator, only to return to perfectly bagged and presented chocolate treats.
Hence, they were ready for us to devour (or gift).
A trip to Cusco’s Chocolate Museum is the perfect experience for anyone with an afternoon to themselves in Cusco.
Coming together as a group, it makes the workshop that much more fun.
Start crafting chocolate in this unique environment!
In conclusion, make your time in Peru that little bit sweeter with an afternoon at Cusco’s Chocolate Museum.
Want to learn about other great things to do in Cusco? Check out our Ultimate Cusco Travel Guide.
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