14 April 2017
Ask visitors about the capital of New Zealand and chances are, “Windy Wellington” will roll off their tongues. Others may allude to the iconic, antique red cable car that runs up the steep hill through the Botanical Gardens, the brilliant blue harbour that houses the heart of the city, Lambton Quay, or the hip and happening Cuba street district with its vibrant food and craft beer scene.
The chocolates are hardly worthy of a mention….or are they? I’m in the southernmost capital city in the world to address this very question.
My first destination is one that I’ve been eagerly anticipating. Established as recent as 2013, this young and dynamic homegrown chocolate maker is already making waves in the craft chocolate world.
Perhaps it’s because their chocolates are proudly organic, bean to bar and single origin. Maybe it’s their strong social and economic stance on ethically (fair or direct) traded cacao beans. Or simply that they make great tasting chocolate by applying their unique flair such as conching for 2.5 days and ageing the conched chocolate for a month.
I‘ve signed myself up for a tour of the factory, that also doubles up as a retail space and cafe, to find out for myself. The public tour runs every Saturday so sign up early to avoid disappointment. It takes visitors through the whole process of manufacturing, from cacao beans sourced in the tropics and equatorial countries to the finished bars that decorate the shelves of the cafe and retail area. The open plan layout provides the opportunity to witness the process of roasting, cracking, winnowing, conching and tempering through to packaging, which is done by hand.
The highlight of the tour is definitely the tasting. On offer is the whole single origin range, namely the Peru Norandino 70%, Dominican Republic 70%, Samoa 77% Bouganville 70%, plus specialty bars such as the coconut milk chocolate 52%. My top pick is the Dominican Republic 70% – intense flavours of citrus, with bursts of nuttiness, in an acidic bar with trace notes of bitterness. As for intrigue, the honours goes to the Bouganville 70% for its rarity, zero emissions status and smoked dried beans. The people’s choice is apparently the salted brittle caramel 70%.
To top off the tour, visitors are served a single origin hot chocolate to enjoy while they soak in the lively atmosphere at the WCF.
I’d highly recommend the experience!
Next up, I’m off to visit a person whose growing passion for chocolate is highly infectious and has led him to his current calling. Luke is the owner of The Chocolate Bar, a retailer and enthusiast of craft chocolate based in Wellington. He sources his chocolates from within New Zealand and the world over, and retails them online as well as through pop up stores. He also runs chocolate appreciation courses in partnership with establishments such as breweries, wine shops, wineries as well as tea shops.
I locate him at the Underground Market, right on the beautiful waterfront. We spend the next hour talking chocolate, with Luke recommending and detailing the tasting notes of many craft chocolates that I’ve yet to taste (yes, even I must admit that I’m still a craft chocolate novice next to Luke) and us exchanging stories of our chocolate experiences.
More importantly, I finally get to taste and purchase elusive craft chocolates from makers like Ocho, Hogarth, The Smooth Chocolator, Map Chocolate, Naive, Soul and many more.
If you’re a chocolate tragic like me, do seek out Luke for your tasting “tour” of craft chocolates the world over.
Bohemein Fresh Chocolates
The attraction here starts with how one pronounces its name….bo-he-mee-un or bo-he-mine or bo-he-mane? I’ll leave you to figure this out.
I’m here at the recommendation of my friends at Bean Bar You. Apparently, I must try the salted caramels, and so I oblige. But here, they are not just salted caramels – there are the award winning sea salt caramel and black devil caramel (develishly good dark chocolate caramel with roasted cacao nibs), and the walnut sea salt caramel.
Visitors to Bohemein are also treated to a mouth watering array of meticulously crafted and preservative free ganaches, creams and truffles, spun from the freshest ingredients, in a classy European-style setting. For those who enjoy their chocolates hot or warm, customize your hot chocolate by working off their hot chocolate menu.
Since Easter is just around the corner, the shelves are filled with endless varieties of chocolate eggs and bunnies, including their highly popular milk and dark chocolate bunnies filled with chocolate caramel, cinnamon caramel and mulled port ganache.
Schoc Chocolates
I’m both shocked and impressed by the gourmet chocolate range at Schoc. They may be boutique in size but it doesn’t stop them from churning out 60 different varieties of bars/ tablets and an equally impressive range of ganaches, truffles, caramels and creams. One is clearly spoilt for choice.
The caramels, both dark bitter and soft butter caramels, are “must-tries”, as are the truffles such as lavender salted caramel and honey cumin. My friends at Bean Bar You suggest that I go for the Wellington, a milk chocolate bar flavoured with an unusual combination of salt, coffee and caramel (yes, if you’re re-reading this line, I kid you not – salt and coffee!). The taste is rather interesting and surprising pleasant, with prominent flavours of coffee and caramel, and salt moderating the sweetness of the milk chocolate. If you’re feeling super bold, give the curry and papadom bar a go; the ultimate in savoury and spicy chocolate experience.
This discovery is courtesy of my newfound friends at Bohemein. Housed in a traditional, cozy setting and tucked in the beautiful Old Bank Arcade, the chocolates here reflect the ambience of the shop and building. The chocolatiers at De Spa skillfully handcraft up to 70 different varieties including ganaches, truffles, creams, caramels and bars using Callebaut Belgian couverture chocolate and fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
My recommendations here are the Black Forest ganache and, for those who enjoy texture in their chocolates, the macadamia and hazelnut truffles.
The Verdict
Albeit small, Wellington is a hip and happening city whose residents take their chocolate seriously. I’ve been wowed by the chocolate wonders of Wellington; without a doubt, chocolates are a worthy attraction in this city, right up there with its vibrant food and craft beer culture. In fact, I will go as far as to proclaim that Wellington is the ultimate New Zealand chocolate destination!
