Are you a chocolate lover? These days, who isn’t? Well, if you love chocolate products, there is a place in the world that awaits your arrival, and it is the region of the Caribbean islands. This a home of five major chocolate festivals that will satisfy everyone from organic chocolate lover to hot chocolate specialist. Here is all you need to know about the chocolate events over the Caribbean.
Chocolate Traditions of the Region
Chocolate is the most beloved and oldest snack in the world, and it comes in different shapes, tastes and forms. Chocolate has not only a rich flavour but also a rich history. There are many local cocoa estates on most Caribbean islands, and raw cocoa is being exported from here for years. This region offers you to see the process of making chocolate from collecting the cocoa beans to the final product. Locals call this process a “bark to bar”production, as only in a few places in the world the whole process is conducted on-site. In many places chocolate is still produced by hand. The tropical sun over the Caribbean makes sure the cocoa beans are dried beautifully, no mechanical speeding up the process. Another tradition of the region is many chocolate festivals happening every year. Yes, they have festivals dedicated only to chocolate.
Grenada Chocolate Festival
Let’s start with the biggest and most famous chocolate festival, the one held annually on the beautiful island of Grenada. Caribana 2024 event offers you some chocolate education, as well as luxurious types of chocolate to taste. It is a flavour you will never forget. The island has a long cocoa farming history, and the festival is a celebration of the work of locals. During the event, you can take a walk into the cocoa tree forest, try all kinds of chocolate cuisine and relax with chocolate yoga afterwards. This festival is a full experience for chocolate lovers of any age. The event in itself is pretty affordable too, and you pay only for the activities you are interested in. The chocolate here is ethically produced and certified organic. The festival takes place every year around May.
Barbados Chocolate Festival
This festival is a celebration of the taste of chocolate. You can try here pastries, sweets and even chocolate wine. The Barbados chocolate festival is an excellent opportunity to make connections in the world of chocolate. You can find here bakers, chocolatier and pastry chefs. So don’t be shy and ask as many chocolate questions as you wish. During the festival, you can also take part in a workshop conducted by one of the many mixologists present at the event. Get lost in sample testing from all the vendors stationed at the festival, try them all. If you are seeking more in-depth knowledge of chocolate, consider taking part in the chocolate-themed conference held during the festival. Become a chocolate pro during one event!
Jade Mountain Chocolate Festival
A festival held at the Jade Mountain resort in Saint Lucia. It offers unique experiences from the world of cocoa and chocolate. The event starts with a “chocolate enthused cocktail party” and is followed by a day of eating chocolate dishes. If you choose to take part, you will try wine and chocolate pairings, and a set of creative chocolate-themed meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You might want to get involved in the interactive truffle workshop, and the best part is that you can take home the truffles you make. A good idea is to take some time to explore the Anse Mamin plantation, which used to be a sugar cane plantation, and now offers tours in the chocolate lab. The Jade Mountain chocolate festival is an experience that your taste buds will remember forever.
Cocoa Innovation Festival
Lastly, something for all the innovation lovers. This is a festival founded by a family business that specialises in the production of different cocoa products. It takes place on the beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago. The festival features, apart from all kinds of chocolate, of course, live Spanish music. It is a perfect place to combine chocolate with famous Latino heat.
You might expect samples of artisan chocolate, but the festival is also an occasion to try chocolate combinations that you wouldn’t expect. You will be surprised where you can put chocolate in to make a dish taste delicious. Savoury dishes with chocolate will be served, beverages and desserts, but most of them with a twist. If you are looking for more exciting and new tastes of chocolate, Cocoa innovation festival is for you.
Caribbean islands are a region full of chocolate tradition and inspiration. Festivals here will satisfy even the most skeptical chocolate eaters. During these events, you will create memories and educate yourself on the process of chocolate production. Experience unique tastes of chocolate and visit the Caribbean next time there is a festival going.
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