Treat yourself to a chocolaty weekend

The first-ever Indian Cacao & Craft Chocolate Festival will be held at the BIC that will showcase the best chocolate makers in the country

NT Correspondent

Although chocolate has always been a symbol of joy, richness and good times, there are many scientific techniques involved in the making of quality craft chocolate. While most of us give ourselves a chocolaty treat every now and then, few of us are aware of the organic process of chocolate making and what it takes to make an artisanal chocolate bar.

Indian Cacao & Craft Chocolate Festival is the brainchild of Patricia Cosma, a bean-to-bar chocolate consultant and connoisseur from Romania, and Ketaki Churi, a chocolatier, chocolate maker and product developer from Mumbai.

A collective project of the craft chocolate community, this is India’s first and “biggest” craft chocolate festival that will witness some of the finest craft chocolate makers, cacao farmers, industry professionals, chocolatiers and enthusiasts all under one roof over two days.

The event will feature topnotch names from the world of chocolate such as Mason & Co, Bon Fiction, KOKO Pods and many more. Additionally, guests can savour some of the best chocolates in the country and sample an array of interesting dishes revolving around chocolate by wellknown food brands.

There will also be a series of talks on chocolate, like exploring Indian cacao; workshops, like pairing cheese with chocolate, getting to taste fresh cacao and buying cacao juice; and even a music-related event that involves chocolate.

Not to leave the kids out, they will have a kid's zone where children can see and taste fresh cacao and learn about the chocolate-making process. “The Indian cacao has amazing flavour profiles, with warm, earthy, sweet, fruity notes and can be turned into a variety of delicious chocolate goods.

We want to make people discover and choose Indian-origin chocolate and understand that European mass-produced chocolate is no superior in any way,” says Patricia, who started her journey into the world of chocolate in 2016.

If you want to dig into some of India’s most remarkable craft chocolate and also learn more about the journey of cacao from being a humble bean to a gourmet dessert, then ‘The Indian Cacao & Craft Chocolate Festival’ is just for you.

Where: Bangalore International Centre, Domlur

When: Nov 12-13, 11 am to 6 pm

Tickets: Insider.in