Fiera del Cioccolato!

WannabeWillyWonka

Any sort of anything in which the primary focus is chocolate sounds good to me. While it's assumed that most females have a weakness for chocolate, I like to think I have a strength for chocolate...or some positive antithesis regarding the stereotype.

Chocolate and I have always had a very close, loving relationship. So, it should go without saying I was more than a little excited when I heard about a chocolate FESTIVAL in Florence. No more than a ten minute walk alongside the river, this chocolate celebration was held in the beautiful Santa Croce Piazza.

Now, as my Italian is currently about that of a three year old bambina, I wasn't entirely sure what a chocolate festival entailed. I understood chocolate and I understood festival...and that was really all I needed. Of what I gathered from the description online, each vendor had to pick a theme and stick to it. Whether or not this is actually true, I don't know--but I like to think it is. Some vendors had chocolate in the shape of every tool, another a giant chocolate-layered kebob, and some focused on tiny insects such as lady bugs.

I also imagined that the point of this festival was actually a competition to see who could create the best things out of chocolate. I pictured giant recreations of The David made entirely of white chocolate, and the duomo sculpted of various chocolates. Sadly, I did not see this...nor am I entirely sure where I got this notion. However, if anybody is looking for a festival competition idea...

The amount of self-restraint I exerted yesterday was large to say the least. I only indulged in purchasing a fruit kebob covered in dark chocolate (because dark chocolate is good for you!) and I bought a bottle of chocolate rum...because how could you not. Essentially, this is chocolate syrup with 17% alcohol content. The saleslady attempted to tell me it is very good on icecream, though I think it is delicious on a bowl of chocolate risociok (Italian Cocoa Pebbles) with milk. Making Italy classier one meal at a time.

There was chocolate in every possible form at this festival. I see it as a learning experience as opposed to a gluttonous consumption of every free sample offered. I'm just trying to soak up the culture as best as possible. If that means taking off my glasses and jacket as I pass by a sample tent for the third time, then so be it. I want to absorb every aspect of this city, and yesterday the chocolate festival helped me better ascertain this goal.

Halfway through this week the vendors switch. I fully intend to make my way back to the chocolate festival at least once. If not to try the fruit fondue, to inquire more about the jars of what looks like chocolate paste.

The more time I spend walking around (...and getting lost) in this city, the more I find festivals and vendors and gatherings of people. I really enjoy the fact that these people are so inclined to celebrate everything and with such specific honoring. Personally, my favorite find thus far is the festival of chocolate. I mean really...how wrong could you go with this?