A guided visit to Dolceria Bonajuto to discover the history of Modica chocolate for only 3 €, tasting also the typical Sicilian sweets, here is my experience.
Making a trip to sicily, in Modica and not tasting the characteristic chocolate of this city, is not a heresy, it is much more! I've always heard about Modica Chocolate, some people like it crazy enough to order it online, others don't like it much, they say it's too grainy. I had never tried it before and was excited.
First of all, what I recommend is to take a little tour, no, not to taste the chocolate (although obviously you can do that too), but just to be told about the history of chocolate here in Modica. The tour can be done at the Dolceria Bonajuto in Modica which, as the website says, every day at 16.30 p.m. for the price of only 3 € will accompany you on a guided tour inside their laboratory.
I advise you to call to book the guided tour, also because the schedule may vary according to the seasons. The visit also allows you to taste many delicacies of the Dolceria, not only chocolate is produced here, on the contrary, there are many desserts of which you always hear very little but which are very appreciated by the Sicilians.
How did chocolate come to Modica?
Very quickly, because I'm not here to take a history lesson and because at Dolceria Bonajuto they will be able to tell you better than me, the origin of Sicilian chocolate has its origin in that of Aztecs who reigned in Central America. Then came the Spanish who around 1519 imported the first cocoa beans to Sicily. The Spanish introduced chocolate in what was then called the "County of Modica".
The Modica chocolate has one great characteristic, which is recognized all over the world, it is almost coarse, with sugar granules left thick that give it, in addition to the particularity in taste, a brightness of reflections. This taste and this texture are given by its workmanship, which is presented almost cold, for a maximum of 35/40 ° and which allows it to maintain unchanged its characteristics. All this differentiates it from other types of chocolate, which makes it original and therefore unique.
Tasting at Dolceria Bonajuto
During the visit to Dolceria Bonajuto, not only will they tell you all this, in fact much and much more, but you will be able to go directly to where the chocolate is produced and where the Sicilian Sweets are the masters. You can put on a coat and hat and see for yourself how chocolate is produced, how ancient taste and art combine to create a small wonder. You will be made to taste all the desserts in production, such as i Bucatoli and 'Mpanatigghi and by the end, believe me, you will have a very full belly, full of goodness.
The guided tour lasts about 40 minutes, but then you can stay as long as you want inside the store to shop and ask more questions. I didn't miss the pistachio cannoli, another delicious Bunajuto dessert and obviously the 80% pure chocolate and vanilla chocolate, a real treat.
Don't forget that before you buy you can taste all the different types of chocolate, as inside the store there are several bowls with chocolate to taste. But also that, once you get home, you run out of supplies, you can make your own buy online.
