Just back from a trip to Spain. Only managed to sample the delights of Spanish Chocolate in the cities of Barcelona, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Madrid and Santiago de Compostela. The best place for chocolate was without doubt Barcelona. The number of shops selling chocolate in bars or truffles was mindboggling. From shops selling a small range of truffles to complement other products to large chocolate only shops. Seems churros and hot chocolate is the signature cocoa experince in Spain. I included a quest in our trip to locate the best hot chocolate and churros I could. Like many things it is easy to find products that didn't suit my taste. In particular a cafe/bar in Madrid served the churros fresh, however presented a hot chocolate made from a sachet!! The worst place was a dead heat between this one and a cup purchased, in one of the plazas that litter any Spanish city, a pathetic offering of watery poor quality chocolate mixed with an indifferent overly aged milk. Without doubt the best place for Hot Chocoalate was the chocolate museum in Barcelona smooth not overly bitter with a creamy aftertaste. In Santiago De Compostela we stumbled across a Valor Cafe. They had managed to match chocolate and churros that met what I was looking for! Cacao Sampaka have produced a range of single origin truffles that we purchased a box of. The countries included in the range were Ecuador, Venezuela, Grenada, Brazil, Papua, Guinea Ecuatorial, Sant Domingo and Cuba. Sorry no tasting notes. A wonderful way to explore the difference in taste of chocolate across the countries......Not sure of the chocolate highlight. If chocolate only then the Cocoa Sampaka sample, if the best host chocolate then the Chocolate Museum, if the best local speciality then the Valor experience. On reflection culture is the point so the Valor Cafe was the highlight. However the whole point was hot chocolate so maybe the Chocolate Museum.

I am so confused........

Hello Chocolate Life,

I haven't participated in any forums before or done any blogging.

No time like the present I suppose.

Last week I managed to visit 2 chocolate shpos in Melbourne. One in Smith Street Collingwood and one in Collins St in the city.

On visiting a new chocolate shop I like to try the hot chocolate and the dark chocolate truffles. If these are above reasonable quality then it is worthwhile trying other products. If not then don't look back!

The hot chocoates were both very nice. The city one much more creamy and to my palate then the other. Unfortuantely I was in a hurry so was not able to try any of the truffles.

Given the quality of the hot chocolates the truffles will be worth a visit!

One of Melbourne's increasingly endearing qualities is the rising number and high standard of chocolate in the city.

Jas