Caffarel from Piedmont, confectionery manufacturer with passion
Gianduiotto (Gianduia) best invention of Caffarel
A duet of chocolate and hazelnuts
In 1826, Paul Caffarel opened his shop in Turin, and thanks to him the city became one of the chocolate capitals.
During these years of ongoing wars, cocoa was a rare ingredient in Europe. The Gianduiotto, Caffarel`s most extraordinary invention and one of the most memorable specialties in the world of chocolate, was created from the combination of cocoa and roasted Piedmontese hazelnuts.
Caffarel
Arose out of necessity, when cocoa was subject to an exorbitant luxury tax in the 19th century, the chocolatier reduced the cocoa content in his chocolate and replaced it with ground hazelnuts. The shape of the praline and the name of the gianduia are also the purest local flavor of Turin. The shape, reminiscent of a boat, is based on the hat of the carnival figure Gianduia. The main protagonist of the Turin Carnival also embodies the Risorgimento, the unity of Italy. It`s a mischievous, patriotic peasant with a cap. At the carnival 151 years ago, Isidore Caffarel also presented his latest creation and asked for the praline to be named after Gianduia. Since he was also handing out samples, no one could refuse this request. Strictly speaking, the pralines are called Gianduiotti and their smaller variant Gianduiottini.
Isidore continued the success story of his father, Pierre Paul Caffarel, who founded the company in 1826, fascinated by the idea of making chocolate.