A luxury chocolate from Tuscany has just been named the best in the world by the London-based Academy of Chocolate. 
The Amedei Company's Toscano Black 63% won the Golden Bean award for "the best chocolate from bean to bar." Amedei also won Gold Medals for its Porcelana chocolate bar, its Chuao dark chocolate,
and its milk chocolate with hazelnuts. And, they won four Silver Medals, too, for other luscious chocolates.
This is nothing new for the company's owners, Cecelia and Alessio Tessieri, a brother and sister who share a real passion for chocolate. Their chocolates have won the Golden Bean for the last three years.
The prizes were awarded by an international jury of some 300 chocolatiers and experts.
Although Italy does not have a long history and tradition of chocolate-making like Switzerland, France, or Germany, the Italian chocolate industry has been a source of national pride. Italy is swiftly becoming well-known for its wide variety of specialty chocolates made exclusively from cocoa butter.
Chocolate lovers can learn much more at Amedei Ciccolato, with photos so tempting you can practically smell the delicious aroma.
And, although the press release I read states that Amedei only produces 20,000 bars a year, primarily for luxury hotels and restaurants, I found a US distributor for the gorgeous (and expensive) treats: Chocosphere. (Please note: I have never ordered from this company myself and am not affiliated with them in any way).
There are some wonderful chocolate shops in Florence that we'll visit in October on our gourmet Tastes of Tuscany Tour. I can't wait...
