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7 Days in Peru- Day 1: The Sacred Valley, Chocolate Making at Choco Museo

Trip to Peru Day 1
Location: The Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo Choco Museo
 
Cost: About $25 per person- depending on current exchange rate
Time: Plan 3 Hours for this class.
Tips: Some classes are in English, some in Spanish. Be sure to check which one you’re signing up for in advance!
Whenever we travel we try to plan one activity that we’d consider a date. Clearly the whole trip is like a date, but having one more romantic, special activity makes it feel all the more special.
We knew that Lima is one of the food capitals of the world. We thought some kind of cooking class would be really amazing since we have been smitten with Peruvian food long before our trip. Imagine the delight to learn that Peru is the largest exporter of organic chocolate- and that you can take your own chocolate making classes learning to make it from scratch! It took no time at all to decide we wanted to do this and to figure out where to go.

We found out the Choco Museu is actually in Lima, Cusco, and Ollantaytambo- All places we’d be! When we looked at schedules we decided to fit it in Ollantaytambo after visiting the ruins. It really was perfect timing to do it this way! Ruins all afternoon, a little city exploring, and then a chocolate making class from 4:00-7:00, with a little dinner after.

Choco Museu Date in Peru

I can’t recommend this enough! We were downright giddy about this class.

Chocolate Making Date in Peru
We started by learning all about the cacao plant. There are three breeds, a premium creamy blend that grows in perfect climates like Peru, and a courser more mild flavor that primarily grows in Africa, and can withstand harsher conditions. Then there’s a hybrid that grows various places. Guess what we get in the United States- the crappy breed primarily from Africa and then we add wax to it. Why United States, WHY? 

We also learned the Incans were the first to use it, and that the beans were so precious they were used as currency. Five beans could buy you a livestock animal of your choice. They really felt it was a gift from the Gods, which we irreverently commemorated by this mural.

We started out by choosing a handful of beans, and learning how to roast them.

Make Chocolate from a Coco plantation in Peru

 

 

After they are roasted you need to shell them. But guess what, not even the shells are wasted! They make a tea that tastes like a chocolate bar with just water and shells. It was really good!

We wanted to prove we did our share of shelling- it was no easy task!

The beans are then put in a mortar and pestle and ground into cocoa powder.

 

They then taught us how to make two kinds of hot chocolate- the Incan kind…

Which they usually put blood in. Our fabulous teacher Liz asked Jacob to volunteer and he was ready to donate! She laughed pretty hard and let him know she was teasing. I’m still glad I caught the ready and willing Jacob in a picture.

After the spicy Incan hot chocolate we were introduced to the Spanish style hot chocolate. If the Spaniards gave the Incans one thing while they were conquering their country, it was the introduction to adding sugar and cream to beverages. Maybe not quite an even trade, but after drinking this amazing stuff the jury was still out for me.

 

From there we learned about chocolates and chocolate bars, and what percent of cocoa butter, sugar, cream, and chocolate go together. It made me feel so proud I’m a dark fan through and through- I am getting the most bang for my buck!

From there the proper amount of ingredients go through these machines for hours. We used the last class’s stuff so we would have time to pour our own chocolates.

They provided all kinds of options to make custom chocolates.

 

Chocolate making Date

And then we carefully dipped and stirred in the ingredients. For the record, the salt from their local salt pools combined with the fresh dark chocolate is the stuff of the Gods.

 

 

Make chocolate from scratch in Peru

We left two very happy people with treats we enjoyed throughout our trip.

 

And for the record, I am now ruined and American chocolate will never taste the same. I even told Jacob I’m ready to make it my life mission to get chocolate un-ruined in the United States. The Chocolate Revolution of 2014- who is with me?

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27 Comments

  1. Kristine@thefoleyfam says:

    I love that you plan a special date within your vacation! So fun to do a cooking class while you were there!

  2. Raewyn @ Be A Warrior Queen says:

    This is such a cool experience!! My godmother is from Peru and I have always wanted to go! If I do, I am definitely trying this

  3. What a cool experience! Although, I'll say I'm kind of glad American chocolate is ruined for me yet 😉

  4. freelyfatima.com says:

    This looks sooo fun! It looks like you guys had a great time. I would love to do this with my hubby!

  5. Michelle Chouinard says:

    Wait. Wait. Wait. Chocolate museum?! Making chocolate?! How have I never heard of this??!!!

  6. Stefany T says:

    That class sounds so amazing. What a fun time!

  7. That looks like so much fun. I absolutely love how intentional you two are about your dates. 🙂

  8. Miranda Myrabev says:

    looks really cool and not pricey at all, i too am jealous such a cute couple

  9. Jessica Doll @ Team Wiking says:

    This is pretty much the coolest thing, ever ! I'm a little jealous, haha.

  10. Your custom chocolates look so fun to make! I love that you guys go on so many fun dates!

  11. Oh my heck! How fun is this! Traveling is the best! Brand and I went to Russia this summer and I wish we could travel more!

  12. This looks like so much fun! My gosh, who else can say that they made their own chocolate from scratch?