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The festival, which runs Dec. 2-7 throughout downtown Tübingen, features more than 100 skilled chocolatiers from Europe, South America and Africa who offer a variety of fine chocolates.
“Most people think of chocolate in a positive way. Some even think of it as a staple,” said Stefanie Stauß, event coordinator of this year’s festival.
During the festival, visitors will find chocolate creations that differ from products typically offered in a supermarket, according to Stauß.
“We have more than one hundred vendors offering products from about 20 countries. This includes small and individual chocolate producers as well as large companies, such as Ritter Sport,” she said.
Visitors can experience chocolate in many ways throughout the festival, since the chocolatiers play with exotic ingredients and offer various chocolate and praline compositions that make for a different taste.
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Another unique treat is chocolate beer, a dark beer with a hint of cocoa. This year, chocolate beer from Belgium and France will be featured at the event, according to Stauß.
The chocolate festival also features chocolate massages, hands-on classes on making pralines and truffles, chocolate art, chocolate menus in restaurants, chocolate tastings, chocolate exhibitions, a seminar on chocolate and wine, and a class on painting with cocoa.
“The diversity truly is what makes the chocolate festival such a memorable event,” Stauß said.
A highlight is the “chocolateRoom” at Tübingen’s market square. Chocolatiers will create chocolate art in two transparent tents. While watching the “Maitre Chocolatiers” work on their pieces of chocolate art, visitors can breathe in the sweet smell of cocoa. Better still, all of the chocolates can be sampled on the spot.
The “Tübinger Schoko-schaumkuss” (chocolate foam kiss), or, “Chocolino,” is a chocolate-coated marshmallow treat also produced at the chocolate room. Chocolatiers typically add honey to the creamy filing and the chocolate shell is made of 60 percent cocoa.
According to Stauß, the festival also aims to promote fair trade and fair trade chocolates and cocoa products can be found throughout the festival.
Children can also create their own chocolate at the Ritter Sport “Kinder-SchokoWerkstatt” located at Holzmarkt.
In addition to the festival, Tübingen has another historical connection to the world of chocolate.
According to Tübingen’s city archives, the famous Schwarzwälderkirschtorte, or Black Forest cake, was invented in 1930 in Tübingen by the confectioner Erwin Hildenbrand.
This year, a treat was created especially for the chocolate festival: a Black Forest cake made out of high-quality ingredients served in a small glass. A chocolate praline with a creamy Black Forest cake filling will also be available. The cake and praline can be found at the “Tübinger Zuckerbäcker” at Marktplatz.
For those looking to donate some of their purchased chocolates with the needy in the region, the “Tübinger Tafel,” a charitable organization, will set up a collection stand at the event information booth located at Holzmarkt opposite of “Stiftskirche,” or Collegiate Church. Here patrons can drop off chocolates that will later be delivered to families and children in need.
The festival will be open Tuesday from 1-8 p.m., Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
A long shopping night will be offered Dec. 6. All stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
According to the event organizer, the chocolate festival typically is very crowded on weekends. Therefore patrons are advised to travel to Tübingen with public transportation.
For more information, visit www.chocolart.de.
