Chocolates de Mendaro - Saint Gerons

Tasting of local products and guided tours (upon reservation) are unforgettable experiences for those who want to taste extraordinary chocolates. In the company Chocolates de Mendaro we find excellent products: nougats, chocolate bars, house specialties, truffles, hot chocolate or sugar-free products. Chocolates de Mendaro has stores in Mendaro, Bilbao and Donostia. But the headquarters is in Mendaro.

The European who first tried cocoa was Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage. He took some samples of cocoa to Spain to be tasted by the Catholic Monarchs, but its bitter taste was not successful.

Chocolate is a mixture of cocoa and sugar. By processing cocoa beans, we obtain the cocoa paste, which is dark brown and bitter, and on the other hand, the yellowish cocoa butter, the fat contained in the cocoa bean. Paste and butter mixed with sugar and with ingredients such as milk or nuts become different types of chocolate: dark, milk or white chocolate.

Good chocolate has a dark mahogany color that is uniform, shiny and smooth, but never black. Milk chocolate is light ocher, but it can be light mahogany depending on the percentage of cocoa it contains. Its texture is smooth and fine. It melts easily, without leaving a greasy feeling in the mouth.

When breaking a good chocolate, it breaks easily with a soft noise. It can't be greasy.

Final recommendation: it is not appropriate to leave the chocolate in a hot or cold place, or where there are odors or humidity. Chocolate should be stored at 16-18 degrees Celsius, in a cool and dry place, and be well protected from the light.