<strong>Artisan chocolate: </strong>An ancestor of Nutella, gianduiotto originates from Piedmont, Italy. Up until the 1960's, the region's capital Turin was dotted with hundreds of artisan boutiques. Now there's only one left.
Artisan chocolate: An ancestor of Nutella, gianduiotto originates from Piedmont, Italy. Up until the 1960's, the region's capital Turin was dotted with hundreds of artisan boutiques. Now there's only one left.
A.Giordano Torino
<strong>Rich produce: </strong>The pocket-sized treats are made from a paste of fine cocoa mixed with the hazelnuts that grow in Piedmont's Langhe region.<br />
Rich produce: The pocket-sized treats are made from a paste of fine cocoa mixed with the hazelnuts that grow in Piedmont's Langhe region.
Cooper/ullstein bild/Getty Images
<strong>Perfect combination:</strong> Langhe hazelnuts, also known as tonda gentile, blend perfectly with the flavor of the cocoa butter, creating a tender, voluptuous and creamy concoction.<br />
Perfect combination: Langhe hazelnuts, also known as tonda gentile, blend perfectly with the flavor of the cocoa butter, creating a tender, voluptuous and creamy concoction.
Bildverlag Bahnmuller/imageBROKER/Shutterstock
<strong>Top quality:</strong> "They're Piedmont's gold, absolutely the best in the world," Guido Castagna, an artisan chocolatier who uses a sophisticated mechanical procedure called "extrusion" to produce gianduiotti, says of the hazelnuts.<br />
Top quality: "They're Piedmont's gold, absolutely the best in the world," Guido Castagna, an artisan chocolatier who uses a sophisticated mechanical procedure called "extrusion" to produce gianduiotti, says of the hazelnuts.
Guido Castagna
<strong>Modern take:</strong> Castagna has reinvented gianduiotto chocolate, creating a highly-refined version called Giuinott.<br />
Modern take: Castagna has reinvented gianduiotto chocolate, creating a highly-refined version called Giuinott.
Castagna
<strong>Master chocolatier: </strong>"Gianduiotto is now a specific chocolate type alongside dark, white, and milk chocolate," says Castagna. <br />
Master chocolatier: "Gianduiotto is now a specific chocolate type alongside dark, white, and milk chocolate," says Castagna.
Castagna
<strong>Gianduia paste:</strong> Founded in 1897, the A.Giordano boutique still employs a small number of "gianduiere" who make gianduiotti by hand at the historic chocolate lab.
Gianduia paste: Founded in 1897, the A.Giordano boutique still employs a small number of "gianduiere" who make gianduiotti by hand at the historic chocolate lab.
A.Giordano Torino
<strong>Spring break: </strong>The artisan boutiques halt production when springtime is near so that they don't end up selling melted chocolates.
Spring break: The artisan boutiques halt production when springtime is near so that they don't end up selling melted chocolates.
Ramella Alberto/AGF/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
<strong>Honed skill:</strong> "We are the only ones who still hand make gianduiotti. It's very expensive to employ such skilled labor," says Laura Faletti, owner of the A.Giordano boutique in Turin.
Honed skill: "We are the only ones who still hand make gianduiotti. It's very expensive to employ such skilled labor," says Laura Faletti, owner of the A.Giordano boutique in Turin.
A.Giordano Torino
<strong>Highly regarded:</strong> "It's a chocolate of prestige, I've always loved it," says Ambra Nobili, 32, who has been making A. Giordano's gianduiotti since graduating from a local pastry academy.
Highly regarded: "It's a chocolate of prestige, I've always loved it," says Ambra Nobili, 32, who has been making A. Giordano's gianduiotti since graduating from a local pastry academy.
A.Giordano Torino
<strong>New blends:</strong> Turin chocolatier Davide Appendino uses a wide array of top quality biological cacao beans to make pistachio, coffee, white chocolate, dark chocolate and sugar free gianduiotti sold in colorful wraps.
New blends: Turin chocolatier Davide Appendino uses a wide array of top quality biological cacao beans to make pistachio, coffee, white chocolate, dark chocolate and sugar free gianduiotti sold in colorful wraps.
Appendino
<strong>Made with pride: </strong>"I'm filled with joy when after a hard day's work, cutting and shaping 48 kilograms of gianduiotti with another gianduiera," adds Nobili. "I finally see how perfect and beautiful they look, and how I'm constantly improving."
Made with pride: "I'm filled with joy when after a hard day's work, cutting and shaping 48 kilograms of gianduiotti with another gianduiera," adds Nobili. "I finally see how perfect and beautiful they look, and how I'm constantly improving."
Silvia Marchetti