Which country eats the most chocolate?
Perhaps surprisingly, the country that gets the golden gong for chocolate consumption is Switzerland. The Swiss eat 10.3kg of chocolate each per year, with Austria just behind them on 9.8kg per person. The Swiss have a long history of chocolate-making and eating, and obviously the novelty hasn’t worn off yet! Ireland gets the bronze in this chocolympics, with each person consuming 8.8kg per year. In comparison, the USA is rather low in the table, with an average consumption of 5.3kg per year, while the Dutch really need to try harder: they come in at just 4.5kg per year.

How does one become a chocolatier?
While training is an essential basis for understanding and appreciating the art and craft of chocolate-making, a chocolatier is constantly learning: it’s a lifelong learning experience. A master chocolatier not only has a rigorous knowledge of chocolate, he or she also has an instinctive understanding of cocoa bean and chocolate derived from years of working with – and eating – chocolate. It’s not a simple step-by-step process, into the mix you need to throw flair, passion and instinct – things that cannot be taught, but must be learned.

How many types of cocoa bean are there?
Cocoa plants cross-pollinate with ease, so there are many varieties. However, in terms of fine chocolate there are three primary varieties – Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario. For further information, visit our all about chocolate section.

What is single origin chocolate?
A single origin chocolate is a chocolate made from cocoa beans derived from a single area/region, or from a single estate. A harvest of one type of bean from one particular place is highly prized in fine chocolate-making because of the distinctive aroma, texture and taste the single origin beans impart. For chocolate connoisseurs, questions of provenance, plantation and picking are very important indeed.